Claire Rosinkranz Is Barefoot, Bold and Back in Philly
PHOTOS BY LINDSEY DADOURIAN
Like so many fans, I first discovered Claire Rosinkranz during the 2021 TikTok era when “Backyard Boy” took over my feed and became the soundtrack of an entire summer. Since then, I’ve seen her twice before in intimate crowds and even then, it was obvious she was destined for more.
After stepping back from music to deal with chronic illness in 2023, Rosinkranz slowly worked her way back onto major stages, opening for artists like Alex Warren and Maroon 5. Now, after years of growth and rebuilding, she’s finally having her moment and somehow shines even brighter than before.
On the fourth stop of her headline tour, “My Lover,” Rosinkranz returned to Philly looking every bit like the pop star fans knew she’d become.
From the second she walked onstage at the Foundry barefoot (yes, barefoot) and opened with “Lucy,” the entire room was hers. Rosinkranz radiates the kind of whimsical and carefree energy that makes you want to dance first and think later. She spun across the stage, whipped her hair around and danced like nobody was watching.
The audience screamed every lyric, jumped around and matched her energy from start to finish. Nobody in that room wanted to stand still for even a second. With red curtains covering the entire backdrop of the stage and a glowing disco ball in the center of the room, the venue felt both intimate and electric. A patterned carpet beneath Rosinkranz, her drummer and guitarist, the only other performers sharing the stage with her that night.
Her sophomore album, My Lover, released earlier this year, gave the setlist emotional depth. She moved seamlessly between vulnerable tracks like “Chronic” and playful songs like “Crazy Bitch Song,” proving just how versatile she’s become as both a songwriter and performer.
Still, she didn’t forget the songs that made fans fall in love with her in the first place.
As an OG fan, hearing “don’t miss me” and “Frankenstein” live again healed something within me. Then came the encore. The second Rosinkranz launched into “Backyard Boy,” the entire venue exploded. Years later, it still feels exactly the way it did in 2021: nostalgic, electric and impossible not to scream along to.
But she still had one more surprise left with “City,” easily one of my favorite songs off My Lover. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to roll the windows down, dance with your friends and forget every responsibility waiting for you at home. It was the perfect high-energy ending to a night that already felt magical.
The crowd deserves credit, too. Concerts live or die by audience energy, and this crowd came ready. From little kids dancing with their parents to teenagers filming every second to exhausted 9-to-5 adults finally letting loose for the night, everyone showed up to have fun.
That’s what makes Rosinkranz so special. She feels both larger-than-life and completely down-to-earth. Even when she laughed after forgetting a lyric or glanced at the setlist mid-song, it only made the night feel more genuine.
Needless to say, Rosinkranz is a force to be reckoned with. In a generation overflowing with rising pop stars, she still manages to stand entirely on her own. There’s a timelessness to her music, but also a fearlessness in the way she embraces growth, vulnerability and self-reflection.
Claire Rosinkranz isn’t just helping shape the next generation of pop music. She’s creating the kind of emotional connection that makes people stay. And judging by this show, she’s only getting started.
