On an unremarkable Thursday night, Norwegian singer Sigrid took to Manchester’s own Academy One on 19 March to command the stage like she was no stranger on the UK leg of her ‘There’s Always More That I Could Say’ Tour. Performing songs from her newest album of the same name, alongside well known crowd pleasers like smash hit ‘Strangers’ which went Platinum and reached the top 10 in the UK official charts.
Indie-alt singer Etta Marcus opened the night with an assorted setlist of rock-inspired, ethereal tracks, many coming from her latest EP Devour which she wrote about ‘confronting womanhood’. Despite being a chillingly haunting set it warmed up the audience for sure, who were now more than ready for Sigrid to grace the stage.
Sigrid came running onstage to the opening track ‘I’ll always be your girl’ from the new album; an up-tempo, slightly sarcastic pop song about fighting with your other half, yet always coming back despite it all. With the rest of the album following this theme; Sigrid describes it as an ‘energetic extrovert album with introvert lyrics’.
A single from How to let go, her sophomore album, ‘Burning Bridges’ followed in the setlist — an assertive song about having had enough of a mentally taxing relationship and learning to break it off once and for all. Her signature funky pop beat continued with ‘Kiss The Sky’, ‘Borderline’, and a debut album fan favourite ‘Sucker Punch’. Sigrid has always been an expert in this field, as pop is where her heart is. Her first album, too named Sucker Punch, came out in 2019 and, like the title hints, she came out swinging, radiating enthusiasm and confidence, and continues to do so to this day with her relatable lyrics and captivating stage presence.
Flicking between all three of her albums throughout the set with no determinate order, the show proved to be a pop compilation of some of her biggest hits like ‘Mirror’ and ‘Don’t Feel Like Crying’ mixed alongside tracks from the new album. Her casual outfit feels apt to mention, with Sigrid donning a white T-shirt, denim jeans, and trainers as to allow the singer to dance and traipse the stage with ease.
Next came the piano portion of the night where she sat and sang more intimate songs such as ‘There’s Always More That I Could Say’, ‘Dynamite’, and ‘Home To You’, which she describes as a ‘love letter to my hometown in Norway’. Whilst short, this set was sentimental and moving — a testament to Sigrid’s versatility.
The set continued and so did the catchy pop hits, with a notable highlight being one of the final songs ‘Fort Knox’ from her newest album, during which the crowd was encouraged to clap and jump until the very end. A lot of the energy in the room could be attributed to the euphoric crowd who, all night, kept the positive atmosphere flowing through their excitement and cheers. I think it’s safe to say Manchester loves Sigrid.
Despite Sigrid and her band having left the stage, supposedly signalling the end of her show, the crowd still applauded for more. Running back on for the encore to a jubilant cheers, she wasn’t lying when she ‘always had more that she could say’. Performing her debut single ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ to a rapturous reception followed by the a ‘Strangers’ instrumental the audience were roaring and singing along audibly with Sigrid, word-for-word.
Whilst it’s been almost eight years since ‘Strangers’ was released, it is clear to Sigrid certainly isn’t one to Manchester anymore.
