Live Review: Aurora, Airling

It's been an amazing start to the year for Airling (aka Hannah Shepherd) who's landed the coveted support slot on this tour. Shepherd shares a few songs off her upcoming debut album including a sneak preview of her brand new single Not A Fighter, which she reveals is set to drop next week. This mid-tempo tune is enlightening and euphoric, boasting Shepherd's beautiful, wispy falsetto. "It's humbling and scary that you're all so quiet," Shepherd mentions while checking in with us to make sure we're all still alive and breathing. Shepherd then continues with the Japanese Wallpaper track on which she features, Forces, which takes our breath away. "It will be a Tuesday night for tears", Shepherd forewarns. She is not wrong.

Aurora Aksnes is positioned centre stage in front of this venue's backdrop of deep, dark wood, and she draws us into her forest of hypersensitive emotional energy. The captivating Norwegian looks like a fairytale pop princess and casts her spell over the audience with every vocal nuance that effortlessly leaps octaves with perfect pitch. 

Aksnes is the true definition of her given name; a natural electrical phenomenon with colourful stories to share. She lets out a shy giggle and tells us she's been so excited to perform here and can't believe the show sold out. "I really like this room, it kind of makes us quiet. The world is chaos... beautiful chaos, but wonderful sometimes," she contemplates, before Through The Eyes Of A Child. We sit and listen, taking in the stillness of the moment during this magical, immersive experience of light and sound. "I talk like a baby," she says. Looking into the audience, Aksnes observes, "I see music in your eyes and so many smiles on your faces." 

A spotlight shines out from behind Aksnes and casts shadows around the theatre as she moves her hands and arms, undulating freely to the flow of the beat. She uses her body as an instrument for performance through which she expresses the pure emotion that seemingly pours out of her heart and soul. Aksnes lets loose and dances around the stage during Conqueror before the audience gives her a standing ovation.

The applause doesn't stop until Aksnes returns for an encore without her band, taking a seat behind a keyboard to perform the chilling Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1). There are definitely tears shed in the audience, but also from Aksnes herself. "I have something in my eyes... Maybe it's water, maybe it's something else... probably the air-con!" she jokes.

The happy tears probably serve as a reminder for Aksnes as to why she tours; for moments such as this when she's able to move people to tears with her incredible gift.