Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li aka Li Lykke TimotejZachrisson will play Monday at Tipitina’s in one of the most highlyanticipated shows of the season. 

While Adele may be this year’s commercial pop queen, Lykke Lirises to the top as her gritty, moody counterpart. Shedding thena??ve, girlish feel of her debut album, Lykke Li returned this yearwith her highly lauded sophomore album “Wounded Rhymes.” Woundedrhymes indeed. The album is the result of three years’ growth andan introspective pilgrimage through the California desert, and itdisplays a melancholy artist who isn’t afraid to embrace a morevisceral sound. 

Though everything from indie blogs to the soundtrack of theteen-cult “Twilight” have tried to claim her, Lykke Li proves to beher own person. Her songs simultaneously exude gloom andconfidence, assaulting listeners with overlapping rhythms,electronic arrangements and thunderous drum lines. The highlight ofLykke Li’s songs, however, is her voice, which confidently handlesa wide spectrum of emotions. 

On “I Know Places,” accompanied by just an autoharp, she’swistful and delicate, sounding like she might shatter at anysecond. On “Get Some,” her no-nonsense attitude bluntly declares,”I’m your prostitute/ you gon’ get some.” Having lived in manyplaces, from Sweden to Nepal to Portugal, Lykke Li sounds like theeternal wanderer, with an ancient voice that radiates knowledge ofthe future of music. While her music displays a volatile,melancholy persona, it is underscored with danceable beats and thebrash confidence of a woman ready to claim her place in the musicindustry.

Playing Tipitina’s Uptown, with support from First Aid Kit andWTUL, Lykke Li will bring her mix of youthful nostalgia, hauntinglyrics, sexual confidence and weird dance moves to an eager NewOrleans crowd. Expect a dramatic production, from strobe lights togauzy, all-black outfits, and impressive re-workings of her oldmaterial, such as her 2008 hit “Dance, Dance, Dance,” whilebreaking it down on the kazoo. Get your tickets soon – this concertis sure to sell out.