Review: Zara Larsson @ O2 Academy

Josh Graham reviews Zara Larsson's recent show at Newcastle's O2.

Josh Graham
1st November 2017

Pop princess Zara Larsson cemented her status as one of the leading performers in the genre with her slick headline O2 Academy show last week.

With a set-list boasting some of the biggest tracks of the last 12 months, Larsson wowed with her soaring vocals and polished dance routines.

Larsson wowed with her soaring vocals and polished dance routines

The night opened with the track which saw the 19-year-old achieve her first real success, ‘Never Forget You’. The star wasted no time shifting up the gears and as soon as the first chorus kicked in a series of backup dancers strutted onto the stage.

It was evident just how honed Larsson’s act it – seamlessly blending in with the professional dancers in a number of explosive routines throughout the night. You won’t find a more impeccable pop-star in 2017. The singer could easily be compared to a modern day Britney with the overall performance, except for the fact that the ‘Lush Life’-singer has a powerhouse of a voice on her.

A mash-up of Tinie-Tempah collab ‘Girls Like’ and ‘This One’s For You’ went down a treat early on whilst an unexpected ‘Shape Of You’ cover produced deafening screams from the teenage girl-dominated crowd.

It’s clear Larsson knows her audience as well. Monologues on female empowerment, (at times monotonous) rhetorical questions and a whole-load of hair-flipping catered to the younger crowd. That said, it’s undeniable that the pop-star is a good role model with tracks like ‘Make That Money Girl’ and ‘What They Say’. On social media she is quick to denounce social injustices, she’s hardworking and never seen involved with the alcohol or drugs that dominated noughties pop.

It's undeniable that the pop-star is a good role model

After performing a few stripped-back tracks the night culminated with her first UK number-one in ‘Symphony’ before an encore ending with the notorious chords of ‘Lush Life’, leaving everyone feeling lush about life.

It was refreshing to see Zara Larsson in her element in front of a sold out crowd. There had been times over the festival season, namely at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, when she struggled to work with an audience early in the days. However, when in full control of the performance and with an army of her own fans looking on in admiration – Zara Larsson is one of the most relevant and exquisite pop-stars of a generation.

 

 

 

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