Concert Review: Suki Waterhouse

By McKenzie McGuire

Assistant Music Director

The English singer, model and actress lit up the stage this past Tuesday at Emo’s in Austin. Her set felt like a cinematic experience of feminine power. I was very excited to see Suki Waterhouse because, although I’m not super familiar with her music, I’ve been following her career for the past year. From what I have seen, 2022 was a very successful year for her, from touring with Father John Misty, to releasing her Milk Teeth EP, to filming for an upcoming prime show, “Daisy Jones and the Six”, which I can’t wait to see. In case any of you were wondering, no, pictures do not do her justice. I would have enjoyed just staring at her in awe for an hour, but watching her perform was even more empowering.

Opening the show was an artist I had never heard of before, Blondeshell. They were arguably the best openers I’ve heard in a long time. They came out with an energetic, Indie rock sound and every song kept getting better and better. The lead singer was unforgettable. Walking out in a T-shirt, jeans, a low bun, and little to no makeup. She just looked so comfortable on stage, which made the set feel welcoming and intimate. She also had this dry sense of humor in her lyrics and one liners in between tracks. Her incredible tone was the cherry on top.

I immediately added a few of their tracks to my library after the show, including “Olympus” and “Sepsis”. The band played many unreleased songs, as they are coming out with their first record in April, which I will definitely be looking out for.

Going into the show I wasn’t super familiar with Waterhouse’s discography, and I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure if I was a huge fan of her music. But it all made sense once I saw her up there with the band. She truly made a specific experience with the sound, and I loved every minute. It’s almost as if she plays a character when she is performing. Not only is she in character with her vocals, but also how she carries herself on stage. Pulling heavy inspiration from breathy female artists like Lana Del Rey, where she sticks to a certain aesthetic that makes you feel like a character yourself.

Miss Waterhouse wasn’t the only star on stage. Joined by three other talented, beautiful musicians. The guitarist, who was also on keys and backup vocals, was the stand out of the group in my opinion. He had an array of synth pedals that added many different ambient sounds within a song. The stunning lady drummer had a live drum kit, as well as a drum pad that offered a warmer attack to match the sultry of the set.

Overall, Waterhouse held the audience’s attention in the palm of her hand for the whole set ending it with the track, “Melrose Meltdown”, where it felt like glitter should’ve been pouring over the venue. Following that with an encore of, you guessed it, the viral track, “Good looking”. This was the perfect way, and the only way, to close the show with everyone screaming the popular lyrics at the top of their lungs.

Featured Image by Carolina Garza.