Review: Blondshell Is Making 2023 Her Year

Sabrina Teitelbaum also known as Blondshell is taking the indie scene by storm. This is her up-and-coming year to put herself out there. With the news of her releasing her debut album, Blondshell, (out on April 7) this was the perfect time to tour as support for multi talented artist and model Suki Waterhouse. Playing a soldout Metro this past Saturday, it was clear that this was a highly anticipated show for many fans as they congregated around the stage, both avoiding the mid-January frost and eager for a solid view of the set.

Having just a handful of singles out prior to her debut release, Blondshell confidently took the stage and a majority of the crowd seemed utterly intrigued by her. Opening with her electrifying single “Veronica Mars,” she immediately charmed both the audience and me. “You look beautiful!” shouted a fan from the depths of the crowd promptly after her first song. She has that classic indie rock sound with an out-of-this-world vocal range that makes her sound fresh and innovative; making me even more excited to listen to the rest of her new album.

Her laidback and careless demeanor was prominent and the fans were into it. “Fuck it, I’m going to sit for this one too” exclaimed Teitelbaum followed by a roar of applause in support. It was refreshing to see an artist be 100% authentic on stage with their words and feelings as opposed to just putting on a show. Towards the end of her opening set, she performed her hit that put her in the limelight, “Olympus,” which had more than a few people in the crowd singing, swaying their arms and pulling out their phones for a quick video recording. She then faithfully covered “Disappointment” by The Cranberries. Adding her own personal sound to it with her soft yet powerful vocals, it made for a great cover to a legendary song. “Kiss City” was a song that was almost embarrassing to release for Blondshell because of its lyrics but it's one of her most streamed songs today.

Following Blondshell’s stunning set, singer, model and actor Suki Waterhouse took the stage and graced the starstruck audience with a soothing yet powerful set. Her presence alone stunned the room; and with her incredible voice you couldn’t have asked for a better evening of talented singers. She performed my personal favorites “Neon Signs,” a reverby pop song with infectious psychedelic guitars in the background and “Johanna;” another dreamy song driven by echoey drums and a catchy chorus; it's no wonder it's one of her top songs on Spotify.

Suki Waterhouse along with Blondshell were the perfect pair for this tour as they have a similar sound and are excellent vocalists in their own right. Touring with Waterhouse and gaining exposure is certainly laying down the groundwork for Blondshell as an artist and she’s already off to a considerable start. I am ecstatic to listen to Blondshell when it's out and equally thrilled to see how much more recognition she deservingly receives this year.

All photos by Andrew Lagunas.

Andrew Lagunas

Andrew Lagunas is a freelance photographer from Naperville who specializes in portraiture and concert photography. He has an Associate in Arts degree from College of DuPage and is always looking for new creative outlets.