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Clairo has well and truly enchanted audiences since she fully broke onto the bedroom pop scene in 2017. In early tracks, like “Pretty Girl,” her light, clear voice shines over the synth-y, low quality-sounding instrumentals characteristic of the genre. 

As Ruby Crowhurst explains in an article on music and pop culture blog ruby on music, the whole sentiment behind lofi is that, quite literally, the musicians have made the music in their bedroom in an evidently self-made manner. This post, “The history of bedroom pop,” published on October 25, 2021, points out that this is an internet-reliant genre, which essentially encourages anyone, anywhere to make songs of their own, and “tends to be chilled-out music with soft vocals and steady beats.” Thus, Clairo’s early sound fits the bill.

Clairo’s musical evolution

I’ve followed Clairo since these early days, finding myself enamored by her first EP, diary 001, which was released in 2018 and featured bedroom pop staples like “Hello?” and “B.O.M.D.” In high school, I connected with this sound because it wove itself nicely into the prevailing indie aesthetic of the time, which can only be described as oversaturated, grainy Instagram posts and mustard yellow becoming a go-to part of the daily wardrobe, all set to the stylings of Cuco, Men I Trust, and more.

With her first album Immunity, released in 2019, Clairo mastered this sound. Her production quality elevated to transcend the low-quality, “bedroom”-reminiscent atmosphere, while still hearkening back to this genre fondly. Her voice only became a bigger star of the show, clearer and crisper than before, but the instrumentals developed as well, becoming more visceral in their effect and unified in their presence. “Sofia” and “Bags” are popular standouts from this album that bridge the gap between her bedroom pop origins and her definitive growth as an artist.

Sling, released in 2021 and an album extremely close to my heart, took a folkier departure. Softer instrumentals, even more heart-wrenching and honest themes, and a sound that feels equal parts warm hug and walk through the woods on a dewy morning, all come together to create a captivating track list that showcases Clairo’s light, beautiful voice even further.

A charming third installment

While I think her 2024 album is a triumph in itself, I can’t help but see it as a wonderfully vibrant mixture of Immunity and Sling in terms of its approach. As I think it was intended, Charm truly upholds the idea that “third time’s the charm.” The album is a simply stunning balance between the folk, acoustic-heavy elements of Sling and the lively, digital musicality of Immunity, as well as her bedroom pop roots.

Thus, seeing Clairo live in this new era was an absolute must. I scored two VIP tickets to her second of five residency shows at Webster Hall in New York City, and on September 15th, it was finally time to see the performance. 

I’m personally not a huge fan of NYC, so I was fortunate to have my close friend Evelyn along for the ride with me to help navigate the super sweaty subway system. I’m also one to get quite stressed out about concerts (something that’s encouraged me to take a short hiatus from live shows), so it was incredibly helpful to have someone there that could keep me grounded and having fun throughout the experience.

After lining up outside of Webster Hall, with the queue of people winding around the block two times over, the VIP line was eventually encouraged to separate, and we were given our fancy orange badges, which were emblazoned with a bright blue “VIP” and a Charm logo. I felt like I was part of a very special, secret club, especially when people came up to me asking how to get VIP or if I bought the package beforehand.

The real magic happened when we were let inside the venue at 6:30pm, a half hour before general admission doors. After accepting the accompanying VIP merch package (which included an adorable hat, tote bag, pin, keychain, and sticker), I made it to the stage. A section of the barricade, which I don’t think I have ever so much as touched at any concert I’ve been to, was clear and ready for the taking. I looked around in near disbelief—where was everyone rushing for their spot at the front? Despite my curiosity, no one came to fight me for it. I had finally gotten a spot at the barricade for the first time ever, so Evelyn and I stood there resolutely from then on, waiting for the show to begin.

