You may know the name Courtney Hadwin if you follow America’s Got Talent. She appeared as a 13-year-old and wowed the judges when her shyness melted away the moment she started singing and that voice came out. All grown up at the ripe old age of 22, Hadwin released her debut album, Little Miss Jagged, last year. On tour to showcase her growth as an independent artist, she hit Rough Trade Nottingham on Thursday 5th November, and I was there to see what all the fuss was about.
“A consummate performer, her voice a mix of Janis Joplin and Alanis Morissette.”
— Marq Sutton, NottsRocks
The first thing I noticed was how little her recorded output does her justice. Live, she smashes it. She comes across as a genuine person, chatting between songs, engaging with the crowd and admitting her vulnerabilities, and despite her obvious talent she seems very humble.
I was apprehensive about this gig, but she blew me away. All my fears faded as she took to the stage. She’s a consummate performer, and her voice is the real draw: a mix of Janis Joplin and Alanis Morissette.
Courtney at Rough Trade Nottingham
She has the songs to back it up, too, and it’s the newer material, written with her incredibly tight band, that really hits home. Beautifully, she keeps her early work in the set as a reminder of who she was and how far she’s come. As the fans lapped up bluesy renditions of her own songs and a few covers, she belted them out like they were going out of fashion, and nearly every one came with a story.
Still so young and now fiercely independent, Courtney Hadwin definitely has a bright future.