Loreen Brings Her Magic To Bristol

A truly transcendent night of euphoria hit the O2 Academy Bristol last week.

Through a haze of blinding white strobes and the pulsing intro of Jupiter Drive, Swedish sensation Loreen stepped onto stage in all her glory, taking a sold-out O2 Academy on an hour-long cosmic adventure through some of her most iconic work.

The evening began with two magical performances from her supporting acts, Thera and Luna. Centered around self-expression and healing, Thera’s music comes from a place of self-healing, sharing these experiences of pain in hopes of helping others understand life’s most trying times. She was quickly followed by Luna, a fellow Eurovision alum who brought all the glitz and glamour of Europe’s most famous song contest to conjure the energy of the crowd just in time for our evening’s headliner. Known for her hypnotic vocals, statement white-blonde hair, and art-pop aesthetic, the Polish singer-songwriter performed a short set, including her Eurovision entry The Tower.

For an artist who has performed to hundreds of millions of people live, Loreen brings her magnetic energy wherever her armored bodysuit and flared trousers land. With a commanding ring of light front and center stage, she saunters out to flawlessly deliver the intro to Jupiter Drive and take in the first moments with an incredibly present crowd. Standing in front of the ring, watching her in awe, willingly drawn into her reality. The halo of light takes you through a portal into her world for a transcendent hour.

Mesmerised by the chrome body armor and nails that have become an artistic signature for Loreen, dangling like wind chimes beside her, Gravity went by in a flash before Forever played for an absolutely roaring crowd. Fans were ready to give every ounce of their energy, hanging on her every word. Over the years, Loreen has crafted her own style so perfectly. Futuristic and dark-pop coded, draping sleeves, waist-length dark hair flowing behind her. Echoes of this aesthetic were ever-present throughout the crowd, as her devoted fans took inspiration and formed their own outfits based on her look.

The evening’s setlist treated the audience to a full journey through Loreen’s impressive decade-long career. She may have skyrocketed to fame by reigning victorious in the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden not once, but twice. Yet, the work from her already established career was sprinkled into the mix of ethereal vocals and high-energy techno that had the crowd dancing for their lives in pure bliss. My Heart Is Refusing Me from 2012’s Heal was the perfect example of her signature blend of dance and eye-watering vocals. Following the pulsing energy of the show’s first half, Dreams provided a heavenly interlude. Fans were also treated to a new and unreleased song titled Coming Close. “Can I play a new one for you?” she teased, the crowd frantically desperate to oblige.

The juxtaposition of Loreen’s music evokes an interesting dynamic at shows, somewhere between dance bliss and delicately heartfelt moments. A temporary techno break came in the form of Hate the Way I Love You, the second of a trio of songs from her sophomore album, Ride. Her commanding stage presence is equally capable of turning the venue into a nightclub or an intimate confession session. I’m In It With You provided the latter, you could hear a pin drop during this song as her ethereal, soft, and floating vocals carried you through a tale of being unconditionally tied to another.

A noticeable theme throughout the night was just how much attention and care she puts into every single second of her performances. Whether through her intentional dance flows creating those legendary silhouettes, or restarting a song because a particularly enthusiastic member of the crowd was intent on yelling “I love you” during an intimately delivered moment, it is clear that performing is not just about showing up for Loreen. It is about every single person’s experience of her and ensuring each moment is delivered with intention. An incredibly humble approach to live performances, especially in a relatively small venue of thousands, for an artist who has played for crowds far beyond what was currently in front of her.

This was also the case toward the end of the show, as she took an extended talking break while kneeling before the crowd in front of the halo, checking in on her audience and using the quieter period to get into a deeper, almost meditative state to ensure what followed was delivered perfectly because performing what was coming felt like “going to the gym.” As soon as the Inception-style horn sounded, it was immediately clear what this was the predecessor for, a slower-building live version of Euphoria, teasing the crowd into a frenzy before the iconic chorus hit in full motion. Every single member of the audience, from the front of the pit to the back of the upper balcony, sang along to the soundtrack of 2012.

The crowd’s energy was maintained through the drum-and-bass-heavy Is It Love before concluding with her second Eurovision-winning track, Tattoo ending on a crowd-pleasing anthem of mistimed but fated love.

The aptly titled Tour Life tour has taken Loreen all over Europe, starting in the Netherlands and concluding with a handful of sold-out shows during the UK leg. It is unclear at this stage when she will return, but after selling out a host of venues despite not releasing new music since 2017, and with the upcoming release of her new collaborative project SAGES, it is surely not too far in the future.

Whether you go to get dolled up in sparkles and dance to your heart’s content or hear the nuanced vocal agility of a two-time Eurovision winner, your first Loreen show is an experience you won’t forget. Captivating stage presence lends itself to a magical atmosphere and will have you in a trance you won’t want to wake up from. And when the music fades and the lights dim, you’ll find yourself yearning for just one more moment in Loreen’s world.