Words and Photos by Katherine Cardinale
Last Thursday, rising pop artist Caroline Kingsbury played an electrifying and upbeat set for hundreds of fans clad in neon clothing, fun makeup, and pink tote bags from the merch stand. While fans waited for the show to begin, songs from the 80’s to the present played through Racket NYC’s speakers, setting the tone for a great night.
After a clown-themed performance from local New York performer Koko Momo and a set featuring original music and a cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” from indie pop artist Bershy, it was time for Caroline to hit the stage.
Caroline and her drummer opened the night with “Chocolate” off Caroline’s most recent EP, Shock Treatment. If there was one word to describe Caroline’s aesthetic and music, it would be colorful. Both her synth-heavy music and bubbly personality come to life on stage, making her performances memorable.
Between songs, Caroline excitedly commented on how she had played New York a handful of times in the past, including with fellow musician MARIS last fall, but this was her first time headlining at Racket. She remarked that it felt like a major “I made it moment,” and this sentiment was met with cheering from the audience.
Towards the middle of her set, Caroline took the time to remember her brother, who passed but is present at each stop of the tour through a framed photo that Caroline places on stage each night. Her words were accompanied by an emotional performance that captivated the entire room.
The set also included plenty of fan interactions as well, with Caroline taking the time to thank one of her first ever fans, Alex, for coming to the show (which I later learned was only their second show over the past seven years!). The two shared multiple heartfelt moments throughout the show, which really showed the kind of positive relationship and safe space that Caroline and her music have created for fans. Caroline also invited six fans, including Alex, on stage, during the song “Alabama,” which is an upbeat, 80’s-inspired track about her mixed feelings for the state.
Caroline closed out the evening by playing the song that she says “changed her life” and allowed her to quit both of her jobs and pursue music full-time, “Kissing Someone Else,” and the lead single off her latest EP, “Shock Treatment.”
You can purchase tickets to any of Caroline’s upcoming shows through early June here, and we strongly recommend that you do!
Loudspeaker Collective 