Macy Gray

An Unexpected Evening with Macy Gray

In 1999, following the release of her debut album, On How Life Is, the name Macy Gray was on everyone's lips and the second single from the album, I Try, was playing on everyone's radios.  The song went on to win a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001 and was also nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.  Her raspy voice set her aside from other artists, though she was never confident in her vocal ability, saying in an interview with The Guardian: "I always had a kind of funny voice and it never occurred to me that I could sing".

She went on to release ten studio albums, the most recent being 2018's Ruby, which has received glowing reviews.  She has also starred on TV shows (playing herself on Ally McBeal and Fuller House and as a contestant on season 9 of Dancing with the Stars) and films (including Gang of Roses, Around the World in 80 Days and The Paperboy).

This past Sunday she performed at the Iridium theatre on Broadway.  I was thrilled to get a ticket (the intimate venue only seats 180 people) and had a perfect view of the stage from my seat.  Though she came on 45 minutes late, all was forgiven the moment she walked on stage, wearing a sophisticated white pants suit with edgy black fingerless gloves.  Later she changed into a retro 60s-inspired knee-length dress, complete with black feather boa.  Her bubbly personality and positivity were infectious (the intermittent references to the audience as "you sexy people" was a nice touch) and she made you forget all your troubles for the time she was on stage.  She put a jazzy spin on some of her hits as well as covers of some classic songs, from Metallica to Sinatra.

The setlist was as follows:

Just Like Jenny
Relating to a Psychopath
Do Something
I've Committed Murder
Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
The Heart
Caligula
You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder cover)
Fly Me to the Moon (Frank Sinatra cover)
I Try
Buddha
Brass in Pocket (Pretenders cover)
Thank You For Being a Friend (Golden Girls theme) - the fact that she ended with this was, aside from hearing I Try live, possibly the highlight of the night