Norwegian indie pop singer Astrid S brought a sold-out show to the Moroccan Lounge on Monday night, furthering her claim as one of the best young up-and-comers in the genre.
It’s good to see an indie pop singer at this level take the stage with three bandmates and thoughtful stage production. The stage had these lights with fringe hanging off of it that changed throughout the show.
The 22-year-old singer straddles R&B and pop similar to the way Keri Hilson did about a decade ago (remember her?) and nearly all of her songs are earworms. She also reminds me a bit of Danish pop star MØ and possesses that kind of potential. Astrid S has an undeniable swagger, and was appreciative of the crowd that came out and sang along to pretty much every song. She noted it was her first headline show in quite a while.
Before performing “Think Before I Talk”, she noted the song was written while in Los Angeles. Her stripped-back versions of “Does She Know” and “Paper Thin” also emphasized her vast vocal range, and she closed the show with “Atic” from her debut EP.
I’m hopeful we get a full album from this talented singer sooner rather than later. She checks all the boxes and has massive star potential. This might be the last time we see her in a venue as intimate as the Moroccan Lounge.
The pop star made her U.S. television debut Wednesday on Late Night With Seth Meyers, performing “Someone New”, a song she co-wrote with Charli XCX. You can watch the video at the bottom of this post. Want to see her in LA again? She’ll be back April 30 opening for Zara Larsson on April 30 at the Fonda Theatre, and in Santa Ana at the Observatory on May 2.
Words by Mark Ortega
Photos by Justin Higuchi
