Review
Review
Sky Ferreira at KOKO, 11/04/24
Synthpop's next superstar proves well worth the wait in London
“I’m so nervous I’m shaking,” Sky Ferreira admits to London’s KOKO after performing the first song of the night, ‘Boys’, drenched in a sea of purple and green light. Despite taking to the stage nearly an hour and a half late (fans have now come to expect this, made clear by the historic venue packing out last minute), the singer, model and Tumblr icon looks anything but trepidacious on stage in black sunglasses and an ever on-brand shabby-chic jacket.
Sky’s hour and a half set is mostly padded out with songs from her seminal debut (and still only LP), 2013’s Night Time, My Time – and it’s clear that it’s when she’s performing these songs she’s most comfortable. Her vocal delivery – and impressive adlibs – shine on ‘You’re Not The One’ and ‘I Blame Myself’, ‘I Will’ is given an ’80s synth touch, and the energy of the room turns up a notch when the noisy guitars of ‘Ain’t Your Right’ start, even when she gives the crowd a double performance by restarting the song less than a minute from the end.
Fans of her pre-indie rock work were in luck tonight too. Hazy synthpop gem ‘Lost In My Bedroom’ was given a melancholic treatment, while fan favourite ‘Sad Dream’ left many in the crowd, and Sky herself, in tears. Covers of new wave one-hit-wonders ‘Til Tuesday’s ‘Voices Carry’ and dream pop singer Tamaryn’s ‘Hands All Over Me’ also dotted the setlist, as did, to the surprise of many, an exclusive listen of new material.
“I want to be free from the darkness deep inside of me,” she confesses on a new track backed by ’80s power ballad-esque production and complimented by kitschy blue and pink lighting. Whether part of her long-awaited, potentially-shelved follow-up Masochism or not, the track teases an exciting shift in the evolution her idiosyncratic sound.
As expected, she closes the night with the genuinely timeless ‘Everything Is Embarrassing’. But although there may have been a few small hiccups throughout the night, there’s nothing for Sky to feel ashamed of. If anything, they add to the charm and mystique that have surrounded the singer for over a decade, which, judging by the screams, cheers, and tears of her adoring crowd, show no sign of letting off.
