Icona Pop in Providence

About Icona Pop

Icona Pop is a Swedish-American pop duo made up of Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo. They broke through in 2012 with I Love It, a bratty breakup anthem that became impossible to avoid and somehow still sounds fresh. The song's DNA is pure spite wrapped in sticky synth-pop hooks, and it introduced their brand of gleeful, no-filter pop sensibility. Beyond that breakthrough, they've spent the last decade refining a formula of catchy, radio-friendly songs built on the kind of production that sounds like it was designed for crowded venues and car speakers. Girlfriend and We Got Love followed in that same vein—aggressively upbeat tracks built for people who want pop music that doesn't apologize for wanting you to dance. They're not reinventing anything. They're just very good at what they do: making songs that feel like they were written specifically to annoy your ex.

Their shows run on pure audience participation. Every song becomes a sing-along, especially I Love It, which crowds clearly need therapeutically. They keep energy sharp and feed off the room. Don't expect introspection or staging tricks. Just a duo getting drunk on the fact that people are yelling their lyrics back at them.

Known for I Love It, Girlfriend, We Got Love, All Night, Drunk in Love

Icona Pop in Providence News

• Tove Lo's tour floats into Lupo's The Providence Journal · Oct 15, 2015
• Charli XCX says album ‘Sucker,’ ‘the songs I was meant to write’ The Providence Journal · Jan 5, 2015

Live Music in Providence

Providence's music scene runs deeper than its pop reputation suggests, but there's definitely an appetite for the sharper end of pop music here. The city's drawn everyone from indie acts to mainstream pop over the years, and there's something about Icona Pop's irreverent approach to breakup songs that feels like it could resonate with a Providence crowd that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Providence road trip to see Icona Pop?

Stay in College Hill, where you can actually walk around without feeling like you're in a dead zone—the neighborhood has real restaurants and bars. Eat at Chez Pascal or Oberlin for something serious. Before the show, spend an afternoon at the RISD Museum, which is legitimately excellent and free if you're a student or cheap enough if you're not. The museum's collection is small enough to actually process in a couple hours, which beats most cities. Walk down Benefit Street afterward. It's the kind of place that reminds you why people actually used to settle in New England intentionally.