Live Review: Aurora – 6th April 2022 -Brixton Academy, London, UK
3 min read
Making my way to Aurora’s final UK performance of her The Gods We Can Touch tour, I was surrounded by an avalanche of eccentricity. Striking hats, feather boas, and coats that wouldn’t look out of place on Kanye. Individuality is the word to describe the singer-songwriter’s fanbase, and it’s all the better for it. These eclectic characters view Aurora as their queen. And after watching her perform to a sold-out crowd of 5,000 people, the crown fits her perfectly, and little ol’ me just became a follower.
Watching Aurora is like getting ready for battle. She owns every inch of the stage. Prowling each corner, intrinsically feeling every note her band plays. Her voice reaches notes you wouldn’t think possible as she pounds her chest and stomps her feet. She puts her claim on the stage, revealing her warrior spirit with every song. For such small stature, Aurora’s presence in the theatre was huge. Her body contorts in every position possible as she lunges from side to side. The 25-year-old creates an enigmatic figure, you can’t take your eyes off her.
Aurora is the type of artist who gives everything to the crowd, and the crowd at Brixton welcomed her with open arms. Barefoot and wearing a vintage white dress that wouldn’t look out of place in Miss Havisham’s closet (that’s a young, hip reference for you), Aurora presented a solitary figure. The stage consisted of a large orb placed in the middle of her band members. The orb represented a sunset with waves and clouds framed on either side. The stage design was minimal but effective. The orb changed colours and silhouetted Aurora beautifully, especially for her performance of Exist For Love. It felt like we were watching performance art take place in the middle of a gig.
Aurora spoke to the crowd multiple times throughout the night, exclaiming “holy macaroni” at one point to a thunderous round of applause. It’s hard to tell who was more enthusiastic – Aurora or her fans. She spoke to us as if we were old friends, telling us how beautiful we are and how much love she has for her fans. She revealed how she had always been wary of becoming more successful, as it means playing to larger crowds and losing the intimacy of smaller venues. But with the crowds overwhelming support, she said she can still see beautiful moments in largeness.
Not only was the TikTok sensation engaging, but she was also funny as well. Responding to a crowd member who shouted “I love you!” by replying “let’s get married after the show.” And telling her captivated audience how she wishes she could lay eggs. It’s these contradictions that make Aurora such a unique pop star. Witnessing her converse with the crowd, walking barefoot with her childlike voice and luminous skin. Then witnessing her perform where she makes the big stage feel small. She is a tribal and fascinating artist.
The crowd was deafening. Opening with Heathens and closing with Giving In To The Love made two perfect electro-pop bookends. Cure For Me received the biggest reaction as we all stomped our feet and bounced along to its tempting dance floor beats. Aurora responded to the crowd with an array of poses and an impressive jig in the chorus. Queendom followed as the stage was covered in pride colours. Aurora emotionally sang the lyrics with the crowd reacting to the universal love with cheers and affectability. As Queendom ended, the LGBTQ+ activist waved the pride flag high above her head. It felt like we were a part of a special moment/movement.
Aurora is one of those artists who sound better live. She fed off the vibrant Brixton Academy audience as they fed off her. We were all witness to an artist who was scared of things to come – the bigger audience, the bigger stage. But after witnessing her performance tonight, Aurora is more than ready.
