Concert Review: Astrid S Is Pop Perfection At Bowery Ballroom
Astrid S is pop perfection. The Norwegian star is a cross between Ellie Goulding and The Weeknd. She shares the latter’s penchant for darker synths and lyrics on how life/love can strip your strength away. Meanwhile, like Goulding, her breathy, soft voice seduces an audience to feel for her vulnerability, which they did at Bowery Ballroom.
Astrid S – Think Before I Talk
Love is not easy, but Astrid S has a way of making love the sweetest, most difficult thing. She was so genuinely happy to have a packed house eagerly awaiting her entrance that she even muttered to herself “Wow!” as she looked upon us like we were the stars she wished upon as a young girl. At only 20 years old, Astrid appears to have such a good, firm head on her shoulders, and her sparkling, humbling persona makes you pull for her accomplishments. As she laughingly bashed on drums and her surprise that she is STILL not old enough to have a beer in the U.S., Astrid S felt like a college friend you were reuniting with after a holiday. She is so easy to approach as a person, and thus, as an artist. Her tracks “Breathe”, “Paper Thin”, and “Mexico” stood out as songs that showed Astrid S’ vocals display delicacy under duress. For however broken or breaking she can be, there is a gracefulness to her voice that stands out even when she is feeling frisky or funky like in, “Hurts So Good” and “Does She Know”. Of course, my favorite song of the night was “Such A Boy”. It resonated with old-school R&B/pop that used catchy, sing-along hooks to make a “girl-power” point; men can be as emotional, if not more, than women. The message earned some of the loudest cheers in the night, and Astrid giggled at her realized truth but also laced it with encouragement. She, herself, is such a positive, smiley personality that you want to applaud how a good, appreciative person is making good music and a greater following.
Astrid S – Breathe
By how the crowd absorbed all that Astrid S did, from her own Hip Hop inspired moves to wistful, vocal notes that sounded like they were being carried by Wind, itself, I sincerely felt Astrid S is going places. I see so many artists, and, sometimes, I feel divided between the ones that I want to make it big and the ones that will. Astrid S is BOTH! For More Information On Astrid S Click Here.
Astrid S – Bloodstream
