From the start of the show, it was clear that this was going to be a defining moment for 20-year-old Australian singer-songwriter Ruel. 

“I’m pretty sure this is the biggest show I’ve ever played,” he said as he gazed up to the top of Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre. 

Yet, performing in front of friends and family in his hometown, which he admitted made him “very nervous,” Ruel delivered a performance for the ages. He commanded the stage as if he owned it from the first minute he appeared and maintained control throughout the whole performance. If there was even a hint of nerves, he certainly didn’t show it. 

From the moment Ruel hit the stage, the teenage-dominated crowd was energised, moving harmoniously as if they were in a state of trance at the thought of being in the presence of their idol-figure. 

Ruel’s lyrics are introspective and clever, reflecting on themes that often move beyond the stereotypical. “Growing Up” was very well received at the start of the set for this reason and the energy created lasted through the whole show. Melodies were catchy and the band behind Ruel was strong. 

Ruel was at his best when he let go of the script and shared genuine moments with the audience. He had the whole crowd at his feet when he sung “Dazed and Confused” with a roaring choir of his fans joining him. And the few stumbles he had when he changed up his setlist and performed “If and/or when” (“sorry guys, the vocal cues are cooked”) made the performance even more endearing, so much so that it was one of the highlights of the night. 

But it was when Ruel was at the piano that he connected with his audience the most. He started with a little cover of “Night Changes” by One Direction (“one for the fans”) which was lapped up by his fans before moving into an ethereal performance of “Wish I Had You.” The best performance of the night was saved for his rendition of “Must Be Nice”, which was powerful, raw and showed off all the subtleties of Ruel’s voice and performance. 

The 20-year old was extremely charismatic, engaging well with the audience throughout the whole set. He didn’t have too much chit-chat throughout the set, preferring to focus on the production and his music. 

While his music was special, often bordering on spectacular, the production felt a little bit laboured and contrived. A choreographed telephone call was a little bit cliched and the production felt a little bit as though the team was experimenting with a debut arena show and the choice that it brings at times. However, this did not detract from the strength of Ruel’s performance when he was singing and playing piano/guitar, which was wonderful throughout. 

This was a masterful performance of the highest order. It was absolutely show-stopping at its best and it is clear that Ruel is someone whose star is well on the rise. I have a feeling that many people in the audience will be saying “remember when I saw Ruel on his first arena tour.” There will be a lot more to come from this incredibly talented artist. 

Rating ★★★★1/2

Ruel – Aware Super Theatre – 28^th April, 2023