Sigrid has an almost uncanny ability to gather the fringe festival crowd.
What’s going on, Sigrid?
It’s hard to avoid the question. Little has happened to the song’s intro since the undersigned last saw her live this past spring, when she celebrated the release of her second album “How to Let Go” with a smash-hit concert at Oslo Spektrum.
The single “The Hype” came out on Friday, something that’s flirting with UK garage and has a lot going for it, but would also have benefited from stretching the boundaries of sound a few notches further.
Professional, safe, and at times casual song material remains Sigrid’s main Achilles’ heel as an artist. On the other hand, her strengths as a singer and stage personality have been nurtured by an intense musical activity in the past year.
Thus, much of the tension this evening has to do with how well Sigrid developed the theatrical show – and whether anything happened at all. Can we expect some fun at Øya’s closing ceremony?
Sigrid enters the stage in her classic theatrical attire – a white T-shirt and jeans – and unleashes a somewhat audacious and very convincing “It Gets Dark” catchphrase. The sound is well-done, which also benefits the dense and driving “burning bridges.” The savory and slightly cheesy “Bloot Twist” enhances the good vibe.
The power ballad “In Vain” doesn’t have the same impact on the audience. On the other hand, “Risks of Being Hurt” is just as good as ’90s pop. “Thank Me Later” is The Killers’ second biggest rip-off (at least!) in Tøyenparken in the past 24 hours, and it pales in comparison to the later, vocal-driven “Sucker Punch.”
The disco- and nywave-infused “A Driver Saved My Life” stands out among songs in the Coldplay tradition, several of which are present during the session. Many of them are a bit boring at first, but Sigrid still manages to inject presence into them.
However, it will be quite a refreshing when you’re sitting at the keys to “Dynamite” and “Home to You.” And when you sing the crap out of the song “Grow.” And when “The Hype” reverberates outside Twain’s runway, it’s in a much stronger recording than the studio version.
Sigrid sings more confidently and better than ever, with noticeably fewer frantic exclamations between verses and choruses.
Add in spot-on versions of “Don’t Kill My Vibe” and “Mirror” and it starts to sound suspiciously like a satisfying festival finale.
Even for the grumpy music reviewer who still wants stronger songs next time around.
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