Rising pop star Cil had her debut headliner show in downtown Los Angeles last week. The line started growing three hours before her set time, wrapping all the way around The Moroccan Lounge. The air was filled with the chatter of fans eagerly waiting to get inside and secure a front-row spot. From the moment Cil walked on stage, she had the sold-out crowd in the palm of her hand. She radiates confidence and cool-girl energy, captivating the room with each note she sings and each step she takes. The room buzzed with conversation about her angelic-chic outfit, head-to-toe jewels, and glorious knee-high white boots. Cil opened the night with her hit single “Loser,” working the stage like the best of the best. Her refined vocals, mixed with the authentic chemistry of her bandmates, created magic. Cil performs effortlessly with such passion it’s hard to believe this is only the beginning of her career. “Loser” led straight into her unreleased song “Mr. Insecure,” giving fans a taste of the future music she has up her sleeve.

The singer has spent the last couple years building her cult following on TikTok, and the Cil you see on your screen is the Cil you get in real life. Her charismatic charm and genuine love for her supporters could be felt from every corner of the packed venue. Cil has a way of expressing how it feels to navigate the highs and lows of life and love through her creative wordplay. She’s building a connection with her fans through her ability to paint an all-too-relatable story with her music.

Accompanied by her drummer Max Nudi and guitarist Chris Carey, the three brought her music to life on stage. Each song was seamlessly segued into the next as she worked her way through her recently released EP, Don’t Hold Me Accountable, playing songs like “Rhythm of Love” and the wildly popular “Forgot to Be My Lover.” The crowd reciprocated the band’s energy by belching all the words to every single song back at them. Cil showed a personal side to herself while engaging in some banter with the audience and even signed an excited fan’s shirt in the front row before ending the show. The singer is staying busy this year as she prepares to hit the road supporting Dua Lipa on her “Radical Optimism” tour. If you have the opportunity to catch Cil live, don’t miss it. She’s a generational artist, an incredibly talented lyricist, and a natural-born frontwoman. This is only the beginning for Cil, and I have no doubt she will take it to the moon.