By: Morgan McFadden
CHICAGO– From Whitney to Britney, the list of one-named pop singers remains a coveted spot in music history. After putting the revered synth-pop band Little Dragon on the map, Yukimi craves to be the next name you remember.
The Swedish singer-songwriter has found incredible success with Little Dragon over the past 30 years, selling out world tours and collaborating with experimenters big and small, including Kali Uchis, Flume, and BADBADNOTGOOD.
Despite numerous shows around town happening, including Empire of the Sun down the road at Radius, the Millenial-dominated crowd welcomed Yukimi with open arms. The first sunny day in recent memory became etched into history with her hypnotic rhythms.
Accompanied by a four-piece band, including Little Dragon bandmate Erik Bodin on drums, Yukimi shared her love-centric compositions. Her songs are appendages of her love for nature, family, and herself (in that order).
Several songs off “For You” were dedications to her children, while my favorite track “Runaway” was an ode to escapism. In front of a relatively simple stage composition (oscillating colorful lights shining down on three large ornate fans), Yukimi frolicked around the stage with a tambourine. Effortlessly magnetic.
As the concert continued, I was pleasantly surprised by the in-the-moment attitude shared by concertgoers. After two weeks of extensive social clips from Coachella, the iPhone-free environment was refreshing.
While most of her set was reminiscent of carefree summer days, Yukimi rounded out her solo debut with a few curveballs. A tribute to one of her favorite artists, Yukimi covered Kate Bush’s B-side track “Army Dreamers.” What a dream. I gushed at her taste, her voice melting into the song’s key like butter.
The finale was not the belt-o-rama you’d expect from a pop singer’s leaving impressions. Instead, it was jam breaks induced by cowbells and a flute solo. I couldn’t help but smile. In a moment where Yukimi could have reminded listeners of her mesmerizing talent, she redirected the spotlight to her bandmates.
If all artists shared this level of camaraderie, the world would be a better place. Or at least, a better-sounding one. Ascend into another dimension with Yukimi’s album “For You” now.
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