Feist | “1234″

“1234″ – Feist, on The Late Show with David Letterman

About 10 years ago, I dated a local musician who had a wandering eye and was infatuated with a new girl, a musician who’d just moved to Toronto from Calgary. Her name was Leslie Feist. I hated her before I even met her.

This fellow knew her, as did every starving musician in the Toronto music scene, and would frequently invite me out to her live gig, claiming she’d be the next big thing. And despite her talent, I cursed her under my breath. She possessed an annoying tendency to name-drop, and had all of these people in the audience captivated because of it, including this so-called boyfriend of mine. When he confessed he wanted to ask her out, I vowed to never support this girl again.

Fast forward to 2007, and, well, that guy is history (good riddance), and Leslie is going by the simple moniker of Feist, wooing international crowds, and landing an appearance here on Letterman. The hatred has fled. She’s earned her success… and my respect. But the greatest thing of all is what once annoyed me: her trait of acknowledging people with whom she’d performed or collaborated is really commendable, especially since she does hobnob with some of the scene’s great talents. Here, she brings members of the New Pornographers, Mates of State, The National, and Grizzly Bear up on stage to back her up on this uppity song.

PS. Watching this makes me really miss the sweater-wearing Letterman.

Thank you, Good!