Pop-funk artist Molly Grace kicked off the ’Sco season for the Oberlin community with one of the first concerts of the 2024–2025 year. Her music is fun and upbeat with a ’70s flair, bringing together an enthusiastic crowd. Grace entered the stage in a sparkly tassel bodysuit and a bouncy blowout. Her outgoing energy and fun personality was contagious to the audience.
Going into the ’Sco Saturday night, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I wasn’t familiar with Grace’s music, but I knew of her from her TikTok account, where she has tagged artists she takes inspiration from like Reneé Rapp, Remi Wolf, and Sabrina Carpenter. These are artists I adore, so I was certain I would enjoy her show as well. Her active social media presence led me to presume that she would draw quite the crowd, so I made sure to get there early to guarantee a good spot.
Despite my early arrival, the ’Sco was bustling with eager students. I was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and assumed that many were first-year students excited for their first Oberlin concert experience. Their buzz and anxious conversation immediately took me back to my first week at Oberlin, when I was eager to participate in any activity that I could find and was desperate to make connections. The nerves that I felt during those first weeks were evident among the new first-year class, and I couldn’t help but feel thrilled for them.
Due to the many musical opportunities and activities at Oberlin, the school attracts a large number of students with a passion for music. Having venues like the ’Sco creates a community-building environment and provides students with opportunities to see professional live music on their own campus. The ’Sco offers a fun social environment for students to meet people outside of their dorms and classes. I was able to talk to a few first-years about their experience adjusting to college life and having access to concerts at the ’Sco.
“It was so cool that someone like Grace came to such a small community,” College first-year Olivia Bey said. “It was such a great place to meet people.”
Bey’s thoughts are a testament to the fact that the music culture at Oberlin gives students the opportunity to experience concerts and other musical performances that they wouldn’t get the opportunity to otherwise. Other students noted that the ’Sco specifically was a great place to make connections.
“I ran into so many people I knew when I was there — just people I’ve seen in passing or people from my PAL group,” College first-year Ava Soldo said.
As Grace is a rising pop artist with a growing fan base, I was surprised when I saw the posters advertising her concert. However, she was a perfect candidate for Oberlin, especially for the first weekend back. With the rising popularity of sapphic pop music and the comeback of ’70s and ’80s punk, Grace’s music resonates with the Oberlin community. With inspirations like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, Grace’s style of music is something that many students were generally familiar with and could get excited about. Her set was upbeat and her interactions with the audience paired with fun dance moves made the experience all the more memorable. Grace’s energy was contagious, and there wasn’t a dull moment throughout the whole concert, setting a high standard for the rest of this semester.
