LÉON, a little-known pop artist from Sweden, kicked off her first U.S. tour at The Sinclair in Cambridge on Wednesday night. The show was completely sold out.
By the end of the evening, it became clear that she would not be little-known for much longer.
As the young crowd filled the small venue and sipped drinks, anticipation and excitement began to grow throughout the room.
At 9 p.m., Jacob Banks, dressed in a Boston Bruins jersey and a black cap, took the stage with his opening act. What followed was the emotionally charged vocal performance of a lifetime.
The English R&B artist opened up his set with “Monster,” passionately singing, “I’ll be that monster you’ve been wanting,” eyes shut for the whole song.
Banks’ vocals were like a mix of Sam Cooke and John Legend and he masterfully moved up and down runs, proving impressive vocal control.
“We’re gonna play some depressing songs, alright?” he said to the crowd in his British accent before pouring his heart and soul into ballad-like tracks such as “Unknown.”
The audience seemed captivated by the performance, swaying with the blues-influenced beats.
After a short 30-minute set, during which he seemed to lay his heart and soul down on the stage, Banks thanked the crowd for welcoming him to Boston and for making his first show in the U.S. so fun.
Attendees returned to their drinks, excitedly checking their watches in anticipation of LÉON’s set.
The Swedish singer appeared on stage at 10 p.m., swathed in blue and purple lights and backed by large illuminated white letters spelling out her name.
The audience sang along as she kicked off the show with “Think About You.”
“This is nice,” she said to the audience, after the song had finished. “I just have to say, this is my first time in Boston; it feels pretty good!”
Commanding the stage with her dance moves and all-black outfit, it was hard not to get caught up in her incredible voice.
With similar tones to Rihanna and Banks, LÉON proved to be a vocal powerhouse, moving with ease from alto verses to soprano runs. The audience danced along.
She then included two cover songs in her set, first with “Why’d You Always Call Me When You’re High?” by the Arctic Monkeys.
Later, she asked the audience, “So, anybody here like Stevie Nicks?” When loud cheers filled the space, she laughed and said, “So do I,” before launching into her rendition of Nicks’ “Dreams.”
Her vocals were captivating and left you wondering how more people did not know about such a talented artist.
She picked things back up again by playing her newly released single, “Sleep Deprived,” full of catchy beats that are impossible not to dance to. The crowd was no exception, and even those sitting down bopped their heads to the tune.
She talked about writing the song “Liar” and seemed to hold back tears before launching into the ballad with emotionally bare lyrics like “If it’s love, it is rough / Why am I not enough?”
She revealed a new song halfway through her set that mixed pop and jazz vibes, hinting that there may be a new album on its way.
After bringing down the house with her most popular song, “Tired of Talking,” she took a moment to address the energetic audience.
“I need to say this,” she said, catching her breath. “This is my first show of my first U.S. tour.”
The crowd in front of her screamed in excitement.
“But I don’t think any city can top this,” she continued.
While the crowds at other tour dates might be bigger, it is hard to imagine that LÉON can top her performance on Wednesday.
In addition to absolutely flawless vocals, her stage presence and passion for singing will likely carry her far in the music business. It’s only a matter of time.
