Molly Grace @ The Sinclair 2/28
Review by Caterina Terrizzi
Photography by Madison Kahler
Molly Grace took her “But I’m a Pop Star” tour to The Sinclair in Cambridge, Mass. this past Friday. Dressed from head to toe in various shades of pink, sparkle, and glitter, fans lined up around the block waiting for doors to open, excited to see Molly Grace in her sold-out hometown show.
The show began with support from Claire Ernst, an up-and-coming Nashville-based artist who’s also a close friend of Molly. She had a beautiful voice and sang a mix of somber and sassy tunes. Two particularly noticeable songs were “Broke,” a playful song about the regret of a relationship with someone who’s not so great, and “Flowers,” a slower song about realizing one’s worth in a relationship. During her set, her gratitude towards the audience moved her to tears, as she explained that this show was the biggest crowd she’s performed to. After, the crowd was ready for Molly, and anxiously waited for her appearance onstage.
When the show started, Molly took the stage with “Woman’s Intuition,” an upbeat crowd favorite. Throughout the show, many of her songs had a jazzy, theatrical feel. Her performance felt much like a Broadway show, where she accompanied her songs with facial expressions that reflected the lyrics and emotions projected, and little dances that were very musical theatre-esque.
The aesthetics and overall vibe of the show were a perfect blend of inspiration from both Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Molly’s theatrical performance and pink outfit were very similar to some of Sabrina’s recent performances, while the theme of queer joy prevalent throughout the show was very similar to Chappell Roan’s concerts. In addition to this, her sound was similar to Reneé Rapp, with a mix of Broadway-inspired sound and soulful songs about the woes of relationships.
About halfway through the show, Molly talked about how Boston shaped her as a person growing up and reflected on how far she’s come in performing since performances at her old high school’s auditorium. She then surprised the crowd with “Red Line,” a song about losing a special relationship with someone, which was beautifully sung. During this song, the emotions throughout the room rang out, as she sang about Boston-specific locations, such as the Boston Commons, the Harbor, and Harvard University.
Molly also had many friends, teachers, and family members in the audience. Throughout the show, she’d shout out various groups of people who supported her journey to become a musician. The most memorable were her parents, who were decked out in pink in the mezzanine, and her old drama teachers, which clearly impacted her performance style. These shoutouts gave the show a community-centered feel, where audience members could feel a deeper connection to both the music, each other, and Molly herself.
As the show began to come to an end, Molly began singing her more well-known songs, including “What If I (The Grocery Store Song).”. Before singing, she claimed this song led to her discovery as an artist and expressed gratitude for it. Many of the members in the audience sang this song with much enthusiasm, with her holding hands and pointing to enthusiastic fans in the front row, fostering a deeper connection. After this song, she left the stage. However, many fans knew this wasn’t the end of the show, as they chanted for an encore. During this time, the tour crew also passed out pink pom-poms to various audience members to create an engaging experience for the finale. These pom-poms also helped ring in the theme of the tour, as the name, “But I’m A Popstar,” was heavily inspired by the queer iconic movie “But I’m A Cheerleader.”
Sure enough, Molly came onstage for one last song, “F.E.M.M.E.”. This last song has had lots of traction on TikTok and other social media platforms, where various dances and other trends have put a spotlight on it. Because of this, almost all audience members knew the chorus, and combined with the pom-poms, was a really fun way to finish the show.
Overall, the show was a really great experience for fans and newer listeners alike. With massive pop artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Reneé Rapp, and Chappell Roan dominating the music industry, it was fun to see a similar show on a smaller and more intimate scale. Molly clearly has a deep connection with both Boston and her fan base, making this show particularly special. I’m excited to watch Molly continue to grow as an artist, and I can’t wait to follow her journey.