Aurora – MCA
Aurora Enchants Melbourne with a Breathtaking Performance
As part of her What Happened to the Earth? Part 4 tour, Aurora returned to Melbourne once again; captivating fans with an ethereal and deeply emotive performance at Margaret Court Arena. The Norwegian singer-songwriter brought her signature blend of otherworldly melodies and poignant lyricism, delivering a setlist that spanned her discography and demonstrated why she remains such a unique presence in modern music.
The night began with Hannah Brewer, whose folk-inspired songwriting and rich vocals drew the audience into her world. Performing a selection of songs, including her latest release Headspins, the unreleased Dollar Shop Souvenir, and finishing with Rumspringa, she showcased an impressive range that balanced introspection with moments of soaring melody. Her set was enjoyed by the packed stadium crowd, making her a rising talent to watch.
Following this, ODD LUKE, a Glaswegian and London-based artist blending elements of pop, soul, and R&B, took to the stage. His ability to connect with the crowd was evident as he introduced Punches, before playfully remarking on how Australians say ‘alright’ during his track Alright. He delivered a stirring performance of Berlin, a song exploring themes of adultery, and Found Life, before closing his set with our favourite song of the set, Disconnect.
As the lights dimmed, Goddess of Dusk played over the speakers, accompanied by a striking visual display on screen, setting the stage for Aurora‘s arrival. She emerged to begin with Churchyard; her voice weaving through the layered harmonies as imagery of herself beamed behind her on the screen. This was followed an acoustic rendition of The River, where she addressed the crowd with a ‘Oh my god, hello. I didn’t expect you to be so many! It’s unbelievable to me that I can come so far from home and have all of you here.’ She went on to share how she had the best day in Melbourne, indulging in too much cake, and promised to give the audience the best evening of their lives.
Moving into Soulless Creatures, she commanded the stage, dancing with captivating fluidity. The performance featured striking visuals, including an eye peering through a keyhole. A Soul with No King followed before All Is Soft Inside provided a comforting anthem – introduced as ‘a song for people who cry a lot. It’s hard to be an emotional bastard in this world.’ Queendom was up next, which Aurora admitted she hadn’t played in awhile. Before launching into it, she joked ‘I did promise someone earlier I’d have their babies. We will make it work.’
Time stood still for Exist for Love; one of the most beautiful love songs we’ve ever heard live. Followed by the haunting Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) performed acoustically, the audience stood still, hanging on every word. The intensity carried into When The Dark Dresses Lightly, featuring striking knife-swinging imagery. Turning it up to 11, Starvation was next, with Aurora turning the stadium into a rave shouting, ‘Okay, Melbourne, are you ready for this?’
The energy remained high as The Seed received a massive crowd reaction, while she used the moment to address environmental themes; ‘I sing this song for every Indigenous person. I hope you know that we still have power to hold on to the true value of the human soul.’ Running with the Wolves followed, dedicated to ‘all the people who yearn to feel free and have a slight fetish for cats.’ The set closed with Giving In to the Love as Aurora professed her love for Melbourne.
Returning for her encore, Aurora launched into Cure for Me; while the roof of the stadium opened with a wonderful view of the stars. Aurora told the crowd, ‘It’s not your fault if the world doesn’t understand you – it’s cool to be different.’ This led into Some Type of Skin – a euphoric mix of shredding guitar solos and vivid stage visuals, as she danced along in the background. An extra special surprise moment came towards the end with a fan request for a snippet of Stjernestøv, a Norwegian Christmas song.
Closing the night was a song for her sister, Invisible Wounds, which Aurora prefaced by expressing gratitude to the audience; ‘Tonight has been an exceptionally good crowd. When you go home, know you are simply the best. You made us feel so loved, excited, and alive.’ Describing the existence of humanity as an extreme sport in itself, Aurora spent the night laughing and dancing as she spoke to the crowd about the importance of being your own true self in a chaotic world.
Aurora’s ability to create an intimate atmosphere, even in a stadium venue, ensured that this show will linger in the memories of those who attended for a long time.