Bella White is a Canadian folk-country artist with 239.4K monthly listeners on Spotify who writes songs which portray her raw perspective of life. She has released two full albums (2020, 2023) and a single (2023). Her music showcases bluegrass tradition very well, and having had the experience to see her in concert, I can personally attest to her performance skills.
On Friday Oct. 13, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see White in concert at the Salt Shed in Chicago. The venue was smaller, yet so incredible. Having previously been a salt storage facility, the acoustics were unlike any other concert I have attended. The Salt Shed had a nice down to earth, organic aesthetic which elevated the entire musical experience.
The young artist is currently on tour opening for Band of Horses, a band with a similar sound. Despite only having a thirty five minute set, White was able to captivate her audience and even bring me to tears.
Promptly at eight o’clock, White and her band, Patrick M’Gonigle (violin) and Alan Mackie (cello) entered the stage. The trio bounced beautifully off of each other’s energy, the tones of their voices and various instruments blending in a way that made me feel their music as well as hear it.
White was dressed beautifully yet simply, in a denim maxi-skirt and a plain blue t-shirt. She had very natural makeup, and a red lip that highlighted her strawberry blonde wavy hair. She didn’t have much time to speak with her audience, but words were not needed: her music said all she needed to.
I had listened to White a bit before the concert, but it was not enough to know her music well which meant that my true first impression of her art was experienced live. This impression was very good. The way she sang offered comfort from one soul to another: she had felt the same feelings I had at one point, and she wrote those feelings down and turned them into something that thousands of people could connect to.
The final song on White’s set, The Way I Oughta Go, was life changing for me personally. She told the audience before she played it that it was a song about her parent’s divorce and American geography. This song was something that I never realized I needed to hear. She sings about how she was raised believing in a love that never really existed, and so she realized that as an adult, she needed to figure out what real love is. It is a heartbreaking ballad which moved me to tears and a lovely way to end an incredible set.
I did not stay for Band of Horses, but I did explore the Salt Shed and I was not disappointed. There was a small display of guitars and amplifiers, a t-shirt store that smelled like fresh sage, and on my way out, I came across a small vintage store on the property.
The store had a wide variety of vintage collectibles, from corset tops and clothes to vintage makeup and perfume talcs. The prices for each item varied based on their quality and age, but there is certainly something for every budget.
Overall, the night was incredible between the unique atmosphere and the soul-touching music. Bella White is a young, talented yet genuine artist, and I for one will be following her career to see where it takes her.
*This article was edited on Oct. 25 at 4:05 p.m. to correct the date and location of the concert.*