Bat for Lashes at Queen Elizabeth Hall

Performing at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall after a two-year break from live performance, Bat for Lashes – AKA Natasha Khan – began unravelling her usual sensual stage presence. The sold-out show, part of Christine and the Queens’ Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre, acted as a tribute to Khan’s daughter, Delphi. Communicating with her audience throughout, the artist explained that Delphi was central to her creativity when developing her new album.

The acclaimed singer emerged to centre-stage draped in an ethereal lace ensemble and opened with three new and yet unnamed tracks, taken from upcoming album The Dream of Delphi. As she moved magically around the set, the crowd were captivated by Khan’s airy demeanour and angelic voice. Alternating between old and new tracks, her performance ranged from electronic, with synths and artificial beats, to tribal, with drums and wooden instruments.

Incorporating tracks from five albums, the setlist ranged from The Hunger (from Lost Girls) to Horse and I and What’s a Girl to Do? from Fur and Gold, keeping the fans swaying in their seats in awe and roaring with applause at the end of each song. The simplistic set design of scattered rocks and a long mirror reflecting the audience’s emotions complemented the mysterious performance from Khan and her ultra-talented violinist. 

She opted for Desert Man and Deep Sea Diver, from albums Lost Girls and The Haunted respectively, keeping the venue hypnotised by her stage presence before real magic happened and she played favourite Daniel. From the moment her mystic vocals echoed around the space, the audience screamed with excitement. There’s no questioning why this song is the artist’s most popular: the captivating lyrics and dreamy instrumental sound make it hard to not bop your head to. 

In last night’s performance Kahn explored the concept of growing and birthing a human being onto planet Earth and the cosmic resonance of that. The outcome was a beautiful display of connection. Finishing the evening off with an encore of Sleep Alone (a capella), Glass and Laura, Bat for Lashes left her audience radiating joy. An incredible performance.

Holly Wilson
Photos: Victor Frankowski

For further information and future events visit Bat for Lashes’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Daniel here: