A self-described “old soul,” Steph La Rochelle is a singer-songwriter from Ottawa renowned for crafting timeless heartfelt pop/folk melodies with vibrant vocals and guitar playing to match. When we last left Steph, she spoke to us about her then unreleased single "Lost & Found," a sequel to "Slow," a song off her Juno-nominated EP, Wildflower. To our delight, we had a chance to catch a live performance of "Lost & Found" and more at her show last Thursday at the National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage.
The evening began on a high note when opener Allysann Mei, a rising folk singer-songwriter from Chelsea, immediately quietened the chatter of the full-house venue with her solo acoustic set. Her soulful cover of "Falling Behind" by Laufey, endearing exchanges with the audience, and songs’ likeness to the music of other folk contemporaries such as Lucy Rose (and arguably even Steph herself), engaged the audience in such a way that it seamlessly primed them for Steph’s very own set.
With a striking parallel to Allysann’s entrance, Steph came onto the stage out of the blue with full zest and sang the words to "Stars" after her band teased the intro of the song to the audience. It was at this moment that the audience caught a first glimpse of how her performing arts background shone, as it was clear that she was in her element on stage. That said, the performative aspect of the evening didn’t reach its crescendo until after Steph performed "Lost & Found."
Admitting that it was a “cheesy” move on her part, Steph played on the actual term, "lost and found," to celebrate the release of her latest single by concealing a copy of Wildflower underneath one of the seats in the room for an audience member to find. This introduced some levity to the show, especially when the initial struggle to find the copy by the audience made Steph humourously utter, “it’s really lost now.”
Other than the live performance of "Lost & Found," and the light-hearted game with the audience that followed, the show was remarkably unique if not special, as Steph also performed "Heart Like Mine," an unreleased song dedicated to her parents who were in attendance along with the rest of her family.
The show concluded as it began when Steph, again, channeled the performer in her by asking the audience to help her sing the words to "Haunted Love," a reworked song of hers. The audience wholeheartedly clapped and sang in unison, marking a sentimental end to an evening filled with stories, songs, and memories.
