As the new Mercedes EQS traverses both urban and mountainous landscapes in the brand’s glossy ad, a dreamy 1950s-inspired ballad plays. The mesmerising voice on the ad belongs to London-based singer-songwriter Louise Golbey, who reprised her performance of ‘In Our Dream’ (sans string section) at her recent album launch at Pizza Express Live (Holborn). After receiving a passive aggressive email from a disgruntled fan lamenting the omission of the song at a previous concert, Golbey felt obliged to include ‘In Our Dream’ in her set – much to the delight of her pizza-munching audience.

Golbey has been active in London’s music scene for over 20 years, marked by various highs (appearing on multiple festival line-ups, collaborating with the likes of neo-soul icon Omar) but no shortage of challenge. Like most musicians, she felt the struggles of the pandemic (and was made redundant in her part-time job, to boot).

Though performing fan-favourites such as ‘Different’, ‘Scarlet Woman’ and ‘The Outsider’, Golbey’s set drew primarily from her upcoming album Renaissance. Her skilled band – Samer Sharawi (bass), Matt ‘Mafro’ Waters (guitar), Linden Grant (keys), and Lee Levent (drums) – knelt into her laid-back grooves and jazzy sensibilities. Guest appearances were made by writing partner and guitarist James Chappell, rapper 3rd Person, and Australian singer Jules Strickland.

Beginning the show with the album’s ska-inspired title track (which samples ‘Warrior Charge’ by Aswad), Golbey trailed the album’s release with confident performances of the sexually-charged slow-jam ‘Animal’ and the pandemic-inspired ‘Don’t Feel Good’. Her voice, reminiscent of a young Dusty Springfield with its thick husk, makes her catchy, tightly-written hooks even more listenable. Her interpretation of Anita Baker’s ‘Sweet Love’ (from Baker’s iconic 1980 Rapture album) showed her deftness and range.

Image from Louise Golbey Facebook page