It was 11 p.m. on a Friday, and the line went around the block. You saw all of your friends in line—people who had been bragging about getting their ticket since day one. Scalpers were yelling that they were selling tickets for $200 a pop. The concert sold out as soon as it was announced. For those who don’t know, he’s a Norwegian dude named Kyrre Gørvell–Dahll, better known as Kygo. Who? Bear in mind he didn’t only sell out at Penn, but all over the nation, including multiple stints in LA and New York. If you weren’t there when the 23–year–old DJ came to Philly’s Union Transfer, then you missed out on something spectacular. Having millions of fans on SoundCloud is one thing, but mixing in front of a jam–packed audience that knows all the lyrics to all your songs, ready to dance, is a whole other deal.
Many predict that Kygo will emerge this year as the next EDM superstar, reaching the ranks of headlining festivals like Ultra and Tomorrowland. That could very well be true, but in the meantime, if you are one of the few Penn students not listening to him yet, it’s time to catch up. After all, what’s not to like? You’ll find remixes of some of your favorite artists’ most popular songs, ranging from Rihanna to Dolly Parton to The xx to Ed Sheeran. If you like to dance, then “Younger,” “Sexual Healing” and “Cut Your Teeth” are for you. If you’re in the mood for Ellie Goulding or Coldplay, listen to “High For This” or “Midnight.” Everyone seems to already be a fan: hardcore EDM ravers, acoustic devotees and dancing freaks men and women alike (which isn’t the most common phenomenon in this music scene).
The reason why I’m reluctant to crown Kygo EDM’s next prodigy is because that sounds too limited. He sells out all around the country—and abroad—because his music is a lot more accessible and relatable than that of other DJs and their repetitive beats. Even non–EDM fans will appreciate how he turns sad songs into dance tunes and adds tropical house energy to a lot of his work. It’s catchy and mesmerizing all at once. And whether they like it or not, they’ve probably learned all of the lyrics to his songs ahead of time without even realizing. Kygo remixes an eclectic variety of tracks, and because he blends the emotional lyrics of singers and songwriters with deep house melodies, his songs manage to be fun to dance to while holding on to what made the original tracks popular.
It’s hard to pick a favorite, and it’s even harder to describe what it’s like to hear him play in front of crowds of people raising their hands and mouthing the words to every lyric. Kygo’s music is suitable for any mood at any time of day. It’s not too overwhelming for the daylight, and it has the capabilities to keep you on your feet for hours until the sun rises. You hear his music at our pregames, he’s a casual enough artist to play during a kickback with friends, but his music is still as great when you’re alone. Despite his age, he’s not “up–and–coming” or “on the rise.” No, he’s already well up there, and he deserves it given his knack for adding rhythm to pieces of poetry. There’s a reason why Penn loves him so much already.
