Fellow writer Aylin Zafar once told me, “Lykke Li is my girl crush.”  Judging from the crowd response to the Swedish songstress’s show at the Wiltern, she is not the only one to hold that sentiment.  Li had the crowd, largely comprised of packs of young ladies, boyfriends that were helplessly dragged along, and, well, me, in the palm of her perpetually gesturing hands.  She is poised to follow in the footsteps of Feist and Sia and become womankind’s latest musical hero, a singer that women wouldn’t mind their significant other crushing on.  I did not notice a single female in the crowd refusing to let loose with a shimmy, a holler, or a hand held high to her cool, sexy electro-pop stylings.

Li, draped in a ragged black cloak, was in constant motion throughout the show.  Her peculiar yet hypnotic dance moves, which involved wildly flailing arms and a mess of dirty blonde hair being thrown back and forth, brought even more energy to her already spirited performance.  Li’s thin, mousy voice carried over surprisingly well in such a large venue, exuding a raw passion that a powerhouse vocalist could seldom manage.  After asking the crowd if we wanted to hear something to make us happy, she launched into a cover of Weezy’s “A Milli.”  This rendition, featuring Li drumming along on the cymbal and snare set up to her left, thankfully came off as devoid of irony-clad condescension; she only seemed to be expressing some zany Scandinavian appreciation for a tune she truly enjoys.  The ubiquitous (at least in the blogosphere) “Little Bit” elicited a sing/clap-along of Lillith Fair proportions, and the laidback grooves of “Let It Fall” were perfectly adapted to a live setting.  The three-piece backing band was in fine form, hammering out new arrangements and adorning the more beat-oriented tracks with organic instrumentation.

Lykke Li is one of the few artists whose personality is on full display at concerts.  Her lovable eccentricity, her willingness to express herself on stage with a complete disregard for any judgment that may be cast upon her, is one of the great strengths of her live show.  But all of this must be anchored by a strong sense of musicality, and Lykke Li certainly possesses the talent to bring her melodies to life.

—Amorn Bholsangngam