Sydney has spent most of the week under relentless rain, but tonight the skies finally clear as thousands make their way towards the sails of the Sydney Opera House to witness one of contemporary music’s most singular artists. Seven years since her last Australian visit, Mitski arrives at Vivid LIVE on the back of her acclaimed album Nothing’s About to Happen to Me and a career that continues to expand entirely on her own terms.
Before Mitski takes the stage, Melbourne’s Folk Bitch Trio provide a reminder of just how healthy Australian music remains. The three musicians seem genuinely amazed to find themselves performing beneath the Opera House sails, and it is difficult not to share their sense of wonder. Every time this writer encounters the band, the quality of their songwriting and the effortless beauty of their harmonies feels increasingly remarkable. Their songs carry the intimacy of a folk tradition while sounding entirely contemporary. Surely bigger stages await them, but tonight they make a compelling case for why they belong here already.
As the wait for Mitski to take the stage, stories are exchanged about covering Mitski at the tiny Oxford Art Factory on a previous Australian tour. Tonight, we find ourselves in the vastly more auspicious surroundings of the Sydney Opera House. The contrast speaks volumes about the extraordinary rise of an artist who has always followed her own path.
What can still be said about Mitski that hasn’t already been written? Over the last decade she has become one of alternative music’s defining voices while consistently resisting the usual pathways to stardom. Her songs have become fixtures across social media, particularly TikTok, where millions have discovered her music. The most famous example remains “Nobody”, whose endlessly repeated chorus became the soundtrack to countless TikTok trends, often accompanying surreal memes or videos of people running away from the camera. Yet tonight serves as a reminder that behind the internet phenomenon sits a songwriter of remarkable depth and precision.
Few artists can claim admiration from audiences as diverse as intensely devoted online fan communities and former U.S. President Barack Obama, who included “The Only Heartbreaker” among his favourite songs of 2021. That breadth of appeal is visible inside the Concert Hall tonight.
When the house lights finally dim, an ear-splitting roar erupts around the room. The set resembles an intimate living room: a chaise lounge sits beside a desk and carefully placed lamps, while large suspended screens hang from the ceiling above. Throughout the evening, projected imagery transforms the space around her, creating a visual language that complements the emotional weight of the songs.
The opening number encounters a brief technical hiccup, but Mitski recovers almost instantly. Within moments the audience is completely locked in and the performance settles into its rhythm.
Mitski has always understood performance as something physical as well as musical. Every movement appears deliberate. Every gesture serves a purpose. Her songs unfold through movement, posture and silence as much as melody. She commands attention without ever demanding it.
Part of Mitski’s enduring appeal is her ability to make intensely personal songwriting feel universal. Whether exploring heartbreak, alienation or fleeting moments of joy, her songs rarely offer easy answers. Instead, they sit with discomfort and uncertainty, allowing listeners to find themselves somewhere inside the cracks. Her work has always rewarded close attention, which perhaps explains why it has connected so strongly with audiences searching for something more substantial than the endless churn of online culture.
Seven years away has done nothing to diminish her connection with Australian audiences. If anything, tonight confirms what many already knew. Mitski remains one of the most distinctive songwriters of her generation, continuing to follow her own path while much of popular music moves around her.
Images Deb Pelser
Mitski will perform 3 more shows at the Sydney Opera House, go HERE for more information.
