RAPTURE DAMONE "Proving Herself"

by jenny heying

Being a woman, I’m always on the lookout for great female performers in Second Life® and when I notice someone I haven’t seen before, I just have to find the time to check them out. Heading down to Z’s Music Club to take in Rapture Damone’s performance was just the cure for the hump day blues.

Jetting in to a guitar intro and a unique version of “The Tide Is High” set me off for an interesting set of music. Sounding a little distant but also with a LIVE feel, she gave us a voice that was smooth but also a little deep. It was perfect for an entrance. She comes across professionally and confidently delivery her songs with energy. Following with “Gold Dust Woman”, Rapture sings with her own version of emotion, fittingly from a female point of view but with enough forcefulness to make the song noticeable.

Rapture delivers her show well rehearsed and with little room for error. She covers with her own flair accompanied by some incredible acoustic guitar that fits perfectly behind a unique voice. With “What’s Going On”, she not only nailed the original but added enough originality to give you her take on the song.


While a lot of performers in Second Life® give you that laid back, I’m playing in my bedroom feel, Rapture does something a little special. You get the feeling that you are actually listening to her in a club or maybe even at a concert. She doesn’t sound like she’s sitting at home singing to her monitor. No, she comes across as she might in a real life setting with you and your friends enjoy her music while sipping a few drinks. It’s a nice feeling. Even between songs, her rapping with the crowd sounds more like she’s doing it during a live show. Well I guess it is live.

Rapture does an incredible slow version of “I’ll Stop The World and Melt With You”. It’s sweet, sexy and again, she does with conviction. With her guitar faithfully following, she makes you melt listening to her. On “Who Will Save Your Soul” she gave us her best Jewel impression. Close, but with more drive, she comes across as a bit more of an extroverted Jewel. But it’s good. It’s what you want in a live setting.

As with all of her songs in her repertoire, she imitates the artists she covers, but only slightly, not to copy them completely. She adds her own flair and makes each song a little more unique. The guitar confidently slides with her from cover to cover. She’s as diverse as she is talented and it shows in a cross section of songs not limiting her to one particular style or genre.

My only complaint, if I have to find one, is that Rapture does sound a bit hurried. I’m not sure if it’s because she came directly from another venue or if it’s her style, but it doesn’t really matter, again it adds to that live feel she puts across so well.

Whether she’s performing “Not An Addict” or “Zombie”, she does it with a no nonsense attitude giving you the feeling she’s a woman who won’t take any crap. That’s a compliment believe me. You know she’s good and she probably does too and with that goes a little, well a lot of latitude. She doesn’t need to promise anything as she gives it all to you on the stage and lives nothing behind.

Confidently she continues her amazing set with “Lightning Crashes”, “Joey” and “Our Lips Are Sealed” each performed with the same professionalism and certitude as the others. I know I’m not alone saying I appreciate someone who not only appears to know what they’re doing on stage but proves it over and over again.

“Landslide” was soft and comfortable, “Hand In My Pocket” with breathless abandon, and “Everything” with flare and finesse led to the end of a performance I won’t soon forget.

Rapture Damone makes an hour fly pretty quickly but to her benefit, it makes you want to venture out to see her again. The first time you get initiated is unbelievable; I can only imagine what the second time feels like.