LIVE REVIEW: ARTEMAS @ NORTHCOTE THEATRE

PHOTO CREDIT: ADRIANNE ARMIDA

Tiktok sensation Artemas made his debut in Melbourne at Northcote theatre on Tuesday.
His hit song “I like the way you kiss me” went viral this year and he has been on a roll ever since; releasing music within the dark-wave pop genre; compared to that of The Weeknd or The Neighbourhood. He has this persona of “horny dickhead”; a kind of risqué and sexually explicit alter ego that no doubt makes his predominately female listeners flock to him.

His music encapsulates the kind of horny frisson you only feel as a teenager; the thrill associated with sexual frustration and attraction. He creates this dark and moody landscape with intense and pulsating synths which really enhanced the experience of seeing him live- I really felt it from the depths of my body; particularly in “dirty little secret”. Coupled with the blue and red lighting that illuminated from the stage; it created this slow and steamy vibe that really makes you want to move your hips.

The live drums and guitar made the performance so heavily groovy; his almost coarse and whispery vocals were unabashedly titillating. He was so close to the microphone while he sang the lyrics “if you think I’m pretty put your hands on me” that I thought he was literally whispering in my ear.

He ended with “I like the way you kiss me” and the ground was shaking as everyone pulled out their phones on the beat drop. He made everyone restart the song, though, as he yelled “melbourne you have been so good all night; we can do better than that” and made everyone scream the lyrics “I LIKE THE WAY YOU KISS ME; I CAN TELL YOU MISS ME I CAN TELL IT HITS HITS HITS”.

Artemas makes you want to make out with someone passionately in the back of the club –I left the Northcote theatre feeling all hot and bothered. Couples were extra close by the end of the night; singles were asking each other out- I guess Artemas has that rizzler edge to him.