Audrey Hobert Is on The Staircase to Stardom… and She’s Not Slowing Down
6.23.26 - Los Angeles, CA
Upon stepping into The Wiltern Theatre, I was captivated by the beauty of it, from the dimly lit lobby with long red velvet curtains to the sculpted ceilings. Yet somehow, watching Audrey Hobert perform made it feel like we were best friends at a slumber party. Hobert is the embodiment of pretending to have a concert in your bedroom, singing into a hairbrush as a microphone, and blasting your favorite song from your speakers, yet she somehow also holds an undeniable star power that is evident to anyone witnessing her performance.
Starting from her opening act, which was a faceless mannequin on a stand sporting a long blonde braid with both hands flipping off the audience as a playlist full of the 2000s' best pop anthems played, I could see the humor in her performance. I admired that she took her craft seriously in the music she created and the messages that she wished to convey, but with her stage presence, she had an effortlessly fun energy surrounding her. Leading her into her performance was one of my personal favorite songs, “Witch Doctor,” the Alvin and the Chipmunks cover, which set the perfect tone for the start of the show. The curtain opened to a very tall Audrey draped in a tan trench coat with a fake glasses and mustache disguise.
Audrey Hobert photographed by Amber Carter - @picsbyambermarie
Singing through her debut album, there were many standout moments, including one of my favorites from the record, “Sex and the City," named after the popular television show. In my opinion, this song was probably the most raw and real within the show and showed me a more vulnerable side of Audrey that I hadn’t seen in the other songs (although I know that she is no stranger to vulnerability, as in the past she helped Gracie Abrams write her album The Story of Us). With her front and center in a dim spotlight, I was captivated every second as the song continued to build, especially towards the end as she belted out the notes, something I had not yet heard from her. The moment was elevated even more by the beautiful lighting design that was done throughout the show, with the song finishing with Hobert on the floor in a dark green light, which then shifted during the instrumental play-off to make it seem as though she had vanished into thin air.
Throughout the show, it was clear she was using the songs to not only tell a story of her own self-doubt but also to reassure people that despite what they may think and feel, they can be the star in their story. She shares this message in a monologue before “Wet Hair” describing a time when she was younger on the way to a birthday party and the boys that she was with were rating all of the girls in the car. When they had reached her, they rated her a 3. She goes on to explain that when you’re told you are a 3, it’s hard not to feel like a 3; however, all of the girls who she thought were destined for the stage never got there by being beautiful, and she never thought she’d be the star she now is. Throughout the song, she danced like no one was watching, letting the music carry her body note by note and grabbing her guitar to strum along. It was almost as if everything was flowing out of her like all of the feelings she had felt through adolescence and adulthood were being spilled for the first time ever, and it was a relief. These feelings of growing into adulthood continued as she performed her song “Shooting Star," in which she once again donned her acoustic guitar and belted out a ballad of urging herself to stop romanticizing unobtainable men. This number is what stood out to me most vocally, where she tapped into a strong mixed belt and sang out runs and riffs, showcasing her vocal prowess.
Continuing on the theme of spilling her guts, she continued the show with her song "Phoebe," where she compares herself to the character from the famous television show Friends, in which she feels like an outsider from her friends and her peers yet leans into the quirkiness and acceptance of that part of herself. This is evident onstage as she dances with her band and does cartwheels with her backstage crew. The silly and eccentric qualities she carries are what make her an interesting and captivating performer that I feel as though other artists who produce more polished performances lack. It’s what makes her real and exciting to watch.
Her show-stopping song that has been all over social media, “Sue Me,” closed out the night as she pulled out a miniature trampoline and jumped up in the air, hyping up the crowd, immediately going into singing the first verse without missing a beat. Throughout the night, she had strung along a story of not feeling adequate enough among her peers both socially and physically, accepting that you cannot change what you are, but you can change how you view yourself and ultimately overcome the doubt in your head. Hearing this song as the final piece of the puzzle truly tied it all together in the sense of not caring about the thoughts of others but growing and finding yourself.
As Audrey Hobert continues performing and writing, I am certain that she will be a staple name within the next few years. She is a pop artist that the genre truly needs, bringing a sense of realness and relatability.
