My love for Swedish pop sensation Agnes has only grown over the years. From her first breakthrough hit following her win on Swedish Idol, Release Me, to her critically acclaimed 2021 album, Magic Still Exists, she has simply got better with each project. The Guardian described Magic Still Exists as a "pop miracle" and a "soothing balm perfect for fleeting dancefloor moments", including it in the publication’s top 50 albums of 2021. She has released some bangers ahead of the release of her sixth studio album, Beautiful Madness, including EGO, a synth-pop and disco-infused song about self-discovery, the dreamlike runway anthem BALENCIAGA COVERED EYES and the sonically addictive, MILK, inspired by Daft Punk and co-written with Danny Yxilon.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem as though Agnes will be coming to NYC any time soon. So it was a case of making a plan to go to her - in this case London, where she performed at KOKO, a concert venue and former theatre in Camden Town. Hot take: Two hours of DJs felt unnecessary. We didn't need to be warmed up; we’d been ready for this since the day tickets went on sale! Eventually the lights dimmed, the smoke machine started up and Agnes appeared on stage, wearing an ivory-colored tear-away coat dress with huge puffed sleeves and matching knee-high boots. The applause was deafening, causing her to pause and take it all in, before launching into the opening track, 24 Hours.
Even though it was an abbreviated set, she surpassed expectations, mesmerizing the audience with her flawless vocals and transforming the gorgeous space into a shared pop-disco heaven. The show traded strict precision for an emotionally-driven atmosphere and authentic engagement with the audience. Indeed, Northern Exposure’s Kevin O’Sullivan felt that Agnes delivered “a performance that felt cinematic while remaining disarmingly human” while backing dancers and singers “added movement and texture without distracting from her presence”.
The new album embraces contradictions and the "beautiful madness" that defines life and hearing some of the euphoric disco-pop tracks performed live was well worth the trip to London. I agree wholeheartedly with Vogue's Liam Hess: "Nobody knows how to spin pop gold out of an introspective moment on the dancefloor quite like the Swedes".
The complete setlist was as follows:
24 Hours
Here Comes the Night
MILK
TRIGGER
EGO
BALENCIAGA COVERED EYES
Fingers Crossed
Love and Appreciation
Release Me
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