Laufey dazzles crown-adorned crowd at Desert Diamond Arena show

A year and a half ago, the streets of downtown Phoenix were flooded with the signature coquette and Disney princess attire that follows one artist wherever she goes.

Now, a similar outbreak has spread across the Valley to Glendale, with lines full of fans decked out in prom dresses, handmade bows and golden paper crowns around every corner of the Westgate Entertainment District. They gather in droves for an evening performance from Laufey, the jazz and classical-inspired, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who's just begun her first arena tour.

This Tuesday, Sept. 23, performance at Desert Diamond Arena marked the sixth stop on the A Matter of Time Tour from the breakout artist, fresh off her August 24 release of her third LP, "A Matter of Time."

The general excitement in the venue would’ve felt just as at home at a longtime established star’s show, and the rising singer doesn’t feel far off from this upper echelon of stardom.

Laufey occupies some kind of ‘alternative pop’ scene, with an audience still extremely adjacent to an Olivia Rodrigo or a Sabrina Carpenter, but perhaps a bit younger or more likely to sing along to a pre-performance Pinkpantheress tune — but still only a tough breakup away from a Taylor Swift venue.

With an opening set from singer and actress Suki Waterhouse, the show kicked off at 7:30 as merchandise lines still sprawled across the streets.

Waterhouse embodied a very 70s rockstar energy to the audience, with a Penny Lane-esque fur coat and leather pants to match. Her set, which blended hazy rock aesthetics with feel-good R&B, was recognizable enough for fans, who reveled in the 2022 single "Good Looking" before Waterhouse departed the stage.
Christmas music and TikTok anthems alike set the ambiance between the sets, before Laufey took the stage at 8:45 p.m. Her entrance was a grand one, with strings and lights waving open the stage in a balletlike introduction, which the tour has clearly taken much inspiration from.

Opening with “Clockwork,” act one of the set was a mix between familiar tunes and fresh ones, with the magical, fairytale set design acting as a mix of part ballet, with a group of such dancers, and part jazz club, which would be expanded upon soon after.

And though the production value on her stop at Arizona Financial last year was a highlight of the show, there is no question that Laufey cares deeply about performance, as any increased stardom profits from this tour have flowed back into the experience.

Her modern-day crooner tunes don’t feel far removed from the classics of old, but the youthful fans were still rabid at each opportunity, from the hit song “Falling Behind” to “Bored” or “Dreamer.” The atmosphere, grandiose and warm, felt like stumbling into a picturesque New York jazz club in the era of your choice, despite the sheer size and space in the venue.

Act two began after a short pause with an expansion on this idea, as Laufey went full-on jazz club in the middle of the arena among the crowd. “Fragile” and “Valentine,” from her 2022 release, were natural for this, but also included different takes on songs like “While You Were Sleeping.” These aesthetics should prove to be a net positive on the kids’ taste, as with luck, they’ll chase this feeling all the way to Nina Simone or Dinah Washington.

Soon after was the surprise song, which shook the venue in a matter of seconds with a surprise appearance from the uber-popular Benson Boone, who’s performing at the very same venue the night after on Sept. 24.

They sang the classic “Something Stupid” with an easy charm that felt like popstar karaoke, as the guest seemed to read off the lyrics below for most of the song. Boone’s appearance would not be complete without some form of acrobatics, which he obliged by flipping dramatically off stage as he left.

After crowning a fan best dressed with Mei Mei the bunny, and a cute video skit interlude alluding to her break backstage, Laufey returned with act three, a setlist combined mostly of her newest material.

“Mr. Eclectic” and “Castle in Hollywood” were roared back in return by the fans before the intimate piano gut punches of “Promise” and “Goddess,” two “Bewitched”-era tracks, silenced the venue in awe. She calls the latter “probably” her favorite song, and a clear bridge between the eras of her albums. Its own bridge, truly the stuff of legends, was once again a showstopping moment and the climax of the performance.

The final act, “Sabotage,” preluded a familiar encore with the simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking “Letter To My 13 Year Old Self.” This track captures the essential Laufey experience, one of comfort and trust in this wholesome role model for this array of young fans.

It’s a mirrored experience, as the singer is in multiple places at once: herself at 13, herself when writing pre-stardom, and now fulfilling that dream in front of a sea of devotees. It’s a truly touching ritual, a feeling of a classic Disney movie come to life, and everyone walking out seems to believe in a little bit of magic.