Ruel @
The Fonda Theatre
Australian singer-songwriter Ruel brought his charm and melodic voice to L.A. for two back to back sold-out shows at the Fonda Theatre
Seventeen year old Australian singer Ruel visited the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on a Sunday night to serenade his devout fans who were in line since five in the morning to get as close as possible to him. Having released his first seven track album Free Time in September of this year, his music is comprised of pop tunes mixed with R&B and jazz. This night was a perfect opportunity for Ruel to showcase this new album in front of his North American supporters.
As you walked in the room filled with audience primarily consisting of girls similar in age as Ruel, the crowd was already inching their way closer to the stage for the perfect view. The stage was hidden with a curtain, a spotlight that spelled out “RUEL” shined on it. The anticipation of the night built as his set time drew closer. When the view of the stage was finally seen, the audience saw a drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, and three backup singers — no visual on Ruel just yet. It was not until the timer on screen approached zero that we saw Ruel in yellow jacket appear on top of the stage with mic ready in his hand to sing his heart out. The night kicked off with “Dazed & Confused”, smooth-sounding track off of his 2018 EP. Instantly, cheers resonated in the venue with pure excitement.
Girls shrieked with joy as they watched Ruel move from one end to the other, welcoming the audience to his show. The love for the Australian singer was emminent,as the standing area in front of the venue was filled to capacity. Concerned for his beloved fans, Ruel reiterated that everyone should be considerate to one another and made sure that everybody was all set before going on with the show. No wonder why these girls go crazy for him! Not only is he talented and he's also down to earth and considerate as he cared for the well-being and safety of his fans. As the night carried on, we continued to witness these truths.
By walking to every corner of the stage, he made sure to sing to the entire venue. He played his Fender guitar so proudly and showed his musical talent in his cover of Frank Ocean’s “Pink Matter”, “Face To Face”, and “Free Time.”
It is hard to believe his young age when you hear his strong, yet smooth vocals. His singing ability goes beyond his years as he continued to deliver his tracks “Don’t Cry” and “Real Thing.” With each song, the crowd sang along the words back to him as the entire room filled with melodious voices. Ruel asked the audience, “Can we sing something sad?” before singing one of his emotional tunes “Hard Sometimes” and asked the audience to sing with him. Tears streamed down the audience’s eyes as they were moved by Ruel’s powerful performance. By walking to every corner of the stage, he made sure to sing to the entire venue. He played his Fender guitar so proudly and showed his musical talent in his cover of Frank Ocean’s “Pink Matter”, “Face To Face”, and “Free Time.” The set approached its conclusion as Ruel performed “Younger” before returning for encore to perform “Painkiller” in which the night ended with crowd singing in unison.
Los Angeles surely enjoyed having this young talented Australian singer perform on stage twice that day at the Fonda Theater. Ruel is a truly talented individual who will without a question continue to grow and captivate the hearts of more fans around the globe. We cannot wait for him to return to our city with new music!
(5 / 5)
Review and photos by Shion Uza