A dazzling start to the performance

After a marvelous, energetic performance by opener Frankie Cosmos, the stage was set for Clairo’s entrance, and Evelyn and I passed the time talking about tattoos and plans for the future, as close college friends often do. Then, a little after 9pm, Clairo took the stage, dressed in a silky, flowing, cream-colored gown; over-ear headphones on; and carrying a tray of wine glasses with a bottle of red sitting in the middle.

Pouring a glass of wine for each of her band members and herself, Clairo created an intimate, cozy feel from the very beginning, and even her stage setting added to this effect, creating a snug U-shape around her as she sang. She opened with “Nomad” and “Second Nature,” two light and lovely tracks from Charm, setting a calm but dance-y tone for the rest of the show.

From here, she thanked the crowd in her comforting, soft-spoken manner, then began “Thank You,” another lighthearted tune from Charm. Something quite remarkable about the show, which I’ve seen a lot of people on social media comment on (so I can’t take credit for this observation) is the way Clairo and her band took her older music and made it truly fit the vibe of her most recent sound. When she played “Softly” next, an Immunity song, the percussion and piano—which was almost reminiscent of a church organ mixed with a synthesizer—Charmed the song without detracting from its most core elements.

She and her talented band achieved this same feat with her bedroom pop classics “Flaming Hot Cheetos” and “How,” both of which sounded incredible in her more mature sound. This mellowed out the vibe perfectly for “Bambi,” the opening track off of Sling. This is one of my personal favorites, a beautiful song which evokes the wonder of appreciating the natural world on a foggy, chilled morning. Again, the synth-y pipe organ melodies stood out, as did the awe-inspiring, well-rounded band and Clairo’s hypnotic vocal strengths. I was blown away by this rendition.

Spellbinding melodies

Next up, Clairo sang “Terrapin” and “Add Up My Love,” two upbeat and whimsical tunes from Charm. I am most definitely biased, but I can only equate Clairo to a goddess in terms of her stage presence, which was a delightful balance between peaceful and sincerely enjoying herself. She then launched into “North,” playing the guitar for this Immunity classic.

I was immediately struck the moment I heard the opening to “Echo” after this, which is my favorite song off of Charm and exhibits a passionate mix between gentle lyrics and mesmerizing music. From the same album, “Glory of the Snow” was especially powerful because of the inclusion of a flute played by a band member, and “Slow Dance” was equally amazing. I find myself at a loss for the right words to describe just how glorious Clairo’s stage presence, paired with the thoughtful instrumentals, really was.

Next was my favorite song off of Sling, “Partridge.” Her vocal strengths were illustrated so wondrously here, painting a new layer over a classic that I have listened to religiously since 2021. The flute player from before was now absolutely killing it on the saxophone, and I might as well have been levitating off the floor at this point. 

“Casually Hypnotizing and Radiantly Magnetic” (C.H.A.R.M.)

Slowing things down once more, Clairo switched gears, sitting down to sing a melancholy ballad from Charm, “Pier 4.” This vibe was short-lived, however, and was followed by another “4” song, the synth-packed and bubbly “4EVER” from her bedroom pop days and a Charm-ified and percussive version of “Amoeba,” one of the cheerier tracks from Sling.

Picking up the guitar again, the long-awaited “Bags,” a well-known Immunity tune, was played, and if the crowd’s voices couldn’t be heard before, they all could be heard belting along now. Finishing up the show were the two remaining songs from Charm, the album’s first single “Sexy to Someone” (before which we all shouted “boo,” because Clairo said, “Boo us if you think we’re sexy”) and another playful number, “Juna.”

Heading out of the show, my mind was filled with the overwhelming thought that I had thoroughly enjoyed the experience from a uniquely, wholly musical standpoint; her voice absolutely sparkled, but the band underscored her talents in a breathtaking fashion, encompassing the whole crowd in their musical stylings. Clairo’s personality kept things light and spirited throughout the concert, and I left with the sense that perhaps she enjoyed herself as much as I had. I can confirm that I was, genuinely and irrevocably, Charmed.

Listen to the setlist from the show at our Spotify below.