On Friday, February 20, singer-songwriter Ruel dazzled the stage at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen. Australia’s beloved It-Boy quite literally walked through the door to play all his hits, from decade-old songs to new releases off his sophomore album, Kicking My Feet. From dominating the stage with his high-tempo hits to stripping down to bare acoustics, Ruel took his fans on a journey in ninety minutes. Excitement was at an all time high, with the venue being filled wall to wall before openers Chelsea Jordan and Arthur Hill took the stage. After having waited for a new Ruel record since 2023, the NYC audience was ready for a memorable night of fun with their favorite pop prodigy.
Openers
Chelsea Jordan and Arthur Hill warmed the crowd up for Ruel’s set with their smooth voices and sharp wit. Both artists share an R&B indie-pop sound that had the audience hooked from the first note. Jordan found herself right at home with a wine glass in hand, performing original music and covering Justin Bieber’s “Yukon” within her half-hour set. Hill, a London native, shared stories with the crowd between his soulful songs. A comedy Youtuber turned singer, Hill captivated the audience with both his charisma and vocals.
Ruel
The 23 year old Sydney-based musician is currently making stops on the North American leg of his international Kicking My Feet Tour. Many fans of the “Dazed & Confused” singer found themselves at Terminal 5 just three years prior for the 4th Wall World Tour. Ruel has been on the rise since his teenage years, amassing billions of streams and opening for pop stars Khalid and Shawn Mendes. The 2018 ARIA Music Awards Breakthrough Artist went viral for his Triple J ‘Like a Version’ cover of Jack Garratt’s “Weathered” when he was just fourteen years old. Now in his early twenties, Ruel’s already successful career continues as he embarks on his second world tour.
When the lights dimmed, fans were instantly immersed into Ruel’s world. A heavy synth and strobing sensation pulled all eyes to center stage, where a red door stood shut. As the beat ascended to its climax, the door opened to reveal a silhouetted Ruel singing the first lyrics of album-opener “Only Ever.” Sprinkling in songs from his early EPs, front-row fans were reciting the lyrics to “Dazed & Confused” and “Younger” directly back to the Aussie singer. Having grown from their teens to young adulthood listening to Ruel’s deeply relatable lyrics about growing up, the crowd reminisced over the music that made them fans to begin with.
Addressing the crowd for the first time, Ruel smiled widely. He encouraged everyone to make friends with the people around them. It became clear to all that at a Ruel concert, singing and dancing is appreciated, but being present with one another is required.
In what was referred to as the “songs written for my mom” set, “No News Is Good News” and “Even Angels Won’t” demonstrated both his musical talent and lyrical excellence in a somber, acoustic light. “Does anyone know ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’ by Bon Iver?” Ruel asked. Shockingly, Terminal 5 remained quiet, except for the occasional shout. A goofy grin appeared on his face, joking, “Four people? That’s enough for me!” before breaking into a beautiful rendition of Bon Iver’s cover of the Mike Reid/Bonnie Raitt song.
As the acoustics transitioned into upbeat songs and colored lights, Fans grabbed their friends tightly, ready to sing the lyrics to songs off of 2019’s Free Time and 2023’s 4TH WALL. Opener Arthur Hill returned to the stage to perform Cats on the Ceiling. Their voices blended beautifully, and their personalities even more, as they giggled when ad-libbing.
Wrapping up his set with fan-favorite “Painkiller,” fans both old and new scream-sung their hearts out to the artist’s most-streamed song. As the night wrapped up, Ruel emerged once more to perform an encore, ending what was undoubtedly an unforgetting night of music with title track “Kicking My Feet.” As Ruel said in the beginning, the crowd became friends, reflecting on the shared experience they all had as they left the venue.
Ruel continues bringing the Kicking My Feet tour across North America. Tickets are available at oneruel.com.
Setlist
Setlist (via setlist.fm): Only Ever, Not What’s Going On, Dazed & Confused, I Can Die Now, Younger, Destroyer, No News is Good News, Even Angels Won’t, I Can’t Make You Love Me (Mike Reid cover), The Suburbs, Free Time, Want U Around, Face to Face, SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM, Wild Guess, YOU AGAINST YOURSELF, Cats on the Ceiling, GROWING UP IS ____, Don’t Say That, Painkiller
Encore: Japanese Whiskey, Kicking My Feet
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