Live: Ruel - O2 Forum Kentish Town, London 29/09/2023
On the penultimate night of a world tour for his debut album ‘4TH WALL’, Sydney singer-songwriter Ruel shows us that this is just the start of the young artist’s exciting journey.
There aren’t many 20-year-olds who can claim to have embarked on a world tour of their debut album, yet as Australian musician Ruel performed in front of 2,300 adoring fans in London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on the penultimate night of the ‘4TH WALL’ tour, this achievement comes as no surprise. Taking the stage with charisma, authenticity, and assurance, it is easy to see why fans globally flock to Ruel’s shows, night after night, country after country. With an expansive setlist showcasing his musicality, and stunning graphics demonstrating the thoughtful curation of the show, every aspect hinted at something much bigger lying on the horizon for the young musician.
However, no star is alone in achieving their success; on this particular occasion, Australian alt-indie trio Telenova stepped up to the plate as they warmed up the crowd with a spellbinding performance. Describing their sound as ‘cinema for your ears’, it’s an apt description of the effortless basslines and silky vocals that filled the venue with a blissful euphoria. Lead singer Angeline Armstrong easily captured every ounce of your attention with her elegant performance, as she breezed around the stage and charged you up at all the right points with a tambourine to direct. Between the groove of ‘Why Do I Keep You?’ and the emblazoning cover of ‘Hung Up’, it was impossible to resist dancing along, even if you weren’t normally one to let your hair down. The huskiness of ‘Bones’ made you feel like you were being let in on something intimate, drawing you into an irresistible snare of honeyed tones and brooding beats, before closing song ‘Blue Valentine’ sent you back into the glittering light, ready for what’s coming next.
As the graphic introduction scene began for Ruel’s performance, there was a palpable sense of excitement that increased with every passing second. With an instrumental build-up that even Hollywood moviemakers would approve of, it reached its peak as a graphic Ruel ‘fell’ from the screen into the real world, paying heed to the namesake of his debut album by breaking the fourth wall. The jangly keys of ‘GO ON WITHOUT ME’ were unmistakable, and the crowd demonstrated their enthusiasm by loudly singing along from the get-go. The high-energy of the track was heightened by Ruel’s captivating delivery, as he rocked around in a dazzling tie and barely stayed stationary for more than a second. Powering through into ‘GROWING UP IS _____’, the poignant track received a makeover in the live arena, with more energy pumped in but none of the emotional tenderness lost. The result? A heartbreaking, coming-of-age anthem that you could simultaneously rock along to – and it’s this very combination of heartfelt lyricism and catchy melodies that makes Ruel such an appealing musician.
Continuing with transforming his debut album for the live setting, ‘YOU AGAINST YOURSELF’ brought a stomping beat that seems to rebound with exhilaration on a superficial listen, while a deeper delve into lyrics reveal a more uncertain undertone, as Ruel laments, ‘I want to help you, but it’s hard to get through all of your walls’. Yet as the pounding bass drum punched through in the chorus, it was equally matched by an enthusiastic crowd shouting along to the beat. Briefly diving into his back catalogue for the R&B-infused ‘Face To Face’, the energy levels stayed high through a seamless transition into ‘SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM’, which boasts a chorus that could easily fill arenas with its hooking refrain that ‘you’re someone else’s problem now.’
Slowing down for the next part of his set, the depth and layers of Ruel’s musicianship were unveiled as he demonstrated a more vulnerable side with the diaristic ‘IF AND/OR WHEN’ and ‘say it over’. Taking a seat behind the piano for ‘JAPANESE WHISKY’, the clarity of his vocals shone through the minimal accompaniment and felt piercing to the core; it created such an air of intimacy such that you would be forgiven for forgetting that you were in a packed crowd at that moment. Following on with a medley of covers, ranging from One Direction’s ‘Night Changes’ to the Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Gotta Feeling’, the aura of awe was momentarily broken by humour with a ‘mmm, whatcha say’ and a heavily auto-tuned proclamation of ‘Jason Derulo’, demonstrating Ruel’s playful side. The occasional light-hearted puncture repeated later in the set, as Ruel began the yearning ‘LIE’ but had to stop and restart from laughing too much, and the goofiness within these moments only made his fans more adoring as it displayed an element of humility and humanity that could easily be related to.
As he closed off his main set with ‘END SCENE’, a hard-hitting and introspective track that poses more questions than answers, a rolling end credit on the screen behind Ruel hammered home the feeling that this was a meticulously planned and directed show, akin to a cinematic masterpiece. Giving his thanks for the crowd, it was a polished conclusion yet it felt like there was a bit of fuel left in the engine – hence why the crowd erupted into cheers when Ruel burst out for an encore of ‘I DON’T WANNA BE LIKE YOU’. Ending with just as much energy as he started with, it was a euphoric conclusion that left you unsure about where you will see Ruel next, but certain that it will be on a bigger stage and with more accolades under his belt.
Words by Athena Kam
Photography by Stefania Semini
