By Levi Wright
On May 7, two-time Grammy Award winner singer/songwriter LeAnn Rimes will appear at the Englert Theater for what is bound to be a night to remember.
Since the 1912 opening of the Englert, 221 E. Washington St., it has been a cornerstone for artists and the community alike, bringing big names and emerging names to its stage. Rimes is the latest in a long history of brilliant performers to perform live at the Englert.
She noted the distinct characteristics of her music that are only discernible in a live concert setting.
“[Listening digitally] is like [talking to someone on] FaceTime or Skype; it’s so nice to have when you are away from those you love, but nothing compares to being there in the same room at the same time,” Rimes wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan.
Rimes has performed for more than 20 years, having released her first hit at the early age of 13 and a year later winning her first Grammy with “Blue,” making her the youngest country-music star to do so. Rimes has since proven she’s far more than just a child star or your average one-hit-wonder: she is now on tour with her 11th studio album, Remnants.
“Music is always evolving,” Rimes wrote. “With me personally, I have always loved blending country, soul, rock, gospel, and blues together in one way or the other. One record may lean more heavily on one genre more than the next record, but being open to discover and try new things is what has always inspired me to keep pushing forward with my records, my songwriting, and my voice.”
Supporters who have listened to Rimes’s music digitally have a chance to see her music amplified and witness her humanity, honesty, heart, and hope. Rimes says these elements are what sets her music apart, and audience members can decide for themselves when she performs from Remnants.
“I am playing new music from my new album Remnants, which has a different, soulful sound to it,” she wrote. “And then we perform some of the hits, but I put a different arrangement to them, making them fresh and fun to perform.”
So whether you’ve come to her concert before or this is your first time, it promises to be something different. You can enjoy the changes and hopefully come away with a greater love of Rimes and the music she creates.
Listening to “Blue,” then going to songs from Remnants, it is easy to see the progression Rimes has made. Her voice still carries that same soulful quality. However, it has matured gracefully. When she sings “Learning Your Language,” it’s easy to see how her experiences have shaped her music, giving it more depth and creating a narrative deeper into her life.
“Rimes skips across musical genres [in Remnants] with ease,” wrote Ron Harris, in a review for the Washington Times. “Music was never her problem, and now she can sing comfortably about all the other challenges in life. This is a well-delivered release, in every sense of the word.”
Fans are sure to be in for a treat seeing Rimes perform from Remnants and her other hits live.
“I hope they leave filled with love and joy. [And I hope] that we got to know each other better,” Rimes wrote. “This tour is a bit more intimate than the rest, to let the audience feel safe enough to really engage with me, so we can connect, and of course, I hope they leave knowing that they matter, that love matters, and to love others’ matters.”
