Concert Review: Astrid S Is Good Pop At Rough Trade

There are moments in your life when you realize you are doing well, and you do not fight it. These moments are the rarest because not fighting a good time can be hard for a lot of people. At times, humanity confuses humility for denial; presuming that saying, “You are not that great!” or “This is fun but” is the essence of staying grounded. At Rough Trade, Astrid S said, “FORGET THAT!” 

Humility is realizing you have something special to/for you; it is not about thinking you are special for others. As Astrid S pirouetted through songs such as, “Emotion,” “Such A Boy,” and “Hurts So Good,” you could tell she was happy with the crowd but also with herself. There was a glow to her that said, “I am genuinely having a great night and it is all about me!” Yet, this idea was made in humility, and the realization that owning who you are and what you have is the best way to prosper it. 

By all means, Astrid S is a pop princess. From “Paper Thin” to “Someone New,” she serves you the tracks that makes you want to clutch your heart and sing like you were in the shower. She represents the “good nature” of Pop, and how it continues to be a lovable genre because it makes the heaviness of life feel light-hearted. Nobody, genuinely, twirls to a beat when they get broken up with or feels as wavy as a synth when they hate themselves. Yet, in combining lyrics about what we really feel like with sounds on what we wish we felt like, Astris S makes good POP! 

Somewhere in between her and the crowd’s giggles on one of her many, warm tales about life, I realized why people call pop “Bubblegum.” I used to think it was solely because it is sweet in sound, but it is also because its verses can represent how chewed up we feel. No person that listens to pop is blind to grievances, despite perceptions. Instead, Astrid S provides sweet, mellow vocals over honey-dewed dance rhythms to prove that feeling good, over how you feel bad, might be one of the best ways to heal. For More Information On Astrid S Click Here.