[Review] Carly Rae Jepsen’s Dedicated Tour

On Tuesday, July 30th, Carly Rae Jepsen cut to the feeling as she brought her Dedicated Tour to New Orleans at the city’s newest venue, The Fillmore. During her 90-minute set, the 33-year-old Canadian pop singer-songwriter confidently moved from one song to the next while being overpowered by fans who sang every word.

The first time I’d seen Carly Rae Jepsen in New Orleans was when she opened for Justin Bieber during his Believe Tour back in January 2013. The second time was when she recently opened for Katy Perry’s Witness Tour in January 2018. Let it be known that Carly Rae Jepsen does not need to rely on her 2012 hit, “Call Me Maybe,” to carry a concert anymore. While swaying, clapping, and dancing, the crowd sang along to almost every word.

Phoebe Ryan

To kick off the night, Phoebe Ryan opened the Dedicated Tour. Ryan’s should reminds me of a more mature mix of 2012-13 Carly Rae Jepsen and modern day Julia Michaels with a hint of Halsey. “We’re all friends here New Orleans,” Ryan said as she encouraged the crowd to get cosy with her neighbor before singing “Should I Go.” Before finishing off her 30-minute set, Ryan announced to the crowd, “Come by and buy merch. We’re buying gas for our band. I’m very punk rock as you can tell.”

The Crowd

Fans were lined up outside of the Fillmore decked out in bright colors along with lots of glitter and sequins. The near-capacity crowd was filled with a wide range of ages from young children with their parents to teens and young adults with their friends to older couples. No matter their age, the crowd matched Jepsen’s energy level throughout the night.

Highlights of the Set

Jepsen, her four-piece band, and two back-up singers crafted a night of carefree 1970s and 1980s dance pop . It felt like one big disco party with an almost modern day Cyndi Lauper. From the independence anthem “Party for One” to the 2012 pop anthem “Call Me Maybe” to the oh-so relatable track, “Boy Problems.”

Each song featured its own unique light show. During Give Me Love, a disco ball illuminated the room with hues of purple, pink, orange, and red as Jepsen smiled brightly and danced under the lights.
The saxophone bangers. Screams let out as the saxophone-filled beginning of 2015 hit, “Run Away With Me” began to play throughout the venue. Her keyboardist switched over to the saxophone for both “Run Away with Me’ and “Let’s Get Lost.”
The crowd participation. Jepsen’s an open and relatable pop artist who sings about love, heartbreak, friendship, and self-care. As the audience was on their feet, they swayed, clapped , sang and danced. They knew the lyrics to Jepsen’s new material just as well as her four-year-old tracks.
Her slight and simple choreography. For the most part, Jepsen let loose and did her own thing as she performed her 22-song set. Though it was limited, her scripted choreo during songs like “Gimmie Love” and “Want You In My Room” was simple, sweet, and just enough.
Confetti. Confetti. And more confetti. If you know me then you know I’m a sucker for a good confetti-filled ending (as mentioned previously in my review of Twenty One Pilots show back in June). During her final track, “Cut to the Feeling,” confetti shot throughout the Fillmore as fans, Carly, and her band danced around to the upbeat pop hit!

If you missed Carly Rae Jepsen’s stop in New Orleans or just want to re-live the night, you can watch clips of their performance on my CRJ Instagram highlight and view the photo slideshow below.