From her recent graduation from Columbia University to viral TikTok fame for her music producing, Sarah Kinsley is just getting started when it comes to creating alt-pop for the newest generation of listeners.

With a powerful voice and a charismatic air, Kinsley created a sense of comfortability at the LA’s Moroccan Lounge on June 8th. By openly conversing with the audience, such as asking them to guess her zodiac sign (which many guessed correctly to be Cancer), or by sharing her gratitude for her fans’ excitement, she looked as though she was at home on the stage.

Something striking about Sarah Kinsley was her ability to convey the emotion of her songs through her performance. The intention of every verse was clear through her expressiveness. Despite the often somber lyrics, she was able to keep the audience engaged while interacting with them and fellow band members. Still, when the moments came to slow it down and take in the more acoustic tunes, she shook the room with just her and the piano.

Kinsley spoke transparently about her experiences creating and releasing music, and what each song meant to her. Before playing the hit “If I Were A Mountain”, she expressed how anxious she was to release the track due to the deeply personal lyrics, and shed a tear while thanking the audience for supporting her music career.

In addition to favorites from her last EP “Hills of Fire,” she introduced new songs before their release from “Cypress,” her EP that debuted June 10. “I wrote most of the EP on the road in California,” she mentioned. A memorable moment was Kinsley’s performance of “Green” where she belted out the final choruses. The raw emotion she illustrated let us truly understand the pain when she sang, “you don’t know that you don’t know that you hurt me.”

The band was exceptional in accompanying Kinsley’s grander tunes, including a trumpet solo from keys player Jane Pakina, plus guitar and drum solos from Dea Milo and Maya Stepansky. The group even recreated “As it Was” off Harry Styles’s new album.

Kinsley was also joined by independent artist Gatlin, who shared songs including “Talking to Myself”, “What If I Love You”, and her new single “Masterclass”.

Sarah Kinsley is affiliated with the independent label Everybody’s Music, created by artist management company Everybody’s Management. 

Review written by: Monica Johnson