Genevieve with Lily Arminda – The Basement – Columbus, Ohio

It was a cold, dreary wet night in Columbus, Ohio. The streets were empty, but The Basement was about to come alive thanks to two amazing performances. Lily Arminda, just one woman with an acoustic guitar, took the stage at 8 pm and absolutely captivated me. Her voice is as gentle as the raindrops outside. The elegantly timed and masterfully played acoustic guitar invited the crowd into her life. All of her songs were deeply personable but remarkably relatable. Her 35-minute set was delicately heart-wrenching. Songs soaked in melancholy were delivered with love as her voice swept through a silent and adoring crowd.

Genevieve has been making music for years, even playing a handful of shows on the music festival circuit. She hasn’t been playing too many live shows recently, but thankfully she played at The Basement last night. She took the stage and started off with a poppy and soulful cover of a Christmas classic, which helped set the laid-back and loved-filled mood that her set thrived off of.

She has such a domineering stage presence, but it is nothing compared to her wild and exquisite vocal range. Throughout the time she had on stage, I got goosebumps at least three times. Her voice affects you on a spiritual level. An ear-to-ear smile, casual dancing and intimate crowd interactions made for an extremely memorable performance. I suggest checking out her Audio Tree session. As amazing as it is, it does not do justice for how specular she is live.