Troye Sivan has long since graduated from his Youtube days, but his assent into fully-fledged stardom couldn’t have been smoother. His growth as a seasoned artist was evident as he performed a sold-out show at the Chicago Theatre when he made a stop in the Windy City for the
Bloom tour.
Opening for him was the bubbly and energetic
Kim Petras, who quickly got the crowd hyped for the show. The singer performed an eight-song set which included her catchy singles “All the Time,” “I Don’t Want It At All,” “Hills,” and “Can’t Do Better.” Petras also performed music from her latest Halloween-themed EP,
Turn Off the Light, Vol. 1, including highlights like “Tell Me It’s A Nightmare” and “Close Your Eyes.” Petras, a German singer and songwriter, was a natural on stage throughout the set. She easily set the perfect mood for the night with her lively, early 2000’s pop-influenced tunes.
Soon after, Sivan took to the stage and was welcomed with a piercing roar of enthusiastic cheers from his fans. The singer strutted across stage with confident steps and started off his set with “Seventeen,” the first track from
Bloom. He followed up “Seventeen” with the album’s title track of the same name and then “Plum,” all the while dancing with his signature fluid movements.
When first listening to Troye Sivan’s music, it can be tempting to categorize him as just another passing pop star. But experiencing his live performance or giving his lyrics a closer look can quickly erase that thought. At only 23 years of age, the singer and songwriter has established a unique identity and presence for himself with trademark danceable sounds and his honest, insightful, and mature lyrics.
Bloom especially shows the singer’s maturity, not only as a vocalist or artist, but also as a person. The lyrics of his tracks tackle themes of passion, love, queerness, sexuality, and a variety of “firsts.” This is a contrast from his debut album which focused more on Sivan’s feelings of vulnerability, exploration, and young, innocent love. For a lack of a better term, Sivan truly bloomed along with the
Bloom era.
Following a few songs from
Bloom, the singer performed throwback tracks from his 2015 hit album,
Blue Neighborhood, including “HEAVEN” and “FOOLS.” The rest of his set was mixed between his first and second albums, some highlights including “WILD,” “The Good Side,” “What A Heavenly Way To Die,” “COOL,” and "Animal." Sivan didn’t forget to sneak in his recent and notable collaborative tracks. “1999” featuring Charli XCX and “Dance To This,” a duet with Ariana Grande, were both incorporated into his performance.
Bringing the night to a close, the singer ended his set with an encore performance of “Youth” and “My My My!” Sivan wrapped up his Chicago show with vigor, radiant smiles, and a feeling of infectious optimism.
