There’s no place like home, singer-songwriter Stella Cole (Communication ’21) reminded the world during her pseudo-hometown show April 30. Cole, a Springfield native, graced the stage at Park West donning a red cocktail dress, a contagious smile and her musical triplet.
Opening with “On a Clear Day” from the eponymous movie, she was joined by her regular band members on the bass and drums and NU faculty member Jeremy Kahn on the piano, whose performance was secured in a pinch after the regular pianist was injured a few days before the six-week tour began.
Nostalgia was an overarching theme throughout the show. After every song, Cole described a joyful Chicago-related experience about her childhood in the Springfield theatre, chastising herself for losing her thick skin after time spent in a warmer New York.
Cole’s vulnerable reflections on life growing up in Illinois and her college years in Evanston brought a refreshing intimacy to the mid-sized venue that was completely filled by seated attendees. Cole admitted to the audience that during college she doubted her talent and marketability as a singer. The vintage songs originally sung by greats like Julie Andrews and Barbra Streisand may have been Cole’s lifelong interest but seemed uninteresting to others.
“I wondered if I was even good at this,” said Cole.
Cole’s frank admission placed a blanket of admiration over the crowd of about 400 people as she teared up singing the following song. The audience, myself included, was clearly in awe of a girl who once doubted herself, living out her dreams in front of our very own eyes.
“It is amazing to get paid to sing the songs I have loved all my life,” Cole said. “I never even knew this was a job I could have.”
Throughout the set, Cole sprinkled in songs from her first self-titled record — which was released in 2024 — along with new material from her second album that will be released later this summer.
The original songs meshed perfectly with the American Songbook classics and her voice’s vintage tone. The crowd was taken by Cole’s entrancing Midwestern charm that shone through in her post-song debriefs.
The show ended with two hard-hitting tunes straight out of the Songbook: Cole’s angry rendition of “Cry Me a River” by Julie London and a universal favorite, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland. Cole’s teary-eyed finale was met with a standing ovation from the audience.
Honest admissions about her career as well as humorous anecdotes made up a large portion of the show. Cole’s nervous laughter in a room full of satisfied fans gave the show a revitalizing comfort, a sharp contrast to the modern nature of concerts that require fans to go into Ticketmaster war to see their favorite artist from the nosebleeds.
As a casual jazz enjoyer at best, I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining a sit down, no dancers or frills concert could be. Cole’s stage presence and unique tone was literally music to my ears. I highly recommend seeing her upcoming shows.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Northwestern alum performs interactive show ‘Grace’ to explore relationships with technology
— Northwestern Alumni Association directory illuminates and supports alumni-owned small businesses
