Maggie Rogers in Nashville at Ryman Auditorium with Jacob Banks

Written By | Paige Merry

We all know The Ryman is holy ground, but selling out two consecutive nights in a row is more than any artist could pray for. In support of her first full length studio album, Heard it in a Past Life, Maggie Rogers brought an honest vulnerability to the Ryman that we all needed. Her pop vocals and energy on stage had every person in the room movin’.  She combines folk, pop, and R&b for the perfect genre melting-pot. Look, we’ll talk about Maggie, don’t worry; but let’s take a moment and talk about Jacob Banks.

See More Photos of Jacob Banks Here

 R&B artist from Birmingham, Jacob Banks began the evening gracing us with his soulful lyrics and passionate melodies. He started our service off with raw emotion, taking us to church with every note. His powerful vocals and genre-bending style put everyone in the perfect mood for what was to come.

Maggie’s shadow appeared on stage and every butt left their seat. The curtain raised and revealed Maggie glowing in all white backed by her 4 piece band. Her heart and soul poured out on that stage and we all felt it. She inhabited the Mother Church with movement and feeling. When she announced that this would be her last song, the crowd beat on the church pews, we all knew she would come back out for a encore! She stepped back on stage after a break with an acoustic guitar and a single spotlight. We all knew the one song that had not been sung, “Alaska”. Her big break came when her song Alaska was played to Pharrell Williams during a masterclass at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. She said she wanted to play the song how she wrote it all those years ago in her bedroom. Rogers sang a stripped down version of the song and we all collectively wept with happiness.

See More Photos of Maggie Rogers Here

Rogers showed her support for organizations like planned parenthood and Headcount as she brought them on the road with her for this tour. She ended the night the same way I’m going to end this show review. With a quote her band says during meditation. “May I trust in the work that brought me here. “

Photo Credit | Paige Merry