Clairo sauntered onstage carrying a tray with a bottle of red wine and five glasses. She poured wine for herself and her bandmates, wearing a goddess-like white silk dress, a colorful scarf tied around her right arm and her signature headphones. With her back to the crowd, she clinked glasses with her band before turning playfully to raise a glass to her fans’ cheers. Rarely do you feel a sense of intimacy and vulnerability in any public setting in New York City, especially in a venue filled with 1,500 strangers. With charm, Clairo magically conjured an environment comparable to an evening with your closest friends.
On May 29, musician Clairo — whose full name is Claire Cottrill — teased her eager fans with the announcement of a New York City residency to accompany the anticipated release of her third studio album, “Charm.” Often described as “bedroom pop” or “sad girl music,” Clairo is known for her inquisitive lyrics and jazzy melodies. Compared to her previous two albums, “Charm” taps into a more flirty and mature side of Cottrill. For five nights between Sept. 14 to Sept. 19, she takes to the stage at Webster Hall, enchanting her fans with new releases and staples of her discography.
Opening with fan-favorite “Nomad,” Cottrill fostered an environment that made the audience want to belt her honest lyrics and sway to her soulful tunes. “I wanna see you dance,” Clairo announced before she held onto her headphones and bopped her head from side to side.
Cottrill’s inclusion of older songs on the setlist added a nice contrast to the delicate and mature qualities of “Charm.” While performing “Softly” from her debut album “Immunity,” she sashayed around the stage, tilted her head downward and crooned into her microphone. Following this, she got the audience grooving to the electric sounds of “Flaming Hot Cheetos.” Notably, Cottrill grimaced, foreseeing the audience’s reaction, before strapping on her guitar, grabbing her pick and playing the illustrious introduction to “Bags.” The introduction was met with deafening cheers of joy from the audience. Even though this tour was for her most recent album, this song seemed to hold the most anticipation. The room echoed as the audience belted the words in fevered unison.
Aligning with her album’s playful aura, Cottrill flirted with the audience through every transition. She frequently turned her back to the crowd before glancing over her shoulder and fluttering her lashes at her adoring fans. Strikingly, in one of her transitions, Cottrill turned from the audience with artful posture as she spoke: “Boo if you think I’m sexy.” She stood with her profile to the audience, her hands delicately clasped together, and nodded in appreciation. The boos from the audience didn’t stop until they heard the intro to “Sexy to Someone.”
Rounding out her performance, Cottrill introduced the audience to her band and opened her final song, “Juna,” by referencing the song’s lyrics. “We like you,” she said, “but we don’t even know you.” The mouth trumpet section in “Juna” distinguishes it from the rest of the album. Cottrill invited the audience to join her in this segment of this song and gestured to them with encouragement. After the song was over, Cottrill dramatically picked up her wine glass, waved to her audience and told them to get home safe.
The artist has developed a solidified sense of individuality and presents herself candidly in her performance. Passionately swaying across the stage, Cottrill seemed to enjoy performing just as much as the audience enjoyed watching. This enhanced confidence allowed Cottrill to reiterate the album’s flirtatiousness. Perhaps the third time really is a charm — Clairo’s performance at Webster Hall was truly intimate, enchanting and sexy.
Contact Siobhán Minerva at [email protected]
