Photo by Hannah Sender
After releasing her debut album last summer, Audrey Hobert has reached significant popularity in the past year, despite it being her only release thus far. She toured Who’s The Clown? across the US, Canada, and Europe this past winter, and made her Gov Ball debut, drawing a massive audience. Hobert announced the second leg of the Staircase to Stardom tour for summer 2026 in much larger venues than the previous leg, reflecting her rapid rise to fame (as the tour title aptly suggests). Hobert performed in Boston for the first time on December 15th, 2025, at the Sinclair. She returned to the city, in which she has strong family ties, on June 6th at Roadrunner. Hobert debuted new merch for the tour’s new leg, which fans—who arrived in the Hobert uniform (polka dots, mismatched prints, scarves, and bright-colored tights)—eagerly scrounged to acquire before she took the stage. Hobert’s collaboration with Fishwife, a tinned fish company, was a hot seller. Although the setlist would presumably remain nearly exactly the same as the previous leg, old and new fans were equally, if not more, excited for Hobert’s headline return.
Before taking the stage to perform, Hobert (disguised in an oversized hoodie covering her head and most of her body) slyly walked across the stage and placed a mannequin wearing a blonde braided wig with its arms behind its back, facing away from the crowd, on the stage, and rushed off. Fans, confused yet entertained, cheered for her to come back. One fan shouted, “Free her!” referring to the mannequin’s seemingly arrested state. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and loud pop music blasted through the venue. Yes, this mannequin paired with the hype tunes was Hobert’s nameless, faceless opener. An interesting choice, yet undeniably Audrey. Her trademark quirkiness and unpredictability are among her most endearing qualities for her loyal fanbase.
As the mannequin was removed, a distorted voice came over the loudspeakers, telling the fans the show would begin soon and reminding them that “everybody has secrets.” Finally, Hobert took the stage with her cousin and tour staff member, Savannah Kirk, known to the fans from the lyrics of “Silver Jubilee” (“Savannah’s twenty-five.”) Savannah helped Audrey get into her opening outfit, a massive trench coat that allowed Hobert to tower at something like eight feet tall, and a pair of Groucho glasses. In this getup, Hobert performed the opening track on her album, “I like to touch people.”
Hobert continued to perform tracks from the album with notable tour-exclusive flair, including her “Wet Hair” monologue and a saxophone performance from Savannah during “Thirst Trap.” The one differentiator from the previous leg of the tour (other than the number of fans translating to the upgrade in venue size): Hobert performed an unreleased track called “Punkrocker.” The song stays true to Hobert’s silliness and upbeat attitude. Slightly less lyrically heavy, the song caught on with fans, who began singing along to the chorus. Hobert also prefaced her performance of “Phoebe” by saying that the track is her favorite to perform live. She explained to the sold-out crowd that she didn’t expect the extent to which the song would resonate with them, but was pleased and touched by how it did. “It’s the only one that I sometimes get emotional during,” she admitted. Yet, she threw on her guitar and played it to the adoring audience, who sang back every lyric with a beaming smile. Hobert has become known for her tongue-twisting, intensely lyrical songwriting. Still, her fans seemed to know every single word throughout the entire performance. One fan recalled being stood near Hobert’s grandparents during the show, who mused at their dedication: “How do you remember every lyric?!” Speaking of family, Hobert brought out her sister (Northeastern alum), Ella Hobert, for a duet during “Silver Jubilee.” Although Ella had a quick slipping incident during the song, Audrey picked her right up, hugging her as they sang into their mics, “I’ma tell my sister she’s perfect!” The audience recognized Ella immediately, breaking into cheers and screaming. Clearly, every Hobert has the ability to perform. Perhaps one day we can all experience HOT (Hoberts On Tour).
As the short but sweet show came to a close, Hobert and her trampoline performed “Sue Me” for the second time. She screamed to the crowd to turn off their phones and dance, and they dutifully obeyed. As she had throughout the show, Hobert commanded the room as she danced across the stage, adding some fun moves on the trampoline. The crowd danced and sang along with her before she made her exit. Although it is unclear when Hobert will release new music, it is safe to say her next project will be greeted by a massive, devoted fanbase.
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