On Dec. 17, Audrey Hobert took the stage at The Sinclair as part of her “The Staircase To Stardom Tour.” The sold-out show at the 525-person venue gave an intimate look at the rising pop star’s lyricism, authenticity, and quirky, unapologetic energy.

With 1.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Hobert certainly could have played a bigger venue. Yet, for her first tour and a fairly limited discography — comprised of her August 2025 debut album “Who’s the Clown?” — the smaller venue was a good fit for her to create a connection with fans. With her sister and grandmother in the room, the show in Cambridge felt like a powerful symbol of how far Hobert has come since her solo debut in May.

Hobert opened the show the same way she opened her album, with the double-entendre-filled “I like to touch people.” She stood on stilts and wore a fake nose, adding to the playfulness of her opening song about the desire to get close with and have an impact on others.

The high energy moments were a constant highlight of the show, such as the bridge in “Don’t go back to his ass” and the sax solo dance break at the end of “Thirst Trap.” They proved why Hobert — who has often played a part behind the scenes of the writing and creative direction of other artists, like her long-time friend Gracie Abrams and her brother Malcolm Todd — deserves to be in the spotlight herself.

Hobert’s switch between vulnerability and jokes in both her lyrics and her comments to the crowd allowed her to bring her own personality to the space. Before “Phoebe,” which builds off the side-character archetype of Phoebe Buffay from the TV show “Friends,” she put on large sunglasses.

“I’ve got shades on because this one might make me cry,” Hobert said.

Yet, she humorously talked about the fried rice waiting for her in the fridge in the very same song opening, like a defense mechanism. The ability to be honest about what these songs and this tour means to her was refreshing, but her banter made her relatable and witty.

Despite her energy, it was clear that this was her first tour. With no opener, Hobert’s show was done in less than an hour, and in between each song the transition was a blackout — which felt more like a lack of polish than an intentional choice. Her band of three people was great, but it would have been even cooler to see her with a larger band; for example, the saxophone solo that her agent played on a fake version of the instrument was silly, though the performance itself would have benefited from the use of a live saxophone. The no-frills experience created an intimate vibe that worked for a first headlining tour, but Hobert and her team could certainly shoot for a higher production value on subsequent tours.

Nevertheless, the final few songs were the highlight of the show. In “Chateau,” Hobert brought the dance energy back after the vulnerability in “Phoebe.” Next, she played “Sue me” while bathed in pink and white lights. Phones went up to record her hit single — it was surreal to see a hit song in a small venue. After “Silver Jubilee,” Hobert played “Sue me” again. The replay had even more energy and even crazier dance moves from Hobert, offering the audience a chance to rock out to the song without any distraction.

Although Hobert is often defined by her viral songs, this show proved that she is much more than that. Throughout the night, she told a powerful story of unapologetic confidence and creative vision. Hobert directs her own music videos, and this concert had the same whimsical yet definitive energy. Her lyricism is unmatched — and hearing the words live brought even more force to them.

Hobert’s charisma and command of the crowd made it such a privilege to see the star in such a small venue. Perhaps Hobert can take on House of Blues, Roadrunner, or even MGM the next time that she’s in Boston.

—Staff writer Hannah M. Wilkoff can be reached at [email protected].