Swedish pop artist Erik Hassle (who I spotlighted in 2012 HERE) graced San Diego with his divine presence, which forced me to be early for a concert for the first time in a long time. I showed up to The Observatory North Park fifteen minutes prior to the set, slammed my libation and quickly rushed to the moderate crowd awaiting the music to start.
Opening for fellow Swedish singer/songwriter, Tove Lo, Hassle crooned his way through a handful of tracks ranging from his funky 2015 single “No Words” to the broodylicious “Talk About It” from the fantastic EP Somebody’s Party. I’d have to say that my favorite was a tie between some new song (maybe called “Bad Girl”) and the somber “What Is He Like.”
Halfway through his set, the crowd started to warm up to his style and I even overheard someone next to me say “This guy’s really good…” which instantly put a smile on my face. Hassle’s voice was in great form and, dare I say, carried notes even stronger than his recordings. Erik graciously thanked the audience for their support and ended with a revamped, disco infused-version of his debut single “Hurtful.”
That night proved, once again, that Sweden cranks out some of the most incredibly talented artists. I can’t wait for Erik to come back as a headliner. There are too many gems I need to hear him sing live. Until then, I’ll have to settle for his excellent discography. Check out one his latest tracks, “Natural Born Lovers” (Universal) or his featured vocals on Swiss DJ Vario Volinski’s track “Falling In Love Again” (Sony Music). You can also catch Erik opening for Tove Lo on her “Queen of the Clouds” tour. Check back later this week for a review of Tove Lo’s performance from my colleague, Carly Grimm!
– Submitted by Tristan Bolden, Music Design