MØ than meets the eye: TUCP books genre-defying artist

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MØ performs at Devlin Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. last Wednesday night.

Bringing the infectious enthusiasm and irresistible charisma as one of the fastest growing pop sensations in modern music, Danish singer MØ showed Tulane last Wednesday exactly why her popularity has skyrocketed so dramatically in the last several years.

For those unfamiliar with her music, it’s rather hard to narrow her genre-bending style to just a few buzzwords. From 80s-esque effervescent synth pop to brooding electro-soul melodies and gut-punching hip hop beats, MØ’s influences range far and wide. Her setlist didn’t have a dull moment, and diehard fans and first-time listeners alike were enraptured.

Those listeners personally unfamiliar with MØ might first ask the understandably confusing yet ever-important question, “Her name is what?” And for good reason. No, it’s not pronounced Moe, Meh or Moo, but instead has a perplexing pronunciation somewhat like the Greek letter “Mu”—one that’s virtually impossible for any non-Scandinavian person to say correctly. It’s no wonder most attendees in Tulane’s Devlin Fieldhouse scratched their heads upon her introduction.

But while MØ’s name is admittedly confusing and difficult to grasp, her music is quite the opposite. Perhaps two of her most well-known, mainstream songs are EDM features: Major Lazer’s chart-topping “Lean On” and Avicii’s “Dear Boy.” But this is far from the scope of her crossover appeal.

Songs like “Don’t Leave” and “Final Song” bend genres more effectively than the Avatar himself, proving universally appealing and nearly impossible to dislike. MØ’s music has a little something for everyone, no matter whether listeners are looking to groove, headbang violently, dance poorly or just tap their feet and chill out.

It’s because of this inherent level of accessibility that her career has taken off so quickly and monumentally. The strength of both her featured and original work combined is utterly irresistible. Expect to see her headlining tours and festivals of her own in the near future.

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