Blondshell has been making waves in the indie scene ever since her breakout single Kiss City dropped in 2022. Less than a year later, she was touring with Suki Waterhouse, making appearances at South by Southwest, where she took home the Grulke Prize for Developing U.S. Act. Her momentum didn’t stop there. Recently, she joined Glass Animals for a string of tour dates, hitting major cities like Kansas, Seattle, and Los Angeles. After seeing her perform live, I can confidently say she’s got it all—a sharp songwriter with a stage presence that’s impossible to ignore.

Saturday night at the Kia Forum was electric. The venue, which holds nearly 18,000 people, was packed to the brim for Glass Animals. But Blondshell, the night’s opener, didn’t just play warm-up; she seized the spotlight. It wasn’t long ago that I saw her at the much more intimate El Rey Theatre, a venue that holds just 770 people. To see her go from that to the sprawling Forum in under a year was something special. And I wasn’t the only one excited to see her
again. Even though Glass Animals were headlining, a group of fans right up against the rail were already belting out Blondshell’s lyrics before she even started.

Her performance was nothing short of electrifying. She commanded the stage with an energy that seemed boundless, darting between band members and reaching out to the crowd like we were all in this musical journey together. There were moments when she dropped to her knees, completely immersed in the performance, the kind of raw vulnerability that’s both exhausting and exhilarating to witness. By the end of her set, I overheard more than a few people saying they were going to check out her music—a sure sign that Blondshell had left an impression on the audience.

Naturally, she played the hits. Kiss City and Veronica Mars got the crowd singing along, but it was her newest single, What’s Fair, that really struck a chord. The song, which delves into the complexities of a strained mother-daughter relationship, is deeply intimate, yet it filled the massive venue with its emotional weight. There’s something about the way Blondshell blends vulnerability with indie-rock’s punch that feels so fresh yet familiar, like she’s telling stories that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Blondshell has racked up plenty of accolades since she burst onto the scene, and after seeing her live, it’s clear none of it is undeserved. She’s the full package—a brilliant songwriter who can weave emotional depth into fun, catchy indie rock, paired with the kind of stage presence that grabs you from the first note. If you haven’t seen her live yet, you’re missing out. She’s not just an artist to watch—she’s an artist you need to experience.

Order tickets for Blondshell HERE

Words by David Saxum