Live Review: Tove Styrke - Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver 20/10/2018

Swedish electro pop star Tove Styrke made her second stop in Vancouver this year to play her first headlining show to a sold out crowd at the Biltmore Cabaret.

Last time we caught up with Tove Styrke (pronounced Tuva Stierka) she was supporting Lorde on her Melodrama tour, before going on to also support Katy Perry in Europe. Between her tours with Lorde and Katy Perry, she released her fourth studio album ‘Sway’, much to the delight of her fans who had been waiting 3 long years since her last album. The album has been a hit, and fans have been so excited to see her live again that her shows were selling out across the tour, making for some incredible nights!

The show this lady puts on is absolutely insane. Before she even hit the stage it was clear that this should would be one for the books, with hundreds of excited and dedicated fans filling the room and chattering excitedly. The stage was filled with her signature roses that would light up throughout the show, creating stunning visuals that went along with her just as stunning vocals. And although she’s not wearing the tulle outfits we’d come to know and love she has kept the aesthetic alive, wrapping an iridescent piece around her mic stand.

Kicking off her set with her 2014 hit ‘Borderline’, Tove got everyone in the room hyped and ready to go for the next hour. Usually artists will play their top hits towards the end of the set, in an effort to keep the crowd around for as long as possible, but with Tove every single song on the setlist is a hit. There are no duds. The slowest song in the set was possibly the song that set everyone off the most. Her cover of Lorde’s ‘Liability’, which she has perfectly reworked to fit her style and even included on Sway as the closing track.

With her newest single ‘Vibe’ dropping the day before, Tove took the opportunity to sing it live for the first time, despite not ever properly rehearsing it, before closing out the night with Number One. A perfect song to follow up her newest single and keep everyone dancing long after she’d left the stage and the house music turned back on. I think it’s safe to say that this show is one that no one there will forget quickly and will hopefully encourage the pop queen to return soon!

Tove Styrke may have finished up her North American run of shows, but she will be heading back out on the road for her UK and Scandinavian tour, beginning October 28th in Bristol. This is definitely not a show you should miss if you can help it.

Words and Photography by Kelli Anne Lane