Under a wash of soft lights, the melodic sounds of Wendy Rene’s “After Laughter (Comes Tears)” filled the air, accompanied by the applauding crowd eagerly awaiting the introduction of indie-pop artist Claire Cottrill, musically known as Clairo.

The forest green studio inspired set design framed the stage where Clairo poured red wine for her and her band members, raising her glass to the audience to commence the second night of her sold out five-night “Charm” residency at Webster Hall on Sept. 17. The Atlanta-born artist set the scene for a night of connection, community and above all, undeniable charm.

Opening act, Frankie Cosmos kicked off the evening with their unique sound and yearnfully playful lyrics which harmoniously aligned with Clairo’s soft-rock vibe and songwriting style. The band’s setlist included their hit viral “Fool,” in which the crowd wistfully sang along to. With over 300,000 posts on Tik-Tok featuring the song’s memorable melody and chorus, it was no surprise that the audience reciprocated the band’s excitement to perform it.

Despite the tour being named after the release of her third studio album “Charm,” Clairo’s setlist incorporated music from all eras of her journey—from posting covers on SoundCloud to becoming an indie-pop sensation—showcasing her musical evolution through tracks from “Immunity,” “Sling” and her EP “Diary 001.”

Clairo began the night with “Nomad,” a tune that simultaneously starts off the “Charm” show and album, followed by a performance of “Second Nature.” As she sang, she smiled into her mic and swayed back and forth, embodying the song’s essence of loving someone or something so easily.

Later she performed “Terrapin,” a song she described in her conversation with Remi Wolf for Interview Magazine as the first song where she had “felt really free in the songwriting process.” Clairo acknowledged fans requests to perform other songs. This led to a special addition that night: “Sinking,” a track that hasn’t sonically graced a venue since the album’s tour back in 2019.

Originally a joke from her Los Angeles residency at The Fonda Theatre, this humorous and flirty atmosphere was cultivated at Webster Hall, where audience members did not hesitate to bark at her. “It makes me feel really sexy for some reason, I don’t know why,” she said during an LA show.

However, for her New York show she had a different approach; her request was that the audience boo for her and her band instead. “Boo if you think my band is sexy,” she said. Almost instantly the crowd responded with an abundance of playful boos, which were soon replaced by the upbeat rhythm of “Sexy to Someone,” initially released as a single this past May. The song served as a tease of what fans could expect from “Charm.”

The energy throughout the night was a consistent force, reflecting Clairo’s charisma that radiated to all corners of Webster Hall. With each song, expression and interaction with the crowd, Clairo seamlessly and naturally fostered an environment rich in connection and jubilance. The phrasing on her merch leaves no room for question – all those in attendance were surely “charmed at the Clairo tour.”