Listening to Troye Sivan is what got me through finals during my sophomore year of high school—who knows how I would have written an essay about “All Quiet on the Western Front” in sixty minutes without Sivan’s music. After seeing him in concert on Oct. 22, I know that his music and the energy he exudes—live or through a recording—will help me push through the last month of the quarter. Sivan, an Australian Youtuber-turned-pop-star, released his sophomore album “Bloom” on Aug. 31, 2018, and has been touring the U.S since mid Sept.
Opening for Sivan at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver included 18-year-old Carlie Hanson and Kim Petras. Hanson came bouncing on the stage for her short set at the beginning of the show and never let the energy drop for a second. Even during her song “Why Did You Lie?”, which she said was “on a sadder note,” involved a spark of anger that the crowd enjoyed. Although the audience did not know her music well, Hanson’s evident exuberance at the opportunity to perform on Sivan’s tour kept the crowd alive and engaged.
German pop princess Petras kept the energy going through the night with her vibrant dance moves, fun beats and unapologetic attitude. Despite backlash from fans after Sivan’s announcement that Petras, who had previously made a controversial statement about Sony producer Dr. Luke, would be joining him on tour, the crowd enjoyed Petras’s performance just as much as Hanson’s. Petras kept her set light and upbeat, with audience members singing along at every turn, especially for her recent single “Can’t Do Better.”
After two fun opening acts, the audience was more than ready for Sivan’s performance. Initially coming out on stage with only a microphone and red curtain behind him, Sivan played “Seventeen,” which is also the first track on his new album. Partly into the song Sivan disappeared from the stage, only for the curtain to dramatically drop seconds later with Sivan and his accompaniment on a raised platform behind it. Sivan was constantly full of energy and sincerity when talking to the audience and the loud cheers directed back at him throughout the night proved that his fans loved it.
Performing older hits from his first album such as “FOOLS” and “WILD” alongside newer songs kept the audience on their toes the entire night, eager to hear what else Sivan had in store for them. For the slower portion of the set, Sivan brought a couch out onto the stage to create a more relaxed feeling in the venue. One special moment of the show to me was when Sivan described what his song “HEAVEN” meant to him and his experience coming out as gay. Sivan explained that there is a line in the song that says, “counting to 15,” which references the way he felt as a young teenager, when he mostly knew about his identity but would wait until he was 15 to be absolutely certain. It was a very emotional and heartfelt moment, empowering everyone in the audience.
Overall, Sivan, Petras and Hanson put on a show that was far from mediocre. With his most recent tour, Sivan has proved to his fans and the pop world that he belongs and is here to stay.
