You may know Honduran-American, LA-based pop star, Empress Of, for her clear, full voice, immediately recognizable amidst an increasingly saturated sea of pop stars. You may know her for her eye-catching, glitzy stage wardrobe (handmade by her mother!) or for her snappy recent track with Rina Sawayama, “Kiss Me.” You may know her– like I know her– for her energetic stage presence, which was on full display Wednesday night at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever. Brimming with verve, flaunting a broad smile, flirting with the crowd in a way only a singer who has been working since 2015 can, Empress Of danced her way through a set that featured an impressive array of new and old music, and kept the crowd moving right along with her.

Maneuvering effortlessly between ethereal pop and rhythmic bangers (crowd favorites being “When I’m With Him,” and “Wild Girl”) the singer demonstrated a thorough knowledge of, appreciation for, and excitement about dance music in its most robust forms. She was surrounded by friends and family both in the crowd and onstage– her best friend opened and DJ’d for her throughout the night, and her mother made a surprise appearance mid-set. With a stage presence that ignited even the most hesitant of dancers, a voice that left concertgoers humming the songs as they filed out of the venue, and a network of devoted fans and lovers that jumped for joy at every toss of her long braids, Empress Of’s performance flooded a dark, crowded room at the Masonic Lodge with dazzling, heartwarming light.