Concert Review: Catie Turner Gets Raspy At Irving Plaza

I could not help but think of the Friends episode where Phoebe gets sick and sounds so good, as a singer, while hearing Catie Turner’s newfound, “cold flu” rasp at Irving Plaza. As a singer, it is terrifying. The idea of our voice going in and out, publicly, as if God has his hand on our inner volume button and can’t stop putting it on mute. Yet, like Phoebe, sometimes a cold leaves you with a sexy rasp that makes you want grab a cig and move to Casablanca. 

As a person, Catie Turner is so fun and eclectic. She is unabashedly jubilant, which you can see in our prior interview Thus, I was unsurprised that she was one of the “smiliest” personalities I have seen don the stage. She, literally, is just walking smile: giggling and singing through her set as if her personality was made from a literal ray of sunshine. Her nerves at not being her “usual,” powerful vocalist were well-hidden by her ability to play with the new, earthy tone her sinus congestion had stirred. 

Sometimes, strategy is as important to a vocalist as capacity. A good singer knows how to play with a note two that everyone feels wrapped by how she signs as much as the fact that she can. While Catie sang a few originals, admittedly,  “the moment” of the night was her beautiful, tender rendition of “Adore You” by Harry Styles. It was heartbreaking vulnerable, and went from the Styles “fun version” to one of serious sincerity. Turner’s voice, again graveled and gritted, was so stunningly delicate as she turned the song into an anthem for those of us that, when we fall in love, also fall in devotion. I will not only adore you…. I will be there for you.