Caitlyn Reynolds
Tove Lo at the Observatory in Santa Ana
05/18/2022 .
The last time Tove Lo performed in California was for her “Sunshine Kitty” album tour at The Hollywood Palladium before the world shut down in 2020. Now two years later, the Swedish pop singer and songwriter is back on tour, and recently performed her first of two sold out shows at The Observatory in Santa Ana, on May 18.
“I’m just barely keeping it together from crying,” Tove said. “Getting this part of my life yanked away from me at the top of it was hard, so to be back with you feels so fucking good.”
Opening with the carefree single “Bikini Porn,” the audience screamed her name and boldly sang in unison.
The LED light appearing to be a cross necklace center stage is literally a vagina, and the pop star doesn't care who it makes uncomfortable. She takes an artistic and anti-conformist approach when she’s writing her lyrics, redefining pop music in darker lights. Unapologetically admitting to her flaws with heartbreak and femininity, Tove continues to be very passionate and direct in this next era under her new independent label, Pretty Swede Records. Her drummer’s kick drum and tattoo on her upper right arm have the prominent symbol from the album “LadyWood” released in 2016 she performed songs off of, as well as “BLUE LIPS (lady wood phase II), “Sunshine Kitty,” and “Queen Of The Clouds”.
One of her most played songs on pop radio stations “Talking Body”—the song where her fans know she flashes the crowd on stage, has become an empowering statement and withstands the post-2020 shut down.
Her audience continued to scream and shout every ad lib and lyric.“Are you ready to dance with me!? Everybody get low,” Tove said, extending the song into an electrapop nightclub remix she also did for “Not On Drugs.”
Her recent singles “How Long” from season two of HBO Original Series Euphoria, and “No One Dies From Love” were also on the setlist. She included her feature “Say It” on Flume’s 2016 album “Skin” and two unreleased songs; “2 Die 4” and “True Romance” she debuted that night.
Tove Lo debut song "2 Die 4" recorded that night
Following Orange County, Tove is set out to perform the next dates in the North American Summer Tour in Boston (June 13), Washington (June 14), and Charlotte (June 15) where she will also be on tour with Dua Lipa later that month, making festival appearances at Governors Ball (June 11, NY), Bonnaroo (June 17, TN), Lollapalooza (July 28, IL), and will be on tour in Europe this fall.
Tove Lo’s North American Summer tour dates left image, European 2022 tour center image, and the Barcelona and Istanbul headline show dates right image
Caitlyn Reynolds can be reached @cnreyno1@uci.edu
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