Anna Ternheim is a superstar, or at least she is in her native country. The Swedish singer-songwriter has won many awards for her music, including Best Female Artist and Best Lyricist from the Swedish Grammyjury. Although Anna isn’t as well-known around here, her latest release, Leaving on a Mayday, produced by Bjorn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn and John) is sure to grab some attention. Recently, I had the chance to check her out as the opening act for Loney, Dear and Asobi Seksu at Slim’s.

The platinum blonde songstress came out on stage looking very chic and sleek with her all-black get-up, sporting an oversized blazer and a pair of liquid leggings. She also had these very cool mid-calf motorcycle boots, which I absolutely fell in love with. But even more than a fashion statement, she wanted to share a piece of her mind with the crowd through her music.

After opening up with “Let It Rain,” she went into “Black Sunday Afternoon,” introducing the song as “a song about missing and kidnapped children.” From the get-go, Anna established a serious tone, only stopping a few times between songs to say a polite thank you. This girl meant business! She switched things up a bit by playing the upbeat, cowbell-tinged “What Have I Done,” getting the mostly peaceful crowd to groove along. I felt that the performance could’ve used a tad more cowbell, but that’s just me.

Anna was backed up by fellow Swedes Loney, Dear. The band did an awesome job, playing like they’ve been backing her up for years. The set came full circle, as Anna ended on a bittersweet note with “No I Don’t Remember.”

Leaving on a Mayday was released on August 11, and is available through Amazon and iTunes.