If one were to think about any of the biggest hits in pop music over the last two decades, there is a good chance that Ryan Tedder would be behind most of them. As the frontman of OneRepublic, he has crafted out an incredible career both with his band and as a songwriter for artists like Beyoncé, Tate McRae and Leona Lewis. The band returned to Sydney, which Tedder described in the show as one of his favourite places, to a capacity crowd at the Qudos Bank Arena for a celebration of their biggest hits as well as some numbers that Tedder has written for other artists.

First, we were treated to a set from Freya Ridings, who absolutely has the pedigree to be headlining shows in her own right but was a great opener for this show. Her voice was truly spectacular, very much evoking Florence and the Machine but with even more beauty and body to it. There is something truly special about Ridings and the crowd really connected with her, especially as she seemed quite genuinely overwhelmed by the amount of people in the crowd who were rooting for her. As she performed her most emotional tracks, closing with a beautiful rendition of “Lost Without You” and then “Castles,” she really showed off her best work in a short 30-minute set which truly captivated the audience. It would be quite a surprise if she wasn’t headlining a similar sized venue on her next trip. I look forward to seeing her perform again when she returns.

OneRepublic hit the stage with a bang and a flash of energy, with Tedder bouncing around the stage from the start with “RUNAWAY” and “Feel Again.” By the time he reached “Stop and Stare,” it was clear that the frontman was struggling a bit vocally, with what seemed like an illness, given that he was still going for some incredible vocal runs but just not quite executing them. Almost immediately after, he revealed that he had been suffering with laryngitis throughout the week, which explained some of the vocal fatigue and struggles on the high notes. But really, it was a testament to the band’s professionalism that they still gave a raring and energetic performance despite the vocal limitations, with Tedder in particular doing everything that he could to push through with regular tea breaks.

The vocal imperfections ultimately didn’t matter, though, because it became clear throughout the set just how many hits OneRepublic have had, from songs like “Secrets” to the song that put the band on the map in “Apologize,” there really was something for everyone spanning across multiple genres. There were a few covers thrown in as well, with Tedder warning the audience that he is not Beyoncé before performing “Halo,” but the crowd really got behind him singing along, which made it a really special and poignant moment.

Tedder was also incredibly affable throughout the night, sharing his favourite anecdotes about Australia, noting specifically that Australia was the market that kept OneRepublic together as a band in the early days due to the success of “Stop and Stare,” and it became clear throughout the set just how many people Tedder had collaborated with. A little titbit cover of Tate McRae’s “Greedy” drew cheers from some of the younger members in the audience, although the cover was definitely more in jest than anything else. 

After a slightly awkward, self-congratulatory video montage of OneRepublic fans thanking the band, the show really kicked up a notch at the end when the band performed a lively rendition of “Counting Stars,” with a fantastic guitar solo from Zach Filkins preceding it. Tedder then closed out the night with a solo rendition of “Wonderwall,” which was a slightly odd choice given how many hits he himself has written but it was still a fun way to send off the show.

Overall, this was a great night with the band showing off the breadth of their discography and their professionalism, even with Tedder’s illness meaning that it wasn’t vocally perfect. With OneRepublic, you come for the songs and the energy and they certainly delivered in that regard. And a final word must go to Freya Ridings, who was an integral part of the night. For both acts, it will be a treat when they next return to Sydney. 

Rating: ★★★★

OneRepublic – Qudos Bank Arena – 6 February 2025