Singer-songwriter Ray Lamontagne can croon a smooth soul-pop song like “You Are the Best Thing,” which was featured in popular movies I Love You, Man and Bad Moms, and then he can put out an album featuring just two 22-minute songs (each divided into four parts), as he did with his 2016 release Ouroboros, produced by his longtime friend Jim James of My Morning Jacket (Entertainment Weekly called it “a perfect throwback to the lost art of the album-length format”). Either way, he’s following his own artistic muse. “People will think what they’re going to think,” he told Rolling Stone when Ouroboros was released earlier this year. “I’ve never cared what people’s perceptions of me are.”
It’s that fiercely independent attitude that has helped LaMontagne build a loyal following, reaching the tops of various Billboard album charts and consistently filling concert venues. He’s not following any current trends in rock or pop music, he’s not busy walking red carpets or appearing on reality shows, and he’s not pandering to any particular demographic. Instead of changing his vision to fit the mainstream, he’s brought the mainstream to him, making an impact in pop culture while always remaining true to himself.
The Pearl at Palms, 8 p.m. Sept. 16, starting at $55 plus tax and fee. 702.944.3200