Molly Nilsson knows that things these days are pretty bleak. Her synth-pop songs deal with the anxiety of existing in the world today. At the same time, Molly’s lyrics also embrace hope, desire, and love. For me, her songs evoke a sense of angsty 80’s heartbreak. It is music that is fully aware of longing and loneliness, of all encompassing-sadness, of the impossibility that things will get better. But with that awareness, Molly tries to hold onto what light there is and asks how we can navigate forward.

Molly is a one woman show. She writes, produces, and releases her records on her own. Like some strange karaoke act, she performs solo to the pre-recorded MIDI-heavy backing tracks that she carries around with her on a small USB drive. As a singer, she’s got an average voice. It’s definitely not a voice that will blow you away with technical prowess, and this adds even more to the karaoke-feel of Molly’s music and art. I think of this karaoke aesthetic choice as Molly’s way of saying she believes in you, that she wants you to believe in you too. She embraces hope, and you can too. She finds little ways to bring magic into the world making it a better place, and you can too.

Setlist:
The Only Planet
A Slice of Lemon
Money Never Dreams Mona Lisa’s Smile
Memory Foam
Your Shyness
Not Today Satan
Serious Flowers
Inner Cities
Days of Dust
Happyness
Mountain Time
1995