Review | Axelle Red takes 24 sultry tracks and strips them back to basics
Belgian chanteuse Red turns in seductive performances of soulful pop – and you can catch her live in Hong Kong on March 11
The Songs (Acoustic)
Musicast
Axelle Red is an apt name for the flame-haired singer-songwriter born Fabienne Demal, who will play her first Hong Kong show on Saturday, at North Point’s Mom Livehouse. Still, it’s a testament to the 49-year-old’s warm and luxurious voice that flowing copper locks aren’t her most stunning asset. The Songs (Acoustic) is a stripped-down collection of 24 tracks performed in French, and there’s no denying that the Belgian’s sultry soulful pop sounds far more suited to the romance of that language than to boring old English. Unfortunately for this lazy linguist, I have no idea what Red is singing about, and unless she one day releases a song about wanting a jambon et fromage sandwich, it will likely stay that way. But with a voice as naturally seductive as this, complemented by a sparse backing of piano and guitar, who gives a damn whether she’s singing about broken hearts or Brexit.