On October 23rd, I was given the wonderful opportunity to see Isabel LaRosa open for Tom Odell’s concert at The Wiltern, a venue about 20 minutes away from UCLA (given the infamous LA traffic, I’d add an extra 10 minutes to be on the safe side). I enjoy attending concerts whenever possible, many of which end up being a blast. This concert, however, was one that I will never forget, and I mean that in the best way possible.
The show consisted of three artists: Toronto’s very own Jane’s Party, singer songwriter Isabel LaRosa, and the multitalented Tom Odell, respectively.
Jane’s Party is an indie-rock band who released their latest EP, “Baby I’m Yours,” on the day of the concert. They began to play shortly after doors opened at 7PM. Frankly, I loved their set and would gladly see them in concert again, as they had amazing energy on stage.
Shortly after, Isabel LaRosa made her way to the stage. Her entrance was spot on. She approached the stage with an astronaut helmet, which gave mysterious vibes, and promptly took it off, swaying her hair back and forth as she did so. Those first few seconds embodied the charisma that LaRosa brought to the stage. Her entrance was perfectly choreographed, and she smoothly transitioned to singing afterwards.
LaRosa’s most played song is “i’m yours,” which grew to be a viral hit on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Currently, it’s ranked as her second most popular song on Spotify, with the sped up version (“i’m yours sped up”) being ranked third. I recall hearing this song through trending social media content, which put familiarity to her name prior to seeing her perform live. LaRosa’s commitment to her charisma onstage is unmatched. From her show stopping voice to her interaction with audience members, time flew when watching her. You know what they say: time flies when you’re having fun!
Halfway through the night, we had a happily spontaneous turn of events. My friend Mariam and I were seated in the balcony and having a wonderful time. After watching LaRosa perform, a gentleman named John approached us. He very kindly offered us complimentary tickets to the General Admission floor. We graciously accepted his offer and made our way to the first floor of the Wiltern, minutes before Tom Odell’s performance began. I’d like to give a shoutout to John and Claudia for their generosity, because I got to view the most ethereal performance within super close proximity. Only one word can express how amazing Tom Odell’s performance was: jaw-dropping.
All in all, I had a great time listening to the diverse music genres of all three artists: Jane’s Party, Isabel LaRosa and Tom Odell. If I had to redo this night all over again, I’d do so without a doubt.