BY RANDI GIBBONS, Online Reporter

Spoken word poet and Grammy nominated singer, Mary Lambert, performed an intense and heart-filled show in the SURC Theater on Jan 17. The venue was moved from the ballroom to the theater which made the crowds experience all the more intimate.

Lambert is well-known for her support of gay and lesbian rights through her collaboration with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on their track, Same Love.

This is not her only focus, however.

Through a mixture of songs and poetry, Lambert spoke from personal experience. From the subject of her own battle with positive body image to a personal struggle with Bipolar disorder, many of Lambert’s songs carried personal messages.

Lambert spoke of the importance of self-love and how she is even conflicted with it.

“Even if half of her set included sad songs, those songs are meaningful and have messages everyone can reflect on,” Ellensburg resident Amy Remming said.

Lambert’s involvement with Central before her performance Friday measured small in scale but not unexpected to Ellensburg standards. She said, “I came to Central once for an Orchestra competition.”

One show-goer, Amber Kutscher, a junior at Central, went to high school with Lambert.

“I remember that she entered a lot of talent shows which probably helped her get where she is today.”

The show’s introduction came from Central senior, Ashley Stubbs. Stubbs revealed Lambert’s celebrity crush is Tegan Quin from Tegan and Sara, a band, which Lambert recently opened for in August.

Lambert performed with her band, Chandra Johnson on fiddle, Tim Mendonsa on guitar, Lena Simon on drums, and Maiah Manser as backup vocals.