REVIEW: COCO & CLAIR CLAIR @ PARADISE ROCK CLUB 11/6
Photo Credit: Nicole Steriovski
Review by Maya Santow
Having spent most of the day on November 6, entrenched in uncertainty, sadness, and dread about the political climate, I made my way to Paradise Rock Club, laughing at the irony I felt about going to a Coco and Clair Clair concert that night. Their lighthearted, quippy, pop-rap that I associate with getting ready for a party felt like a far cry from the mournful air that the day had taken on.
The duo, composed of Taylor Nave and Claire Toothill, took to the stage for their “Girl” Tour in Boston—-for an audience largely made up of young women and queer people—-not even 24 hours after the U.S. presidential election had been called in favor of President-elect Donald Trump. The pair’s home state of Georgia was one of the seven battleground states to swing in Trump’s favor, with both Nave and Toothill hailing from the suburbs of Atlanta. The performers themselves acknowledged that it had been a “sad day,” but with their signature pop-rap sound, casual wit, and a healthy dose of feminine rage, I was surprised to find that they managed to make the night feel a bit less so.
I arrived just in time for the opener, Sadboi. The Canadian alternative R&B artist, formerly known as Ebhoni, illuminated the room with her glowing stage presence. Paradise Rock Club has an oddly shaped stage, but Sadboi took full advantage of it as she glided through her upbeat, Reggae-influenced tracks with grace and joy, engaging with audience members on both sides of the room to get them dancing with her—no small feat, considering the earlier events of the day. Her impression was felt; the energy left in the space after Sadboi exited the stage felt considerably lighter.
The night was not without its quirks—though Coco and Clair Clair were slated to take the stage at 9 P.M., DJ Raven “Artson” Aartsen came out instead and played a 45-minute set, often glancing offstage as if waiting for a cue to stop playing at any moment. As it grew later, the dancing in the crowd started to peter out, and impatience crept in, mine included. Though DJ Raven Artson’s set went on a bit too long to feel like much other than a stalling tactic, he did remix songs that certainly reached their target audience: “Perfect (Exceeder)” by Mason and Princess Superstar, “B2b” by Charli XCX, and “Only Girl (In The World)” by Rihanna, to name a few.
But at last, the long-anticipated moment came: to a mix of Enya’s “Sail Away” and several of their own songs, Coco and Clair Clair emerged clad in club-ready ensembles: Nave in a white fur coat and Toothill in a chunky metal belt, both with large black sunglasses. Opening with one of their most popular singles, “Pop Star,” the pair strutted and sang the chorus: “Pop Star, but I’m your boyfriend’s favorite DJ, pay me just to party, and I’ll show up in my PJs.” This line seemed to capture Coco and Clair Clair’s presence as a whole—glamorous but casual, confident yet nonchalant.
I was surprised to hear how much their speaking voices matched their recordings—they both spoke with the same soft, airy quality that makes the delivery of the relaxed bluntness in their lyrics so compelling. During my personal favorite track, “Crushcrushcrush,” the two leaned into their self-aware and silly sides while singing about a crush who is conventionally unattractive: “Kinda look like a duck, but a b— might start quacking,” “…kind of ugly but love is blind.”
Their comfort and ease were reminiscent of those of two close friends doing an intimate karaoke performance. The two took several song requests from the audience—2020 throwback “Wishy Washy” and 2024 single “Aggy,” and even sang along to the Cranberries’ “Linger,” the latter being what prompted Toothill to acknowledge the “sad day” it had been.
But Coco and Clair Clair didn’t let the mood stay low for long. Soon after “Linger,” they performed their recent release “B—s,” instructing the audience to channel the frustration and sadness through the catharsis of feminine rage: “Scream like a b—!”
From their August 2024 album, “Girl,” the duo also performed the snappy “Kate Spade” (which, though it has no apparent connection to the late designer, references bell hooks’ “All About Love”) and the clever diss “Martini,” which came with its own call-and-response from Nave: “When I say ‘mar,’ you say ‘tini!’”
Though Coco and Clair Clair may not have had time on their side on Wednesday night, their sweet-and-snarky style provided a space for escapism and catharsis alike, making femininity feel fun and empowering on a night when those qualities felt distant.