YouTube powerhouse Troye Sivan and 500 of his young Midwestern subscribers packed Lincoln Hall on Friday, Oct. 30.
His main YouTube channel boasts an impressive 3.6 million subscribers. Australian-based and only 20 years old, his channel has given him years of access to audiences worldwide. He’s among YouTube royalty, and the new commonplace is giving these vloggers a shot at a music career. Luckily for Sivan, his talent warrants a sold-out-in-minutes tour.
Sivan walked shyly onto stage to open with “BITE,” donning an over-sized polka-dotted Adidas sweatshirt and pale pink nail polish that he later showed to fans. Whether it’s a product of his Internet-savvy background or an offswing of the trendy genre, Sivan settles effortlessly into the threads of ambient electronic pop. It’s simple and gooey, and the girls and guys love it.
Sivan’s coming out video has nearly 6 million views on YouTube, so the mostly female audience’s squeals weren’t based on infatuation. One girl screamed for his water bottle, others tossed roses, binders full of fan letters on stage, and any time he came towards the crowd there would be a crushing surge of fans. This is no surprise, though—fans listen to an on-screen version of Sivan talk to them every week, and this is their chance to talk back.
What may be more impressive is that he is aware of the passion of his fans. Whereas some artists ignore the dynamics of the crowd themselves, Sivan took a moment at the beginning of the show to say that if anyone was uncomfortable or having a panic attack to let him know.
Beginning with the disclaimer that he was ill—but feeling better after seeing the “stylish” crowd—Sivan pushed through a quick 40-minute set of songs off his “WILD” and “TRXYE” EPs, along with a few off his upcoming album “Blue Neighbourhood.”
Neon house frames glowed in the background, giving way to Sivan’s major theme—negotiating love in and escaping the static suburbia. Amidst his blooming career, Sivan spends a lot of time away, and little time at home.
“This might be a tough one for me; I’m going to need your help on this next one,” he said to the excitement of his fans, before diving into yearning “TALK ME DOWN.”
Stage presence might not be Sivan’s strongest point yet. Adorably, he bops around and stifles smiles in between fans singing his lyrics along to “FOOLS” and “EASE.” His vocals are fresh and fragile, and are elevated nicely above the grit of synths. But he is not completely uninhibited yet, especially when you watch him stand by the mic stand and hold his arms out horizontally in anticipation of the next song starting. A heightened stage presence will come as Sivan sets out on more tours.
Yet he is at his most comfortable in between songs. His anecdotes are like real-life YouTube videos. When a girl holds her phone out during a song, he will grab it and sing to it.
Despite Sivan’s nerves of performing while sick, this show was a glimpse into new pop stardom. With relatable music, a likeable persona, an army of fans behind him, Sivan won’t be playing to only 500 fans next time.
