The outrageously good Laura Stevenson is coming to Newcastle this December. Sound the “I’m there, dude!” klaxon.

Hailing from Long Island in New York, Laura Stevenson has built up a loyal following since her debut album ‘A Record’ was released in 2008 and with little wonder. She’s one of those rare singer-songwriters who manages to combine intimacy with expansiveness, crafting music that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. What makes her so good is the way she weaves vulnerability, emotional power, and melodic sophistication into songs that stay with you long after they end. Her voice is central to this impact: it can be fragile and delicate in one moment, then soar with unrestrained force in the next. That dynamic range allows her to embody the emotions in her lyrics, whether it’s quiet grief, simmering anger, or cathartic release. This duality of softness and strength gives her music a visceral quality that’s hard to ignore. Since her self-titled album was released four years back, her life has been upended by pandemic-era motherhood, a painful split, and navigating new loves, and those things are fully explored in her latest ‘Late Great’, an album about letting go, taking charge, and learning to rebuild. JL

Laura Stevenson, Monday 15 December, Cluny 2, Newcastle, 7.30pm, £13.50, thecluny.com