Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa at Terminal 5
Last week I watched Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa at Terminal 5. For him, it was the second time and for here it was the first. Both artists have been gaining traction over the past few years and have made their way from down under and across the pond to brighten up the music scene with fresh sounds.
Troye Sivan is an artist that I have championed for quite some time and I’m thrilled to see his fanbase growing more and more each day. I’ve covered him once before on Violet Roots and last year he definitely made a year-end roundup or two.
This year seems to have been a major breakout out moment in his career and although he’s not a household name yet appearances on Ellen and various other national talk shows are sure to correct that very soon!
As you can see here, and tell by the tone of this review, I love Troye’s music and what it represents on a greater level. If you don’t already know him I hope these concert highlights give you plenty of incentive to get to know him!
Past Feature
Dua Lipa & Jess KENT
Dua Lipa, on the other hand, is an artist I only found out about late last year. Shout out to those YouTube recommendations! I’m telling you guys if you ever want to find new music that’s a great resource!
Since discovering her music I’ve been 100% on board and I’m sure you will be too! I love the sultry texture in her voice and her danceable beats. The fact that I’d like to raid her closet ASAP is just an added perk!
I tried to see her live in the city over the summer. Unfortunately, her show sold out before I could get the chance. She ended up opening for Troye though so, all is well that ends well!
Jess Kent is a new to me artist who I only found out about once I arrived at the venue. Jess, like Dua Lipa, is from England but is currently based in Sydney, Australia. She was the first to perform and got the crowd moving with catchy songs and candid lyrics about internet trolls.
The Evolution of Troye Sivan
To give you some background of Troye’s career trajectory he started to gain traction back in 2014 when he released his EP – TRXYE. However for several years before that he posted YouTube videos of him singing and also acted in films like X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
By the time he released his debut record, Blue Neighborhood, he had already cultivated a strong cult following. Both times I went to see him the lines were beyond crazy to get in. People showed up several hours early to camp out and the screams of young girls could be heard from several states over.
Besides the improvements to the stage and light production, I also took note of a noticeable jump in confidence. Troye always had stage presence and the kind of spark necessary to really pop on-screen. Still, this time he commanded the stage like a more seasoned act.
In the middle of his set, he brought Dua Lipa back out to sing a cover song and still retained most of the attention. She wore these insanely high heels that made her already tall frame even taller. As she stood next to him she towered over him but it was still clear who was the headliner. Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa are can both hold their own so, in my book, that’s impressive!
The Stage
The stage production this time around was a lot more refined and polished. When I saw Troye at Webster Hall he was on a smaller stage with the outline of a house lit up behind him. It fit the theme of the Blue Neighborhood tour, named after his debut album.
For the Suburbia tour, there was an accordion style screen behind him. Different visuals were projected on it to go along with each song. There was also a soundbite from him between each track that gave context to the music and tied it all together. The light set up was also a lot more advanced and brought out the overall feeling of each song even more than before.
The Crowd
The audience to see Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa at Terminal 5 veered slightly more adult than the one at Webster Hall. I’ve been to both venues multiple times and this was honestly the first show I had ever attended there where there was anyone who needed a parental escort.
The atmosphere there tends to lean more in the party direction. Terminal 5 has three floors with two levels of balconies and about two bars on each floor. A lot of DJs play there but there are plenty of other styles that come through too.
My 12-year-old cousin who I mentioned in my last Troye feature also came along. Everyone was incredibly sweet and accommodating to him. The people around him kept checking on him to make sure he could see the stage. He loved every minute of being there. It was his first concert and I’m thrilled that he was able to walk away with a positive experience!
Love Trumps Hate
At some point during his set, Troye Sivan talked about his tour thus far. He mentioned being in Boston and attending a peaceful rally of diverse individuals who simply wanted a safe place to voice their concerns with the election. There wasn’t a bunch of shouting and negativity just people offering compassion and understanding to one another.
If you’re not already aware, Troye is openly gay and was shocked by some of the political rhetoric being expressed lately. I’m paraphrasing but he told the crowd that all this means is that we have to work a little harder for equality. We’re strong and we can get through adversity.
I’ve briefly voiced my opinions on the election and what it could potentially mean for me and those I care for on the blog here and here and on Instagram. I won’t repeat it again but I could tell by the cheers from the audience that a lot of them were feeling similarly.
Ear Bliss
Regardless what you believe I know you’ll enjoy these tracks below. Scroll down to give your ears bliss in the form of Jess Kent, Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa! Then head down to the comments to share which tune is your favorite!
What do you think of Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa at Terminal 5? Share your thought below and get ready for concert highlights from Kiiara and Metric later this month!