There are times when concerts coincide with special occasions. Such was the case with Phoebe Bridgers' Singapore debut, which happened to take place on the most romantic day of the year.

Added to her Reunion Tour schedule following an overwhelming response to her 15 February show, one could say that the Valentine's Day meeting between the American singer-songwriter and her fans in the city-state was fated to happen. And at this gathering, all were welcome. 

While most people were enjoying candlelit dinners or lovely evening strolls with their significant others elsewhere, the crowd in the Esplanade Theatre — comprising couples, groups of friends, and singles — had turned up for a rather unconventional 14th of February. Those familiar with Bridgers' music would know that it is not what one would expect to soundtrack Valentine's Day, but this certainly did not bother her faithful in Singapore.

This much became clear as soon as the indie rock artist — dressed in black and wielding a guitar — launched into the first song of the night, her beloved 2017 hit 'Motion Sickness'. Singing of "emotional motion sickness" that she suffered from during a previous relationship, Bridgers drew loud screams and cheers from fans who wished to not only express their excitement at seeing the 28-year-old but also show their solidarity with her. 

From the get-go, the California-born act looked liberated as she unleashed her dreamy vocals while strumming her guitar. Although the song details a sad experience, Bridgers delivered it as an individual who had grown from it rather than someone who was looking back on it with self-pity. 

Opening up about one's personal struggles on stage can be a tricky thing to do since it can dampen the mood of your audience, but this was never an issue for Bridgers. While introducing 'Kyoto', a track taken off her second studio album Punisher, she — to the amusement of everyone — addressed her complicated relationship with her father with a dark sense of humour.

"Are there any dads here? Does anybody have a rough relationship with their dad? Who has a dead dad? Well, I love you guys. This is especially for you," said Bridgers, who received cheers in response. 

Just moments later, she could be seen bouncing on stage as the majestic sound of a live trumpet filled the venue. As cathartic for her as it was for everyone watching, it was a performance that caused the Esplanade Theatre to erupt with joy — a bemusing sight given the somberness of the track's lyrics. 

As Bridgers continued through her setlist, those who knew the lyrics to her songs sang along to them with great gusto. Meanwhile, others could be seen showing their love for her work by dancing and even air drumming. 

While the dim lighting (an intentional aesthetic choice) made it a bit of a challenge to see what was happening on stage clearly throughout the night, it cannot be denied that it played a big role in creating an immersive atmosphere. During Bridgers' live renditions of 'Funeral' and 'Chinese Satellite', for instance, it felt like all had been transported to a dreamlike place outside the confines of time where they could be completely alone with the soloist. 

Not long later, Bridgers decided to (literally) bring herself and her fans closer to each other. In a move that no one saw coming, she left the stage and walked straight towards the audience during 'Scott Street'. Smiling and waving at those in attendance and stopping to hug members of the technical crew, she was met with shrieks of excitement as she made her way through the first floor of the venue. 

After the number, Bridgers paused to reflect on how much things have changed for her since her early days as a musician: "Our wildest dream was to headline The Echo, which is like a 500-capacity venue by our house. So this is amazing." 

Once she had treated the crowd to tunes such as 'ICU' and 'Graceland Too', it was time for the Grammy nominee to bring out the night's aptly titled second last song, 'I Know The End'. Another track from 2020's Punisher, the number is known for featuring a lot of screaming in its outro, something that Bridgers recreated with the help of the audience.

When the section of the song in question arrived, she handed the baton to her fans, who expelled what felt like many years' worth of stored-up angst by screaming at the top of their lungs. 

With everyone in high spirits after a satisfying release of emotions, Bridgers made a brief exit before returning for a much quieter and more intimate encore performance. While strumming an acoustic guitar, she brought the night to a soothing close with 'Emily I'm Sorry' — a song she released as part of the supergroup boygenius this year — as fans waved their phones in the air. 

PHOEBE BRIDGERS REUNION TOUR SINGAPORE SETLIST (14 FEBRUARY):

1. Motion Sickness
2. DVD Menu
3. Garden Song
4. Kyoto
5. Punisher
6. Halloween
7. Smoke Signals
8. Funeral
9. Chinese Satellite
10. Moon Song
11. Scott Street
12. Savior Complex
13. ICU
14. Graceland Too
15. I Know the End
16. Emily I'm Sorry