Will Swinton Brings Raw Emotion and Big Vocals to Seattle’s Barboza

Will Swinton Brings Raw Emotion and Big Vocals to Seattle’s Barboza

Fresh off a Lollapalooza appearance, the New Zealand singer-songwriter proved that his intimate Seattle performance was only the beginning.

Article & Photos by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff

Will Swinton performing at Barboza in Seattle, WA. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG).

There’s something uniquely revealing about watching an artist perform in a room as intimate as Barboza. With the stage only a few feet above the floor and the audience packed closely around it, there is nowhere to hide and very little separating performer from listener. For New Zealand singer-songwriter Will Swinton, that intimacy only seemed to amplify the emotional weight of his music.

Fresh off a performance at Lollapalooza just days earlier, Swinton brought his band to Seattle on August 10 for an evening that felt simultaneously laid-back and intensely focused.

From the moment he stepped onto the stage, Swinton's presence was difficult to miss. Towering over the rest of the band and practically dwarfing the already modest stage, he carried himself with a stoic seriousness that matched the often raw subject matter of his songs. His voice was equally imposing: powerful, slightly scratchy around the edges, and capable of moving effortlessly through a surprisingly wide range.

Songs like “December,” “Fall Apart,” “Flames,” “Daydream,” and “Hate My Guts” showcased the full breadth of that vocal ability. Swinton's delivery never felt overly polished or detached. There was a roughness to it that made the songs feel lived-in, particularly during the more emotionally charged moments of the set.

That emotional connection was apparent in the crowd, even in a room that wasn't particularly full. A handful of especially dedicated fans pressed toward the front of the stage, singing along to seemingly every word. Their enthusiasm occasionally became its own part of the performance, with Swinton responding to them with smiles, claps, and bursts of movement that broke through his otherwise serious demeanor.

Will Swinton performing at Barboza in Seattle, WA. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG).

During those moments, the contrast was striking. One minute, Swinton stood almost motionless behind the microphone, completely absorbed in the song. The next, he was jumping up and down and clapping along with the audience, visibly feeding off the energy coming back at him.

The band's chemistry added to that balance. All hailing from New Zealand, the group carried an easygoing presence that never felt overly rehearsed or self-important, while still treating the music and performance with obvious seriousness. The result was a show that felt relaxed without ever becoming casual.

Even the visual atmosphere of the room seemed to complement that dynamic. Barboza's lighting was unconventional, with much of the illumination coming from floor-level lights that flashed and pulsed upward rather than traditional overhead stage lighting. The effect dramatically carved the performers' faces out of the darkness, creating moments of stark contrast and fleeting silhouettes. For a photographer, it was a challenging setup; for an audience member, it gave the performance an appropriately intimate and sometimes almost cinematic quality.

Songs such as “Hold You Again” and “Two Hands” further emphasized Swinton's ability to pull an audience into the emotional core of his songwriting. The crowd may have been small, but the response to the music was anything but. There was a sense that the people gathered in that room weren't simply watching a promising young artist; they were already invested in where he was headed.

And where Swinton is headed appears to be somewhere considerably larger.

With more than 100 million streams, two EPs, major touring experience, and a recent Lollapalooza slot already under his belt, Swinton is quickly moving beyond the intimate venues where artists first build their following. His raspy, powerhouse vocals and emotionally direct songwriting give him the tools to make that transition.

Will Swinton performing at Barboza in Seattle, WA. Photography by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff (@vanezasnaps on IG).

At Barboza, Will Swinton didn't need a massive production or a packed arena to prove his ability to command a room. He simply needed a microphone, a band, and a few hundred square feet of stage.

The rest came naturally.

Seattle may have caught Swinton in an intimate room, but judging by the strength of his performance, it may not be long before those rooms become much harder to find.