Concert review: US singer-songwriter Lauv wins hearts with soulful show of his greatest hits

Lauv: The Between Albums Tour

Singapore Indoor Stadium
Tuesday

Give him an audience of 1,000 or 9,000, and Lauv can still make every person in the crowd feel like he is singing to just him or her.

Back in Singapore for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, the American singer-songwriter brought the house down at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Tuesday night – proving that he could take on a venue many times the size of where he last performed here, at the Capitol Theatre in 2019.

The Between Albums Tour, which kicked off in August, was a concert for hardcore Lauv fans, showcasing a medley of the synth-pop singer’s greatest hits.

In this sold-out show, he performed chart-toppers from his debut compilation album I Met You When I Was 18 (2018), and studio albums How I’m Feeling (2020) and All 4 Nothing (2022).

The 29-year-old has come a long way from the first time he performed in this same venue, as an opener for English pop star Ed Sheeran in 2017.

Lauv, whose full name is Ari Staprans Leff, needed no flashy staging, letting his musical chops shine against the odd psychedelic graphic. After a slightly shaky start, he warmed up to the stage, flexing his muscle in vocal ad libs and runs that filled the cavernous stadium.

Known for his sensitive yet catchy tunes about heartbreak and loneliness, the performer seemed at home with his audience of mostly millennials and Gen Zs.

There were many playful interactions – including baiting the crowd with the intro of the anticipated pop hit I’m So Tired, before he switched suddenly to Chasing Fire.

“That was just a test. You guys passed with flying colours,” he teased.

He ploughed through 23 songs in 1½ hours with impressive stamina and nary a break – only halting mushy love song Tattoos Together for a quick chug of water.

Self-love and gratitude emerged as key themes of the night, as he gushed constant “I love yous” to the crowd in between songs. Though his brand of music is melancholia and heartbreak, Lauv is known for his down-to-earth persona and level of fan engagement.

And this concert showed again that he is all about fan service. Midway through the set, he went down into the standing pen and parted the crowd to get closer to those at the back.

Like moths to a flame, concertgoers swarmed around him as he delved into the next few tracks from All 4 Nothing.

Drenched in sweat, he then stayed in the crowd signing boards, obliging selfies and hugging fans – all while singing high-tempo banger Molly In Mexico.

Throughout the night, he spoke openly about his struggles with mental health. No topic was off the table, not even his sobriety.

Perhaps most memorable was when he returned onstage for a raw, soulful performance of Hey Ari – a surprise addition to the setlist, and arguably his most vulnerable track. In this letter to himself, he sings about seeking false happiness through pills and alcohol.

“I’ve been sober for two months now. I know not everybody needs that but I’m very thankful to be present right now,” said Lauv, who at one point in the song seemed overcome with emotion.

But it was clear he seemed in a happier place now, remarking multiple times: “I can’t believe this is my life.”

The stadium lit up like a sea of fireflies, when Lauv shyly requested phone lights to come on for his stripped-down rendition of Breathe – a ballad on realising that a relationship is coming to an end – at the piano.

He wrapped up the night with a string of crowd-pleasers such as I’m So Tired, Feelings and his breakout hit I Like Me Better, before running off the stage with parting words of wisdom: “Love life. Love yourself.”