The mellow trance and dynamic electronic sound of Oklou recently graced the stage at a sold-out show at 9:30 Club. It was a night of great vocals, creative lighting and melodies as Oklou moved further into her 2026 spring tour in the USA.
Opening and playing the show behind a screen with a vibrant 40-minute set was Vickie Cherie, who weaved her way back and forth across the stage to great applause from the audience. Cherie, also from France, put on a non-stop solid set of music, dancing, and visual art that left the fans in awe on April 27. Cherie has become very busy putting out two EPs since 2022 — titled Trust the Process and Oh Honey — and in 2025 she released her first album Cherie on Top. She was a perfect fit to open the show for Oklou and they work very intricately together.
Watch an official visualizer for “Cherie On Top” by Vickie Cherie on YouTube:
At 9:30 Club, Oklou began her show sitting in a swing on stage playing a flute-like instrument and began with solid tracks “ICT” and “Thank You.” After the first song, Oklou stated “Hello Washington…how are you doing tonight?” as she proceeded into her second song of the evening.
Oklou has a great voice and stage presence that worked well with her band — mixing the moving parts, lights, and sound. At least one of the band members sang vocals throughout the show. The intricate light show, which was very vibrant, was conducted without a covering screen — giving the audience a view of Oklou at all times, unlike Cherie’s set.
Oklou had classical style training growing up in France, which is evidenced in her music she plays on stage with diverse instruments creating some of the best electronic pop around the globe at this time. Her music exhibits a similar vibe almost ike The Chainsmokers. Oklou released her first EP — titled Avril — back in 2014 and continued releasing EPs throughout the years. She finally released her first full-length album last year — called Choke Enough. The album received rave reviews by the New York Times and a couple publications stated it was the best album of 2025.
Watch the official music video for “Obvious” by Oklou on YouTube:
Midway through the set, Oklou bounced off stage to a lower platform, showing off great dancing and movement combined with the appeal of the great lighting seen throughout the night at the 9:30 Club. It truly was a great night of amazing lighting and movement as well as the outstanding music being played
Oklou conversed well with the audience during her show at one point while projecting photos on the screen of the audience in the 9:30 Club, saying a special thank you to the cameras as she expressed her like of the walkability of Washington, DC.
Near the end of the show, she said a special thank you to Victoria for opening her show. She then played a few more songs, closing her set with a special rendition of “Blade Bird” from her album.
Oklou has very definitive musical ability producing one of the best albums in 2025. Her shows are vibrant, and very eye-pleasing with all the unique lighting arrangements and musical concepts, such as playing on a keyboard on her knees, while mixing it up with other instrumentation and acoustic guitar.
This is a show that all fans of this style music should see live. Personally, I cannot wait to see what she decides to release for the next album.
Oklou Setlist:
1. ICT
2. Thank You
3. Obvious
4. Plagued Dog
5. Take Me By the Hand
6. Endless
7. Galore
8. Make Believe
9. Family and Friends
10. Harvest Sky
11. Gods Chariot
12. Lurk/Viscus
13. Dance 2
14. Whats Good
15. Fall
16. Choke – ICT
17. WTWCB
18. Blade Bird
Here are some photos of Oklou performing live at 9:30 Club on April 27, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of James Todd Miller.
Here are some photos of Vickie Cherie opening Oklou at 9:30 Club on April 27, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of James Todd Miller.
