City Arts Fest Spotlight: Robyn

If you are one of the few people that remember Robyn only for her contributions to pop music in the 90s, then please allow us to bring you up to speed. As catchy as her hits "Do You Know (What it Takes)" and "Show Me Love" are, Robyn has really gone through a transformation since those songs topped the charts.

Sometime during the aughts, the Swedish songstress reinvented her sound from pop princess to electro-maven. The reinvention was followed by countless hits in Europe and last year, with the release of the highly acclaimed three-piece album Body Talk, Robyn's genius is finally getting recognition stateside.

The Body Talk series features collaborations with artists like Röyskopp, Diplo, and Snoop Dogg. Her North American tour sold out in many cities and, more importantly, we could finally talk about our love for Robyn with a wider--more informed audience.

Seriously, if you haven't listened to her newest release yet, you are doing yourself (and your dancing shoes) a serious disservice. It is one of the best pop albums from the last decade. Her music (and in particular the Body Talk series) has the power to top the charts and appeal to music snobs highly critical towards anything "pop." As Pitchfork says in their review of Body Talk Pt. 1, "Robyn doesn't just walk the line between what she has called the 'commercial' and 'tastemaker' realms. She obliterates it."

I could go into detailed description about each song from her catalog, why it's awesome and the best song you've ever heard (every song is my favorite). Sadly, there just isn't room for that and I probably couldn't hold your attention that long anyway. Just go listen to Robyn now and you'll thank me later.

Her show at the Paramount as part of the City Arts Fest is going to be amazing. We can only imagine it'll be a non-stop dance party and we can't wait!

Robyn // Oct. 20 // 7:00 p.m. // The Paramount // $28.50+