In Swahili, Kimya means “silent” — and on Sept. 22, the Cat in the Cream was just that, save for a single voice and the picking of an acoustic guitar. Oberlin students swayed to and fro as the melodic wave of Kimya Dawson’s music washed over the crowded Cat last Thursday.

Dawson has been working as a solo artist since the 2004 hiatus of The Moldy Peaches, a folk duo most widely known for its work on the Juno soundtrack. After a full month of shows in the Northwest, her stop in Oberlin will be followed by a stint in Australia. Her set consisted of a mix of her old and new work: from singing the ever-popular “Loose Lips” to trying her hand at rapping, spurring her horde of avid fans to stomp out accompanying beats on the floor.

The audience participation did not end there. As an unknown student stood to leave between songs, Dawson called out to her, making a remark about interpretive dance. In good humor, the student nodded her head, but was then coerced onto the stage that soon filled with eager Oberlin background dancers. Among these impromptu performers was College first-year Sarah Lewinger, who said, “It was really fun. She’s just a very warm lady. I only heard her once before, and I was surprised by how moving and deep it was.”

While Dawson’s whispered wordplay and steady strumming create a by-the-campfire atmosphere, her work centers around topics such as depression, addiction and disorders. Her frank, sincere songwriting was mirrored in her stage manner when she recounted to the audience how her foot often becomes numb during shows. “I’m not sure why I said that,” she laughed after sharing this.

Dawson’s lyrics are as therapeutically honest for her fans as they appear to be for the musician herself. The songs are woven together as small, hurried conversations set to a cheery melody. Through her music, Dawson shares experiences with the listener in the intimate manner of a close friend and by the end of the evening, several audience members had made a new friend in Dawson.