AUSTIN, TX- I had never heard of Kučka before I made my way through Austin’s mysteriously cool bar, Speakeasy, to see her perform. The Cabaret area was a lengthy walk through chatty patrons down an expansive hallway to the very back. Inside the darkened venue, the atmosphere was clandestine and cool in a members-only kind of way. There were already giddy concertgoers waiting for Kučka’s set as the previous performers exited the stage. I ended up standing next to a girl who worked for a private royalty distribution company in Nashville, who gushed over Kučka until the set started. She grinned as she described how this was her most anticipated SXSW performance and how she had been a diehard fan for years. As she continued to hype up the Australian artist, I thought about how easily I could be disappointed due to all this build-up. But once Kučka performance began, she certainly lived up to the hype.
If you’re unfamiliar like I was, Kučka is an Australian singer and producer known for her dreamy electro-pop tracks. She has collaborated with noteworthy artists such as A$AP Rocky and Vince Staples. Her music reminded me of Grimes mixed with FKA Twigs and a sprinkle of CHVRCHES. The energy of the performance, however, felt like the first time I saw Robyn. Kučka oozes positivity and joy as she charmed the room with her bubbly synth-pop. Even though it was just her and her DJ station, the singer filled the stage as if she had a full band behind her. Her presence was childlike in a way that makes you forget any sort of cynicism you walked in with. Her singing was genre-appropriate, but her real charm lies in how she lights up a room. She’s so unapologetically excited that it’s impossible not to smile. At one point, her headphones had a malfunction, and she laughed it off with professional ease. Her focus was on keeping the energy up from beginning to end.
In some ways, Kučk’s performance was more like a DJ set. You could tell her comfort zone is keeping the crowd moving. But she also peppered the set with casual storytelling in a way that trusted the audience wouldn’t lose interest if she stopped the beat. She spoke with us like a best friend while reflecting on what certain songs meant to her. She specifically referenced her collaboration with Flume, “One More Night,” as well as performing songs off her album Can You Hear Me Dreaming. The highlight was her latest single, “FUN!”—a hyperpop piece of candy that keeps you dancing the whole way through. Kucka was a stark contrast to the secret gin joint in the back of Speakeasy. She was a shimmering ball of light, and we were shimmering right there with her.
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