Forest takes the stage.
The alt-rock singer juxtaposes intimate moments of female sexuality with an energetic live show.
photo by Mimi Mikhailov.
Before I can even see the enigmatic figure of Forest take the stage, I watch as her knee-high leather boots clip at the soft carpet. With daintily thin heels supporting a mass of leather, these shoes immediately characterize the juxtaposition that Forest brings to her recorded music and live shows: intimate lyrics showcasing sexual desire and the violence evoked by heavy guitars, screaming, and moshing.
Forest, like the crowd, cannot stand still, and she paces the stage almost ragefully, gaining energy from the moving masses that she encourages to dance and sing along. While it is becoming more popular now than ever for artists to perform with an aloof and disinterested persona, Forest chooses instead to focus her art on interacting with fans, both online and in-person. She shares the ideas behind her lyrics and musical compositions in her press releases, which allows fans to connect with her on a deeper level given the personal nature of her songs. This connection to fans—both onstage as she remarks at the energy of the crowd and banters to get a bigger mosh to happen and through her outwardly expressive music—seems to be paying off in the formation of a devoted community. I watch as groups of young adults swarm her asking for signatures and photos. Forest is incredibly friendly during the process, and when I ask her how she is doing, she tells me that she is excited to be on tour with Clarion, shoegaze up-and-comers who have reached internet virality and sold out their US tour. “Thankfully, I’m not burnt out yet!” she remarks, and I laugh, appreciating her down-to-earthness.
I learned that Forest grew up in Chicago. It’s easy to see her roots: her sonic and visual aesthetics pull from alternative, emo, and metal scenes that are no doubt popular in the city given the immediacy of moshing during every set of the concert. It’s always refreshing to see women take charge in the alternative scene, especially when they sing for and interact with female fans. Most of the people around me during the set were young adult women and nonbinary people who moshed just as hard as their male counterparts. Forest’s musical juxtaposition, genuine engagement with fans, and Chicago roots make her an exciting up-and-comer to watch as she takes an all-too-often male-dominated scene by storm.
edited by Ezra Ellenbogen.
photos by Mimi Mikhailov.
