Elliphant vs M.I.A. at the CMW opening party

Last night Canadian Music Week kicked off the 2014 festival season with a free M.I.A. show at Tattoo.

What was originally supposed to be a show at Younge and Dundas Square turned into a mini outrage on twitter when the show was moved to this fairly small venue on Queen West. Half of the audience won tickets through lottery while the other half stood in line for two hours to get a wristband. And here’s the thing, everyone got one and the venue was still not at capacity, I guess all of the outraged people opted in for staying in that night.

As soon as the opening set started the audience begun turning to one another – “Who is this,” “Does anyone know this chick’s name?” – well kids, her name is Elliphant and yes, she’s pretty badass.

This Swedish wild-child, born Ellinor Olovsdotter, had recently dropped a new EP Look Like You Love It, via Mad Decent, very suitably, and TEN/Kemosabe, which includes collaborations with Diplo and Skrillex. That wildfire energy is immediately obvious on stage. One song at a time Elliphant took this audience by storm, converting them into fans in small patches.

To say that Elliphant is pop would be a huge misunderstanding. The complexity of her music takes roots in the genres of the world from moombahton to Jamaican-influenced “danskhall” sprinkled with dubstep and trap. This is a party and you will dance.

After a solid 40 minute set Elliphant and her DJ left the stage leaving the rest of us, ready to crump and crumble, to wait for M.I.A..

The stage was lightly decorated with what looked like a ferris wheel but was, probably, more of a shrine decoration with colourful lights taking turns in line with the beat. M.I.A., fashionably late, hidden under a hat and behind sunglasses came out on stage joined by two dancers in crop tops. One of the support dancers quickly became the star of the show taking half of the vocals, if not more, while M.I.A. kept on asking for her mic to be turned up with her unusually soft voice.

Every now and then the opening act takes the cake. Despite all of M.I.A.’s entertainment I’d say this was one of those shows where Elliphant carved her way into people’s iPods while M.I.A. reminded them why they don’t have much of her work in their music library.