SHAED was absolutely captivating. From lyrical self-love ballads to heavy beats like “Trampoline,” they absolutely served on Wednesday night. The entire performance was awe-inducing, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of the stage.
Aurora followed them up with a simply stunning show. She was an absolute powerhouse, supported by the most dedicated fans. Aurora’s voice is enchanting, haunting, and powerful all at once. Not only was she incredibly vocally talented, but she’s a true lyricist at heart, as well.
Multi-platinum D.C. trio SHAED spent much of 2018 and 2019 supporting their global breakout single “Trampoline.” In free moments between international festival dates and headline tours, SHAED – Chelsea Lee, her husband Spencer Ernst, and his twin brother Max Ernst – found themselves co-writing on the road with renowned songwriters and producers, creating an album-worth of songs under the pressure of following-up their first commercial hit.
Soon the band discovered that what would have been their debut album no longer felt personal. “We had a chance to take a serious look at all of the songs in front of us, and one thing was clear - they no longer told our truth. They didn’t feel genuine because we had lost sight of why we started making music together - to create music that was honest and true to our own experience” explains the band.
Aurora Aksnes, known mononymously as AURORA, is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, dancer and record producer. Born in Stavanger and raised in the towns of Høle and Hordaland, she wrote her first songs and learned dance at the age of six. After some of her songs were uploaded on the Internet and became popular in Norway, she signed a recording contract with Decca and Glassnote Records in 2014. Aurora gained notoriety with her debut extended play (EP), Running with the Wolves (2015), which contained the sleeper hit "Runaway".
Review and Photography by Asher Phoenix