Steadily continuing to build himself a place in stardom, Ruel has reached a new level of both fame and demonstration of talent. At a mere 20 years old, Ruel has set forth on his seventh headlining tour in just over six years.

With sold-out shows spanning across the globe, Ruel’s 41-show 4th Wall World Tour started on June 1 in Austin, Texas, and it will run through Sept. 30, when he’ll play this tour’s last show in Bristol. 

Meanwhile, he appeared for a sold-out show at 9:30 Club on June 12, and he was spectacular.

Raised in Australia, Ruel (born Ruel Vincent van Dijk) has risen to fame at a fast pace, and it’s been very well deserved. At just 16 years old, he became the youngest solo artist to have won an ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Music Award, and has since won a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award, MTV Europe Music Award, and a National Live Music Award. 

Beginning his 9:30 Club show on June 12 with his jumpy piano-framed piece “GO ON WITHOUT ME,” Ruel inspired the crowd with his poppy energy. Fans screamed and passionately mimicked his lyrics. Ruel’s voice ws truly incredible. His recordings are angelic themselves, but in person, his voice resonated even further. The purity and intensity of his vocals made his performance that much more amazing.

Ruel’s larger-than-life personality kept the club’s energy up without a hitch for the duration of the show. Dancing around the stage with an insane amount of endurance, he fueled the crowd’s fire and set the scene for an awesome night. 

Having gone into the show only knowing two or three of Ruel’s songs, I’m happy to report that I can now confidently call myself a fan of his entire discography. If you haven’t had a chance to tune into his music, I highly recommend checking him out. 

Watch the official music video for “YOU AGAINST YOURSELF” by Ruel on YouTube.

Ruel’s setlist:

1. GO ON WITHOUT ME 
2. GROWING UP IS ______
3. YOU AGAINST YOURSELF
4. SET YOURSELF ON FIRE
5. say it over
6. SITTING IN TRAFFIC
7. IF AND/OR WHEN
8. MUST BE NICE
9. Night Changes (One Direction cover)
10. Hard Sometimes
11. golden hour (JVKE cover)
12. Flames
13. SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM
14. Dazed & Confused
15. Real Thing
16. Painkiller
17. END SCENE
18. I DON’T WANNA BE LIKE YOU

Check our Ruel’s Instagram page for updates on his tour.

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Here are some photos of Ruel performing at 9:30 Club on June 12, 2023. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Katie Child.