The Norwegian pop scene is rife with budding talent. Whilst not all of it makes it into the pop mainstream in the UK, young singer-songwriter Sigrid is definitely a success story. Following on from being named BBC’s Sound of 2018, 2019 was set to be an even bigger year for Sigrid as she released her debut album Sucker Punch in March. On Saturday, she brought her headline tour to a sold-out Leeds O2 Academy, a year and a half after her sold-out show at Stylus, and it was a true pop treat.
Entering the stage from behind dramatic, flashing light and what seemed like all guns blazing, her enthusiasm immediately won over an already excitable crowd. Opening with ‘Mine Right Now’, a bubbly track about focusing on the present in a relationship, her energetic stage presence and cutesy persona shone through. You could tell she was having an absolute blast, and so were we.
Her set contained songs off of her EPs Don’t Kill My Vibe and Raw, as well as tracks off of the new record, and each was delivered with the same electric energy she maintained throughout the entire show. As a sucker for good visuals, I can’t forget to commend her staging because it really enhanced the entire experience. Behind her were her band on a raised platform and the screen behind them had simple projections on of words and pictures during each song, bringing to life the lyrics she was singing. It could have been quite garish, but its simplicity was an excellent backdrop to the performance.
For me, song-wise, the highlights of the night were ‘Dynamite’, which she performed solo on the piano, ‘Strangers’, a single she released back in 2017, and ‘Never Mine’, a song which could be considered a deep-cut off of Sucker Punch, but would be an excellent single. I think ‘Dynamite’ was such a special moment because it showed that behind the lights and the pop production, she is an undeniably talented musician in her own right.
If you ever get a chance to see Sigrid live, I highly recommend you jump at the chance. It’s guaranteed to be a fun night with some banging tunes, so, what’s not to love?
Sarah Jewers
Header image: London in Stereo