Christian French
Article by Brittany Ormiston
Sweet home Indiana. Pop singer-songwriter Christian French performed his biggest headline show to date in his hometown of Indianapolis. The packed crowd at Old National Centre cheered him on every step of the way. “I don’t wanna be spending all my golden years // climbing all the way to the top,” sang Christian flashing his red sweater with Indiana written in white lettering. The radiance of Christian’s smile was so infectious and heartwarming. The evening was magical in more ways than one, and everyone stepped out of the real world into the space Christian and his team created. The audience peered through Christian’s rose-coloured lenses with his sincere lyrics and confident vocal capabilities.
Christian’s unexpected vocal run at the end of ‘Hungover Sunday’ had the crowd buzzing. You could hear some audience members snapping their fingers to the snare drum amidst the clean melody. Singing about karma bringing nothing but drama, and attempting to fill the void after the end of a relationship hit in a different way. “I don't know if I miss you // Or if I'm no good at being lonely,” Christian belted out as the crowd bounced along with him. The flower decal on his white high-top Converse swayed back and forth in sync with the crowd. Red butterflies were held against phone flashlights as each and every individual was floating through the ‘butterfly fields.’ The song was so dream-like it made you want to run away with someone you love, and stay caught up in the enchantment forever.
Alongside songs filled with this fun pop sound on the setlist, there were tracks digging much deeper into Christian’s psyche and his struggle with mental health. ‘bring u down’ is off of Christian’s recent album, and has a number of metaphors depicting those moments of feeling unlike yourself. You are struggling, but you do not want to pull those around you down into the black hole of despair. “Without me you’d be shining // But I’m a chance of rain // I don’t know when it’s coming but it’s gonna come again” wraps up the first verse, and Christian’s delivery was very intentional and from the soul. His fingertips lightly graced the piano keys during his performance of ‘heavy snow,’ a track he makes a point to play every tour. Suppressing emotions during this part of the show was difficult for some crowd members knowing the story behind ‘heavy snow,’ and Christian’s past battle with anxiety. Being honest about mental health can be terrifying, but Christian advocates the importance of coming to terms with it in order to heal and come out the other side stronger.
Sometimes life can feel like being lost in a snowstorm, but one day a light at the end of the tunnel will appear. Hearing ‘more of it’ in a live environment for the first time was the perfect example of this. Christian stated he wanted everyone to interpret this song in their own way, and overall it was a very spiritual experience. The stage lighting was moving in a circular motion, and simulated the sun rising. “Give me more of it,” shouted the crowd with Christian egging them on and strumming his acoustic guitar. As the end of the Indianapolis show was nearing, Christian became sentimental as he reflected on the evening. “I can’t express how it feels to be on this stage right now,” stated Christian as he grinned from ear to ear. He was holding back tears at several points throughout the set, and was not afraid to make that known. Christian blew a kiss and formed a heart with his hands as he said goodbye to the crowd. He ran off stage, and his customized Colts’ jersey faded into the distance. The Space Between Tour is coming to a close soon, but Christian French will always be our evergreen.
Deluxe of Old National Centre in Indianapolis, IN on October 6, 2023
Photos by Everly Ormiston
