Swedish artist Lykke Li requested an unplugged concert, and the crowd obliged.
By Jason Jack Underwood
It is a certain flock of artists that can truly captivate a room—the sort that the songstress Lykke Li undeniably belongs to. From the moment she walked out onto the stage, the crowd was under her spell. Periodically illuminated by the performance’s elaborate light show—the sea of raised hands swung and swayed in perfect harmony with Lykke. The crowd was hers, and she repaid every bit of it by the night’s end.
Photos from Thursday night’s concert at House of Blues at Downtown Disney in Orlando. Photos by Jason Jack Underwood.
Having just released her newest album, I Never Learn, the Swedish indie-pop artist Lykke Li performed for a packed house this past Thursday night at House of Blues in Downtown Disney, a venue noted for its intimate structure. One that so perfectly suited the ever sweet Lykke Li. Lykke, who is currently on a critically acclaimed world tour, had only two stops here in Florida—Orlando and Miami. Lykke was famously signed and put on tour after being plucked from the stages of the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.
Photos by Jason Jack Underwood.
Back in 2008 her debut album Youth Novels, helped facilitate the quick rise in international fame as well as the acclaim that has risen over the past six years. The daughter of a musician and photographer, Lykke moved around quite frequently as a child—having lived in Nepal, Sweden, Portugal, Lisbon, Morocco and briefly in New York City. In 2009, before the release of her second album, Lykke recorded the hauntingly beautiful song, Possibility, for the second film in the Twilight series – following months of trepidation and only after seeing a cut of the film.
Lykke captured the crowd and never let go. Photos by Jason Jack Underwood.
Her second release, Wounded Rhymes, which like her first, was produced by her friend & longtime-collaborator Bjorn Yttling (one third of Peter Bjorn & John) solidified her place as an international star with a reputation of preferring to not be thought of as part of the “mainstream,” but as a “boutique singer”. Famed Swedish actor and frequent Lars von Trier collaborator Stellan Skarsgård famously starred in a music video for the albums single “Sadness Is a Blessing”—a video that in many ways feels like a smaller piece of a larger film, certainly a larger story.
Photos by Jason Jack Underwood.
Lykke’s music has appeared in numerous feature films and television shows such as, Teen Wolf, Pretty Little Liars, Blue is the Warmest Colour, Premium Rush, and The Good Wife. Lykke has also had her music covered or remixed by Tyler the Creator, Drake, Beck, and A$AP Rocky. According to an interview with UK based publication The Telegraph, Lykke has a role in an upcoming film by the legendary Terrence Malick – which is “shrouded in secrecy”. Shortly before the release of her most recent album, Lykke appeared on surrealist filmmaker David Lynch’s (Eraserhead, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) second studio album – providing the vocals for “I’m Waiting Here”—a wonderfully fabricated piece.
Photos by Jason Jack Underwood.
A mixture of old and new, the set list for Lykke’s performance this past Thursday contained – I Never Learn, Sadness Is A Blessing, Just Like A Dream, No Rest For The Wicked, Jerome, Dance, Dance, Dance, Little Bit Sleeping Alone, I’m On Fire (Cover) Gunshot, Never Gonna Love Again, I Follow Rivers, Youth Knows No Pain, Get Some, Heart Of Steel. During the encore she induldged with a cover of “Can I Kick It” from A Tribe Called Quest.
Lykke was dressed in her iconic & simplistic all black attire, carrying a very Stevie Nicks vibe. Photos by Jason Jack Underwood.
Lykke was humble, genuine, raw, and captivating throughout her entire performance at House of Blues, even making requests that the audience put away their iPhones so that they could enjoy the show with her—stating that she was there for them and wanted share that unique moment. The stage was beautifully crafted and equally as brilliantly lit, with sheer fabric trailing from the ceiling to the floor that, coupled with the fog and haze—enveloped Lykke in an air of mystery that perfectly suited her sounds. I guess these are just some of the reasons why Lykke Li has grown to become one of my favorite artists.
Jason Jack Underwood is a professionally trained photographer and filmmaker. You can learn more about him by clicking here.
