It was a gloomy spring evening when Ethel Cain and her fanbase took over Camden Town. Thousands of Gen-Zers and Millennials queued to see the American icon, who famously brought Amish dresses right into the limelight of today’s pop culture, live in London for the first time in a long while. Amidst the mix of tourists and locals, the singer’s fanbase appeared almost cult-like – once having set foot out of the tube station, you could spot the fans from a mile away… dark, edgy, modest but modern, gender-fluid but assertive. Glancing at the diverse crowd in line, it was clear that many possessed strong personalities and opinions. This trait mirrored Cain, known for her bold political stances on social media, most recently voicing support for the Free Palestine movement.
The stage decor was simple, featuring a massive screen showing short clips and stills of Cain herself, the countryside, car parks, etc. The American artist’s mellow but powerful voice, which is often compared to Lana Del Rey’s, filled the entire venue within seconds, leaving everyone in the audience completely and utterly mesmerised. The narratives woven through each of the performed songs – some stretching over five minutes with reverberating chords – drew listeners into a captivating journey. And even when Cain revamped her delivery of the sultry fan-favourite ‘Crush’ with a lively twist, fans belted out the original lyrics with fervour. Halfway through the track, the singer caught sight of a flag amidst the dim crowd and beckoned for it, waving the Palestinian colours into the spotlight before draping it over her mic stand for everyone to see while the venue erupted in thunderous applause. In between songs off her most recent album ‘Preacher’s Daughter’ – during which the multitalented performer even whipped out her harmonica at one point for the song ‘Thoroughfare’ – Cain teased a few unreleased songs from her upcoming new project, also hinted at by the “Perverts”-branded merchandise, a departure from her current ‘Preacher’s Daughter’ universe.
The standout moment of the night came when the excited crowd burst into a chant of the haunting lyrics “God loves you, but not enough to save you” during Cain’s performance of ‘Sun Bleached Flies’. Adding to the list of surprises of the night, Cain also treated the audience to a cover of Kim Carnes’ ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ – which, surprisingly, everyone seemed to know by heart. And while the Florida-born singer-songwriter effortlessly danced her way through the song, the stage lit up in a rainbow of lights, perhaps her subtle nod to Pride Month. Wrapping up the evening with her chart-topping anthem ‘American Teenager’, Cain disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind a trail of her radiant presence.
Written by Vicky Madzak
GEM Magazine 