Live: Paris Paloma Brings “the fruits” of Her “labour” to Brooklyn
On Tuesday night, I caught Paris Paloma at Brooklyn’s Sultan Room. Opening the night was the indie-folk trio Bandits on the Run. Composed of Adrian Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn, the band formed after a chance encounter while busking in the subway. On stage, Bandits on the Run armed themselves with cello, guitar, suitcase drum, accordion, and other instruments. Playing through favorites like “Hurricane,” “You Have Changed,” and others, the trio grabbed the audience with their soaring harmonies and unique sound.
Paris Paloma took the stage with her band as she kicked off the set with the 2023 single “notre dame,” a song that touches on the experiences of being on the fringes of religion and faith.
Channeling the feminine experience in her songwriting through her haunting sound and poetic lyricism, the U.K. singer ranges from tender and heartbreaking to empowered and vengeful.
Hailing from Derbyshire, the U.K. singer entertained the room full of Americans. Before playing her unreleased song “Yeti,” the singer explained the inspiration behind the title and lyrics. Looking at people who are obsessed with myths like the yeti, Paloma points out that they get to a point where you realize it doesn’t exist. “We're nothing but myths now that neither of us believe in.”
Connecting with her audience in between songs, Paloma joked that her song “the last beautiful thing I saw is the thing that blinded me” has a long title and that it’s “quite pretentious” which got a laugh from everyone. The title holds true though, with Paloma explaining that the song works on a personal level and on a literal level with her getting hit in the eye by hail and not being able to see.
The acoustic verse tells the tale. “I sheltered in a church's arch within/From the shards of glass falling so pale.” Vocal harmonies cut in and out during the chorus, heightening the song's drama and tension. “And I look up, and saw the sun / It separated all the colors / And the ice, into my eyes / It fell and left me blind / That was the last thing that I saw: The fractured glass and its downpour.”
Playing another unreleased song, this one inspired by Star Wars, Paloma talked about “escape pod” and feeling anxiety about watching someone being shot off their exploded planet.
Before playing "the fruits," a fan handed Paloma a flower crown, reminiscent of the music video. The mythical lyrics address going from being an angel to a devil, touching on the darkness behind purity culture and the patriarchy. "Devil", you call me / But seems to be enjoying / The fruits of my labour that came to me too young."
The penultimate song of the night was “labour,” her latest single-turned-viral feminist anthem. Telling the story of a woman forced into taking on all the emotional work in a relationship, the tune slowly unravels over gossamer instrumentals, before erupting into a powerful chant. “All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid / Nymph, then a virgin, nurse, then a servant”.
The chorus peaks with a repeating line. “It’s not an act of love if you make her / You make me do too much labour,” creating a rallying cry. The lyrics echoed throughout the venue as the crowd yelled the powerful lyrics back at Paloma.
Fresh off playing Bonnaroo and U.S. dates, Paloma Paris is set to play Summerfest and is gearing up to hit the U.K. later this summer.
Check out tour dates here.
See photos from the show here.