Denmark’s MØ co-headlined the Ogden with Norwegian producer and DJ Cashmere Cat this past Tuesday — one of 21 stops scheduled on their “MEØW Tour” with support from Darius. MØ has quietly garnered success over the years with the help of Diplo, who has featured the pop vocalist in Major Lazer’s “Lean On,” the recent “Get it Right” and more. The two have been working together since before the release of MØ’s debut LP No Mythologies to Follow in 2014. Riding the wave of her growing success, this week MØ, or Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen, performed in Denver for the first time ever.
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MØ isn’t the only one on this tour who’s worked with Diplo — Cashmere Cat released a single with Major Lazer just last month. In addition, Cashmere Cat, or Magnus August Høiberg, has also worked with Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and his very own tour co-headliner MØ. On February 6 at the Ogden, and reported on previous shows on this tour, Cashmere Cat’s set came before MØ’s. He stood in front of bright, stacked lighting paired with strobes — so many strobes. Høberg sported his signature orange hoodie while mixing various types of electronica with female vocals including some of his features, hip-hop samples and ambient sounds. At times he played around with tropical beats and dubs, and at others, he would journey through slower, more ambient intermissions. Throughout the set, Cashmere Cat worked rapidly through tracks and samples, evolving them before quickly changing them. Sometimes the changes were so abrupt it added shock value to his set. Cashmere Cat fully embraced his name, evolving it into part of his persona — he would sit atop the DJ table catlike, letting a leg hang and swing slowly, and towards the end of his set he scratched at the turntables before departing the stage to a roar of applause.
Cashmere Cat
Between the sets, the stage crew moved the stacked bleacher-esque lighting, dividing the platform of lights into two, and turning them to face each other a bit more. They put the band’s setup between the light panels and left some room in front for MØ herself. It wasn’t until 10:15 p.m. that the lights dimmed, and MØ finally took over.
She opened with “Roots” off her new EP, skillfully parading her voice from note to note. MØ dived in and out of the bright lighting, showing us only a silhouette at times — at others, she wasn’t hiding at all. At one point in the show, MØ ran onto the balcony and danced, surrounded by her fans. Her energy was unmatchable — bright, energetic and care-free. This was expressed mainly through her theatrical gestures and dance moves where MØ moved as if no one was watching. Though she doesn’t have the most skillful dance moves, she was charming and infectious and we hope she keeps them up.
MØ
MØ sported all-black attire with her new layered short blonde haircut — she looked like a damn rock star. But her shirt — her shirt was a Cashmere Cat tee. Talk about showing your fellow co-headliner some love. But Cashmere Cat wasn’t the only thing MØ spread gratitude to — she highlighted Denver relentlessly through the evening. The singer told the crowd that Denver was the first city she ever visited when she came to the states. Also, she has family friends who live in Colorado, so they visit often. Most importantly, though, MØ pointed out that it was her first time ever performing in the Mile High city:
“Not only is this my first time in Denver as a performer but also, I’m here with my good friend Cashmere Cat. He’s so nice and I’m so proud to be on this tour with him. Also, Darius — he’s amazing. Thank you all for coming out and supporting us.”
MØ perfectly encapsulates the essence of loving what you do — she dominated the stage, most of the time with a smile spread across her face. She showed Denver so much love that one could mistake her for a native (aside from her accent of course). Her voice was wonderful — accentuating a wide range which included falsettos and raspy, captivating shouts. By the time fans left the show, we felt like we had just celebrated something very special with the Danish performer that we won’t soon forget.
All photography by Alden Bonecutter. Check out our full gallery here.
