It always comes with great pleasure to have the opportunity to discover and see an artist live as they’re on the cusp of musical stardom. Swedish electro-pop artist Clara Blom Christensen, aka COBRAH, made a generous back-to-back two-night stop at Thalia Hall last Thursday and Friday nights for a pair of frisky sets to ring in the spring Chicago weather.
As an artist that has already established her brand, which is deep rooted in queer culture and raw electronic musical production; COBRAH has accrued a devoted fan base as well as drawing in fans of similar artists such as Shy Girl and Charli XCX. Her eclectic fans were there to let loose and have a good time, which was perfectly reflected by COBRAH both on stage and through her music. I would say a hefty 95% of her discography is chock full of high-energy tracks, which made for a rather alluring and yet vigorously bold performance.
COBRAH spared no energy as the show commenced. Thalia Hall echoed with a roar from the crowd as they welcomed COBRAH on stage. Christensen immediately took the reins and made it a temporary oasis as she flawlessly materialized on stage to perform the perfect show opener, “DIP N DRIP.” The song perfectly reflected her confidence shimmering on stage as all eyes drew towards her. The crowd went absolutely feral during “TEA” which had the entire hall chanting “what’s the tea?” Halfway through her set, the room transformed into an all-out nightclub as she performed “10/10,” followed by my personal favorite track of hers, “FEMININE ENERGY.” This club-y yet empowering tune has permanently found its way onto my workout playlist and I could tell by the crowd’s reaction to the song intro that this too was a fan-favorite!
Accompanying her on stage was a platform that elevated a leather bench usually used in the leather fetish community but here it was used to aggrandize her performance as well as her music’s provocative content. COBRAH is not afraid to be her authentic self and be transparent with both her art and towards her fans. She concluded the show with a bang, closing out the evening with some of her most heavy-hitting songs. “BRAND NEW BITCH” was a statement in itself that reiterated her exuberant confidence; along with “GOOD PUSS” and an encore consisting of her current top track on Spotify, “MAMI.” After her extraordinary performance, it seemed as though the room cranked up a few degrees and it was just barely 10pm! (an ideal night out and still getting to bed before 11!).
COBRAH is a fantastic performer and really knows how to transcribe her energy throughout the room and into her adoring fans. From the all caps stylized aesthetic to her boldness on stage and through her music, COBRAH is sure not lacking in the entertainment and confidence department. I am eager to see what surprises she has in store next and in the meantime I will be patiently waiting for her debut album as I have "FEMININE ENERGY" stuck on repeat throughout this year’s Women's History Month!
All photos by Andrew Lagunas.