Lauv and Chelsea Cutler at O2 Kentish Town - 05.11.19
When you walk into Lauv’s sold-out show at O2 Kentish Town, there are blue boxes, aptly titled ‘My Blue Thoughts,’ in which people can share whatever they are going through. With the help of AI, the boxes connect those struggles with other people's, all across the globe. In an era of new pop stars, ones that advocate approachability and authenticity, Lauv fits right in. His mantra is to encourage people to know that they are not alone and his final leg of his tour in London proves just that.
Lauv’s opener for the evening is Chelsea Cutler, an artist who like many others in the internet age got her start producing music in her bedroom. While Chelsea appears unassuming, her distinct voice and poignant lyrics accompanied by energetic beats make her a perfect choice for the crowd at Lauv. Throughout her set, she shares great chemistry with her drummer, standing on top of his drum kit and performing to him. She plays a mix of her songs, collaborations with other artists like Kygo and Jeremy Zucker, before moving into a cover of Mr Brightside that has the whole audience singing along. However, with the release of her first full-length album in January, there’s no doubt that many more people will be singing along to her own lyrics very soon.
When it’s finally time for Lauv to get on stage, the crowd is in hysterics. He begins his set with Drugs and the Internet, an all-too relatable song about social media and anxiety. Lauv commands the stage effortlessly with the help of bright visuals; some are dark and moody, whilst others are downright whimsical, including a montage of the Sims to accompany his song of the same name. Lauv manages to come off as incredibly authentic and charismatic throughout the show; he announces he’s feeling awkward multiple times and tries to crack bad jokes.
Lauv’s show is almost two hours long, and while it does lag in the last quarter, after a few acoustic performances, his energetic and quirky personality makes up for it. The show is at its best when the whole crowd is singing along to his somehow incredibly specific yet universal lyrics. These range from his cynical approach to love on arguably one of his most popular songs i’m so tired.. , to yelling out ‘fuck i’m lonely’ in the company of over 2000 people. However, one of the most genuine and intimate moments the whole crowd share is from one of Lauv’s most personal yet heart-wrenching songs Sad Forever. The song starts with a recording of Lauv explaining that he was diagnosed with OCD and depression at the beginning of the year and that the song that is about to perform was written right before he decided to seek treatment. Lauv then urges the crowd to seek help if they need it.
Music is meant to make you feel like you are not alone, and those two hours spent singing along to Chelsea Cutler and Lauv’s sad songs and happy beat drops accomplished just that.
Edited by Alexia McDonald, Head Digital Editor
