A singer-songwriter rooted in confessional emo and vulnerable indie pop, Philly’s Christiana Benton made a striking debut last year with the autumn-hued Better Late Than Never. The album moves in step with artists like Soccer Mommy and Boygenius; graceful melodies, moving arrangements, and hushed vocals full of warmth and intimacy. In this performance at WXPN studios ahead of a spring tour, Benton showcases a set of songs that explore themes of all-encompassing desire (“Gentle Delusion”), guarded emotions (“Take A Hint”), and learning to be happy in one’s own skin (“Roller Rink”).
It’s music that will give you chills, particularly in this live arrangement Benton put together, featuring her tourmate Katie Hackett of The Lunar Year on keys, as well as versatile Philly cellist Alyssa Almeida; the three play seated, chamber-trio style, and as we set up, Benton lightheartedly remarked about the feeling of “blazer energy” in the room — more specifically the strength that came from having her bandmates on either side.
Watch the performance in full below, and head out to Silk City tonight to wish Benton and Hackett well as they head out on the road together for the next week; they play with Soft Idiot, and tickets can be found at WXPN’s Concerts and Events page. Full dates can be found at Benton’s website.