Lykke Li (pronounced, roughly, luke-uh-lee) is the stage name for the pixie-voiced Swedish songstress Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson. She started gaining some traction in the states by overstating her fame back in Sweden to promoters in Brooklyn, in order to book gigs. That lead to her dance-friendly debut album, Youth Novels, which made fans all over the place with its collection of sad sad songs dressed up as friendly pop numbers. I first fell in love with Lykke Li by watching her videos — all dark and full of incredible dancing and ideas that go beyond what most everyone else is doing. So it was with intense anticipation that I went to the Black Cat on Sunday night to see her for the first time in person. The show exceeded my expectations, over and over again.

Somewhere between a cheshire cat, an Olsen twin and Blondie, Lykke Li took the stage (after an underwhelming set by Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and an excessively long sound check break), looking a bit like a Salt-n-Pepa video in her giant crop top, flowy pants and strings and strings of gold necklaces (of which an enormous peace sign was the centerpiece). She opened up her set with “Dance Dance Dance”, attempting to start the show with an imperative for the D.C. crowd. With the exception of a pocket directly in front of the stage, it got people moving only a little bit. The crowd’s energy increased throughout the show, but it was a big problem for the overall experience of seeing this particular artist. We know, D.C. likes to do the standing still. But you know what magnifies this phenomenon? Having a really bright overhead light shining directly over the middle of the crowd at the Cat. If the room were dark, it would have at least felt more alive. Exceptions for the setting aside, Lykke Li launched into a phenomenal set straight away.