CHICAGO | This past Saturday on November 4, I found myself standing at the back of a staggeringly long line of people. If you’re making guesses as to where I was standing in line, I’ll give you a hint; I wasn’t at the DMV waiting to get my license renewed. Now, if you guessed that I was standing outside of Chicago’s House of Blues, then you would be correct!
Upon my arrival, I watched as hordes of adoring fans funneled themselves into a neat line at the entrance of the venue. I followed in their footsteps. As more attendees arrived, the line grew to an impressive length, eventually spanning the entire city block. The air was buzzing with excitement as everyone was there to see Slayyyter — rising pop star, internet celebrity, and Missouri native — as she took the stage for her headline Club Valentine Tour.
Before I begin discussing the performance, I want to make it known that everyone at this concert was extraordinarily dressed. Like, I’m talking runway-ready. It was honestly kind of intimidating. As I donned my outfit in the hours before the concert, I looked in the mirror and told myself that I was channeling the fashion-forward vibes of Harry Styles. However, when I showed up to the House of Blues and compared myself to everybody else, I realized that I looked nothing like Harry Styles — in reality, I more closely resembled Tiger King’s Joe Exotic. While I know it’s superficial of me to focus on what people were wearing, I do want to give credit where credit is due; the Slayyyter fans of Chicago don’t play around when it comes to concert attire.
The show itself was fantastic. The stage was bathed in a kaleidoscope of vibrant, flashing lights for the duration of Slayyyter’s performance, and from the moment she walked onstage, her energy was electric. Everyone in the audience was engaged for every moment of the set; I’m not exaggerating when I say that the entire venue was shaking because everyone was dancing so… intensely? — I don’t know if that’s a safety issue, but in the heat of the moment, I didn’t have time to be concerned about a catastrophic building collapse.
Most of the songs that Slayyyter played were from her most recent album, STARF*****R, with notable tracks including the album’s opener “I Love Hollywood!” as well as its closer, a danceable and synth-driven anthem titled “Out Of Time.” Other setlist standouts that were also from STARF*****R included “Purrr” — a track characterized by a thumping beat and lyrics that some would refer to as… obscene — and “Girl Like Me,” a glittery, Y2K-inspired tune that Paris Hilton herself would be proud of.
Slayyyter’s set list also included a couple of tracks from the years past; honoring important hits from her earlier discography, with the most notable of those being “Mine,” the song which catapulted her to niche internet fame after she posted a snippet on Twitter in 2019. She also performed a couple of tracks from her debut album, Troubled Paradise; “Butterflies…,” “Clouds” and the title track itself were all featured during her time on stage. Having been a fan of Slayyyter’s since early 2020, I was very excited to hear songs from earlier points in her career, and was it interesting to compare her older tracks to her newer work.
In my opinion, Slayyyter’s discography has only improved since she began independently releasing music on the internet in 2017. I think that both STARF*****R and the Club Valentine Tour serve as proof that she’s consistently elevating her craft. She knows her niche… and she knows that people absolutely love her! If anyone out there is in search of a new “it girl” sensation, look no further. Simply take this weekend’s sold-out performance as proof: Slayyyter is the one to watch. With a loyal audience and an infinite supply of confidence, she’s on an undeniable fast-track towards an all-out glitz-pop revolution.