Live Review: Sigrid, Exhibitionist

Exhibitionist (aka Kirsty Tickle) is joined on stage by a band of stellar musicians tonight including Jonathan Boulet on drums, Gabby Huber on synths and Adam Connelly on guitar, synths and electronics.

Together they deliver an expansive sound with a beautiful flow and rich production. Tickle's mesmerising and vulnerable vocals have a smooth, fragile quality, delivered with a unique melodic structure. She throws in a fun cover of Boys by Charli XCX with a slower tempo to change things up, followed by her own original song about lost love.

The tone shifts towards the second half of Exhibitionist's set from a mellow vibe to a more aggressive, in-your-face kind of attitude as Tickle sings about fucking up and not really giving a shit about it. She makes no apologies on Being A Woman as she unleashes a passionate delivery of her empowering lyrics, "MY BODY MY CHOICE!" 

Sigrid might be from a small town in Norway, but she's certainly making waves on a big scale after a short time. The confident and charismatic 21 year old only burst onto the scene last year with her debut EP, but is quickly becoming a rising pop sensation and for good reason. She has a refreshing, genuine quality that translates through song via her relatable and defiant lyrics.

Considering that she's only released a handful of songs so far, most of her set contains new material that the audience has never heard before, but it catches on in no time at all. Sigrid keeps the crowd engaged throughout the entire show with her stunning vocal range and infectious feel-good vibes as she moves energetically around the stage with a constant smile on her face. Her latest single Strangers gains the biggest crowd reaction as we sing along in unison and Sigrid is overwhelmed that everyone knows all the words.

Sigrid has a knack for turning negative emotional experiences into powerhouse pop songs, but she dubs Dynamite the saddest of them all. She reveals the emotional ballad includes inspirational quotes that came to her as she thought about life on a rainy day in Bergen. Another one that falls in this category is a song she calls Savage In Our Blood. This deeply intimate and honest track has Sigrid reflecting on the state of the world, and feeling hopeless since it seems nothing's going to change. But Sigrid inspires us to try and stay positive about it all. Finally, Don't Kill My Vibe serves as a clear message that she shouldn't be underestimated by any means. Sigrid is determined not to let anybody bring her down and, with this kind of attitude, there's no doubt she'll continue to rise up and stand out from the pack.