Sigrid charms audiences with exuberance and stunning vocals at Hammersmith Apollo
Rising 23-year-old Norwegian songwriter and vocalist Sigrid Solbakk Raabe took to the stage at Hammersmith Apollo last night for the final show of her sold-out 2019 tour. Showcasing tracks from her debut EP Don’t Kill My Vibe (2017) and follow-on album Sucker Punch (2019), the singer’s melange of electro-pop and indie veered between exuberant dance anthems and beautifully stripped-back piano melodies.
Surveillance searchlights scanned the audience with red stage emergency lights flashing until Sigrid appeared with her backing band, ready to strut across the stage to her bouncy opening track, Mine Right Now. Clad in silver sequinned trousers and an oversized rugby shirt and sporting a new cutesy bob, she announced that it was the last date of her tour and, in her charming Scandinavian lilt, encouraged everyone to “Just fucking enjoy it!”
To that effect, the following upbeat tracks, Schedules and Sight of You, flooded the auditorium with her mix of heartfelt lyrics and feisty youthful vocals. Better known sing-along singles Strangers and Don’t Kill My Vibe were accompanied by a psychedelic graphic backdrop and had the entire room pulsating and clapping along.
There was room in her set to strip things back and exploit her utterly unique vocal range. At one point Sigrid paired up with her backing singer Christina for a gorgeous rendition of Raw, an emotive ballad about being herself with “No apologies for being me”. Her silvery soprano struck with its resemblance to the voice of a younger Joni Mitchell. A two-ballad piano solo further down the setlist had Sigrid appear under one single spotlight, away from her band and the accoutrements of a glitzy concert show. The maturity of her voice in Dynamite and Home to You showed off her versatility and offered a glimpse into her ever-evolving future musical career.
Leaving the stage under a cloud of cannoned confetti and announcing she was off to make some new music, Sigrid cemented her position as pop’s newest young icon. It is no surprise, given her huge talent, that she has gone from playing 200-seater venues to selling out some of London’s largest live venues in such a short space of time.
Ezelle Alblas
Photos: Arianna Cavalensi
For further information and future events visit Sigrid’s website here.
Watch the video for Don’t Kill My Vibe here:
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