It was remarkable standing among a sold-out crowd to see Ruby Fields at The Foundry (24 April) in Brisbane.
More than 350 people, itchin’ to catch a glimpse of a 19-year-old girl and her debut collection of songs. And itchin’ they were, their bodies built a barrier, blocking anyone from taking prime positions.
I squeezed my way in, worming through fidgety fans until my eyes finally aligned with a space between the heads, a view of the stage.
Ruby entered a little late, draped in her guitar; over the excited hollers I heard her say, “I’m wearing my comfy socks.”
She started with ‘Ritalin’, the 2018 single that’s sweeping Triple’s J airwaves; I smiled at the familiar introduction, subconsciously cranking my car radio’s volume. Lyrically, ‘Libby’s Pink Car’ is my pick of her EP, the starting line: “You think I’m beautiful, but you’re delusional,” packing an immediate punch.
‘Fairly Lame Fairly Time’ is similar, both songs self-deprecating without being whiny or emotionally heavy.
The honest rants render Ruby instantly likeable – “Hoping my sh*tty circumstance with witty words can give you all a laugh”, and “Just another chick with a sh*t guitar, screaming to the local f#$%s at a lonely bar”.
Her cover of ‘Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)’ was brilliant, the Garbage classic seamlessly mirrored by her vocals.
“We’re going to slow things down,” she announced. “When I performed back home in Sydney, my Mum got on stage with me during this one. It was unforgettable.” The acoustic ‘Redneck Lullaby’ was a beautiful addition to her set-list, stripped back instrumentals exposing an exceptionally soothing and soulful voice.
An adolescent anthem, ‘P Plates’ followed, Ruby’s raw rendition of a modern teenage love story.
While debut single ‘I Want’ wasn’t a track I’d heard all too frequently, surrounding fans certainly begged to differ. Of all her music, this song explores the most abstract concepts, expressing the struggles of constructing an authentic identity through Japanese anime references.
Ruby Fields was flung into the spotlight very quickly, and only recently, but watching her, you wouldn’t possibly guess her abrupt rise to fame happened mere months ago.
For a fresh-faced teenager in the music industry she conducts herself incredibly maturely, particularly on stage: no nerves, no unnecessary banter, simply snippets of meaningful interaction and an unwaveringly comfortable stature.
Interestingly, her composing is quite the opposite, instead accentuating her age. Though in no way does she come across as immature, not even slightly – simply confused, and curious, and angry, and excited, the classic cocktail of adolescent existential crisis.
As an honest and down-to-earth songwriter openly reflecting on her surroundings, it'll be interesting to see which topics surface next.
The self-professed 'average girl' filled a venue with only half a dozen songs – I have no doubt crowds will continue to swell in the anticipative lead up to half a dozen more.
