I love Taylor Swift. Like, I-have-listened-to-some-“1989”-songs-more-than-3,000-times love. But I’m a little Taylor-ed out. And Taylor knows it, too. “I think I should take some time off. I think people might need a break from me,” she told NME last week. But before we panic about our meaningless post-TSwift lives, there’s a rising pop star we all need to pay more attention to: Tove Lo.
I’ve seen both Taylor and Tove this summer. I overpaid ($400) for stage-right, restricted-view tickets to the “1989” tour. And I saw Tove Lo play sets at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, join Alesso on stage at Lollapalooza for “Heroes,” and finally play Monday night at the Vic Theatre. Frankly, I didn’t know I was such a fan until then, when I realized she’s exactly the Taylor Swift replacement we need.
Here’s why:
1. She knows how to rock out
At Swift’s Chicago “1989” stop, the Haim sisters brought head-banging and loud drums to the opening set. In the absence of Kendrick Lamar, Taylor offered a rock rendition of “Bad Blood,” which was fun but felt a little contrived, given Taylor Swift’s ascendence from country music.
Tove Lo, however, wasn’t bogged down by genre and didn’t need any help — she rocked out all herself. Jumping on drums and dressed in an army-style jumpsuit or a studded leather jacket and black leotard, the “Queen of the Clouds” eclipsed former country star Swift’s rocker-chick cred. She reminded me of a young Gwen Stefani on stage — gritty, raw and full of energy.
2. She recognizes local talent
One of my biggest gripes about “1989” in Chicago was that Taylor Swift was here during Pitchfork weekend. She had access to a long list of Chicago (and national) talent to showcase, instead of bringing Andy Grammer and Sam Hunt on stage. (I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but Kendrick Lamar, himself, was in town playing with Chance the Rapper. You’re telling me you couldn’t get him to join you for record-smashing “Bad Blood”?)
Tove Lo, on the other hand, surprised her fans last night with Chicago great, Manny the Frenchie. Sure the dog was nervous as hell and couldn’t do much else except cling in fear to Tove Lo, but, unlike Swift, at least she tried to connect to our culture-rich city.
3. She sings about actual pain
Much like Swift, Tove Lo writes her own songs, generally about heartbreak, pain and sex. She’s explicit. She’s raw. Taylor writes about fairytale dreams and girl drama. There’s definitely a place for TSwift’s tune and tone, but Tove Lo’s lyrics are actually relatable. You won’t see Tove Lo falling for a model in a mansion and pulling her hair out when it doesn’t work out. Tove Lo tells him to fuck off and moves on to her next conquest.
4. We need to see more of her sexuality-driven feminism
Taylor Swift used “1989” to empower women everywhere. She and her power-girl clique were central to the tour’s popularity and narrative. However Taylor Swift represents only one part of feminism. She mostly avoids her sexuality in favor of friendship. Great.
More Top Picks Best Solid State Guitar Amps
But Tove Lo welcomes the topic of sex. In fact, she confronts it head on. She touches her vagina in front of hundreds without shame. She’s unafraid of her own music and proud of her body. At the Vic last night, she even dropped her leotard top at one point, seemingly mocking laws against the public display of nipples. Tove Lo gets it — women should be allowed to be as sexual as men.
All that being said, I understand it may be a bit too early to predict Tove Lo’s stardom. She’s had only one studio album. And likely no one has listened to it 3,000 times over. Last night’s show wasn’t perfect by any means. She certainly doesn’t have the money to fund a production-heavy tour of Swiftian proportion. But she’s well on her way. The crowd was really feeling it. If Taylor leaves a vacuum, I bet Tove Lo could be the next one to fill it.
Want to learn to play the guitar like Taylor or the drums like Tove? Check out RedEye Skillz.