By: Shayla Lee
Swedish pop singer Tove Styrke gained worldwide recognition last year with her viral track “Say My Name” last year. Blending synths, catchy lyrics, and beats that will make you want to dance, Tove Styrke (pronounced Tuva Steerka) has been steadily gaining recognition in the world of pop throughout 2018. Performing at the Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver, Tove dazzled west coast concert-goers with her high energy performance and her connection with her fans.
Opening for Tove was 16 year old Au/ra who had quirky names for her songs like “Junk Food” and “Emoji.” I found myself still singing the chorus from one of her tracks because it was so catchy. Au/ra is definitely has a lot of potential as an artist and I’m excited to see her growth!
Beginning with my personal favorite track “Borderline,” Tove strutted onto the small stage with a larger than life presence, wearing a gem-encrusted cowboy hat adorned with her name. Her bright energy and happiness shone through the first few songs of Tove set before she brought it down for her own rendition of Lorde’s tear-jerker “Liability.” Fans were so surprised by her take on the song, after she sang the lyrics “the truth is I am a toy that people enjoy / ‘til all of the tricks don’t work anymore,” someone yelled out “OH FUCK” from the middle of the crowd, obviously impacted by Tove’s performance of the song.
Other stand-out moments of the night included the synth-filled track “On the Low,” album title track “Sway,” and her viral hit “Say My Name.” For her encore, Tove performed her newest track “Vibe” which was released only one day prior to her Vancouver show.
The intimacy of Biltmore didn’t make the show seem like an ordinary concert. Instead, it seemed like we were all having a dance party in a small bedroom. The stage was lined with rows and rows of white roses which were illuminated a variety of different colors throughout her set. Tove’s connection with the crowd was next level; regularly grabbing fan’s hands, singing into camera phones as people were excitedly recording, and handing out red roses.
I left the show thoroughly impressed and being excited about what Tove has in store for us in the future. She is definitely one of pop music’s most prevalent rising stars and if you get the chance to see her live show, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. Tove just embarked on her UK tour and information about dates and tickets can be found here. Stay up-to-date with Tove’s touring life on Instagram and Facebook. A gallery from the show is below!
FEMME RIOT 