London-based singer-songwriter Phildel staged a highly acclaimed show at Joe’s Pub on a Wednesday night. The singer-songwriter, known for a neo-classical style of singing and arranging, performed songs from her debut album “The disappearance of a girl” adding a haunting quality to her music. The gig was visually and vocally enchanting and the melancholy lyrics at time seemed to draw on her traumatic childhood experiences.
photo by David Zhai, via Facebook
At the age of 9, Phildel’s mother married a strictly religious Muslim and the singer’s world was changed by force – that included her name,religion,lifestyle,dress-code… All of her personal possessions were seized and music became a forbidden evil within the household. This meant no radio, no CD player, and no piano. However, she spent lunchtimes with sympathetic music teachers and the school piano and at the age of 17 ran away from home to follow her dreams. Phildel’s current stage name is a composite of her father and mother’s names – Philip and Della.
photo by David Anthony Rasmussen, via Facebook
There was a full house at Joe’s Pub to see Phildel perform during her final concert in the States this year.
photo from the artwork of Phildel’s first album “The Disappearance of a girl”
The audience seemed enraptured by her music – Phildel is very sensual in her performance and seems to draw in it. In addition, the singer was very stylish in a gorgeous colorful dress, she later said is from lightinthebox.com – a global fashion website.
In case, you’re on the other side of the ocean you can see her performing at CCA Glasgow on December 4th and in St.Gilles Church in London on December 6th. Tickets are available via the artist’s website www.phildel.com/. Here is the video for her single “The disappearance of a girl” – definitely one of the best I’ve seen in a while.
review from Mikael Lindfors and Flowers In A Gun team.
photos: Facebook
