Through the sticky, squelching bog that was Austin City Limits Weekend One, Suki Waterhouse lit up the gray skies that blanketed Saturday afternoon.
With her Loveland Tour coming to a close, the London-born singer returned to the Austin festival three years after her ACL debut. With an arrow through her heart, she pranced onstage to preach the allure of falling in love.
Adorned in a costume with tiger print and plaid, the dream pop performer dominated the stage with her charisma. Tussling her hair, moving in ways unashamed and fearless. The crowd could feel her magnetism, swaying their hands in the air to songs like “Supersad” and “Tiny Raisin.”
Engaged and now with a two-year-old daughter, the musician’s latest album expresses the story of love after the honeymoon phase ends. It explores motherhood and partnership through its soft, indie rock melodies and dazzling lyrics.
Prancing around the stage, Waterhouse oozed with liveliness as she moved through her hits “OMG” and “Back in Love.” Dancing with her guitarist, the air was thick with the electricity she and her band produced.
Soothing the crowd, “Weirdo” began, bringing with it feelings of longing. The audience yearned along with her, as she descended from the stage and approached the barricade. Crooning into her microphone, she gently placed a sparkling tiara on one of the fans: her favorite weirdo. With Waterhouse’s blessing, the member of the crowd tenderly accepted a pair of costume butterfly wings. Only Suki Waterhouse would share the gift of flight with her fans.
Bringing her radiant to a close, Waterhouse finished her performance with “To Love.” Whether it was for the performer, for the friends they brought with them, or their lover across the globe, the audience felt it too: “this love, this love, this love.”