Grimes

‏Arguably the internet’s favorite new “it” girl, Canadian artist Grimes (a.k.a. Claire Boucher) has burst through the border with her third album Visions and, more specifically, her music video for the track “Oblivion”. Despite the bawdiness implied by her namesake, Grimes sounds more like an ethereal, prepubescent angel than the sweaty basement punk you might expect. And this juxtaposition between her stark synth-heavy beats and her empyrean voice is precisely where her intrigue lies. Filmed by her best friend’s boyfriend at a football game, “Oblivion” exemplifies this disparity. Lost in a sea of testosterone stands Grimes alone, her vulnerability palpable from the bleachers. As the clouds from the fog machines clear, we see Grimes (with her pink ombre hair and oversized jacket) is not lost, but right at home amongst these jersey-clad bros. She should also feel right at home at Pitchfork, closing out Saturday’s side stage with reckless passion and inexplicable spirit. (Saturday, 8:40-9:30, Blue Stage) –text: Hilary Telford