Identity, Sexuality, and Heartbreak: FLETCHER Sings it All at the Paradise Rock Club

By Carina Pray

On March 17, 2022, New Jersey-born singer-songwriter Cari Elise Fletcher, also known as FLETCHER, performed at the Paradise Rock Club alongside openers Amelia Moore and Julia Wolf. Lines piled up alongside the street starting at 3PM, and despite my friends and I joining the line around 5/5:30, we luckily ended up near the front row. From the crowd,I could feel the push of the eager audience waiting for the show to get going. Their nudges worked to my advantage, as I got one of the best spots in the house. It was as if the universe was telling me that I needed to hear what everyone was going to sing about, from up close. From songs about heartbreak and still loving your ex, to emotional healing, let me tell you, the universe was not wrong. 
The first opener, Amelia Moore (she/her), started off the show with a boom. Her energy was absolutely impeccable with her alt-pop style and a voice that essentially felt like clear water. She performed some of her own singles such as “sweet and sour” and “vinegar,” and even a cover of Estelle’s “American Boy.” She was super interactive with the audience, playing games with crowd members every time she sang the word “ex” in one of her songs. Singing about identity and heartbreak, Moore was very upbeat on the stage. Her set left me feeling pumped up, but at the same time feeling like someone could see and understand the turbulent emotions I have battling with.

The second opener, Julia Wolf (she/her), came on stage, immediately prompting me to say to myself “Oh my gosh, I think I fell in love.” She then carried on the show with her meaningful lyrics and captivating sultry, deep voice. Wolf performed some of her original songs, some of my personal favorites being “Hoops” and “Villain.” She then engaged with the audience in a completely different way than Moore did, opening up about her struggles with being shy, feeling unseen, and being rejected. Her beautiful stage presence and lyrics made me feel as though I was also being seen and heard, and that I could see her too.

Lastly, FLETCHER (she/her) came on stage with a beautiful green blazer for St.Patrick’s Day and a comfy black outfit underneath. She opened up the show with ”girls girls girls,” which got everyone in the room jumping. She then followed with a few of her older songs, tracks from her newest album, S(EX) tapes, and then new unreleased music. The live renditions of her music gave a new rock style to her typically pop songs. Her voice was so smooth and beautiful, and combined with her meaningful lyrics, FLETCHER took away any traces of my stress, and allowed me to simply have fun for a few hours. She was able to interact and make eye contact with seemingly everyone, which made me feel starstruck.

She ended her set with a quote that really resonated with me: “I usually write songs about other people, people that have broken my heart, hearts I have broken, but I have never really written a song about me, for me.” She then closed with a song that she has been working on, for her, which left  the audience in tears with the beauty of its lyrics and acoustics.

Her stage presence truly set her apart as a performer. She was super interactive with the audience, from signing people’s boobs to doing an Instagram Live on stage. She was also so grateful to be there, really thanking the audience for making her dreams come true. She stated that she was very excited to specifically perform in Boston, since the last time she was here, she was an opener for another tour, and now she is the headliner. With the energy of the crowd, I could easily see why she would feel so happy to be there. Almost everyone in that room knew all of the lyrics to all of her songs, and truly loved her as a person. I left the show feeling two things: that I was no longer alone in the feelings I was stressing over, and that FLETCHER needs to make a rock album.