As the first winter’s snow drifted down over Boston, AURORA glided barefoot onto the MGM Music Hall at Fenway stage.
Earlier this year, AURORA released her fourth studio album, What Happened To The Heart? The reflective record turned a mirror on society exposing our lack of human connection and our paralyzing fears. In June, AURORA embarked on her accompanying two part tour, which pondered an even bigger question: What Happened To The Earth?– an anagram of “heart.” On December 4, she continued to unravel the question with Boston.
Following a hypnotic set from Biig Piig, AURORA was welcomed to the stage by a pre-recorded video backdrop. Dressed in a peasant-style gown, the Norway artist began her eclectic 19 song set with “Churchyard” off her 2018 album.
It didn’t take long before AURORA started the conversation. She recognized the current divided political climate in the United States and empathized with her audience, many of whom, she noted, felt “disconnected from their people and their home.”
“I hope you understand that these political leaders are only temporary,” she urged. “I hope you never lose faith in your people, your country, or each other.” This poignant message seamlessly transitioned into her performance of “Through The Eyes of A Child,” a tender ballad about unlearning hate.
AURORA and her team had clearly crafted the setlist with intention, using the songs to foster dialogue. “Runaway” provided a space to honor Indigenous peoples worldwide, while “The Conflict of the Mind” explored the tension many feel during family reunions over the holidays.
“If you have sat around a Christmas table with your Christmas family, and you’ve not been saying the things you need to say, you can feel something heavy in the silence. You can see something hidden behind the eyes of your parents, of your siblings, or you have it behind your own. But still you don’t talk about the pain because it’s hard to know where to begin when we know how to live with it secretly for so long.”
As the audience reflected on their own family dynamics, they soon created new memories with their chosen family that evening. During AURORA’s performance of “Exist for Love,” a couple got engaged. AURORA’s concern soon turned to excitement when she realized the commotion in the crowd was celebration. “Congratulations!” she exclaimed. “This is amazing. May life be so beautiful and full of love and full of food, and good smells, and sex, and dancing, and orgasmic emotions.”
Other setlist highlights included “Running With The Wolves” and “Cure For Me,” during which she proudly waved and twirled a Pride flag.
By the end of the night, the audience—from the floor to the rafters—was on its feet, celebrating AURORA’s blend of reflection, joy, and humor.
To experience this thought-provoking and joyful performance in a city near you, grab your tickets to the “What Happened To The Earth?” tour here.
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (“The Shark”), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When she’s not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.