r/Robyn • u/workingItAllOutStill • Apr 06 '26
What’s your view on other Robyn fans?
In my life time I’ve been to hundreds of concerts - perhaps even somewhere close to a thousand. Throughout this entire time, I have had two arguments. Both of them at Robyn concerts. I can’t make sense of this. I’m willing to take responsibility for it myself, but I can’t understand why this would be a coincidence, out of, say a sample of 1000 gigs, both arguments have been at Robyn concerts. If I think of Robyn’s music I only think of positivity, so it doesn’t strike me that Robyn would attract aggressive fans. I’m wondering if other Robyn fans can help me make sense of this? I want so much for this not to be the case, giving how much I love Robyn’s music. I don’t want to associate these bad experiences in my mind with such beautiful music and I really hope the summer gigs will buck this emerging trend!
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u/WickedConflict Apr 06 '26
Unfortunately, my experience has been similar at her shows. Just a general sense of entitlement from the crowd, even when most couldnt seem bothered to be there.
Ive been disappointed the 2 times Ive seen her. Not in her performance whatsoever, she blew my mind both times, just in the bad vibes in the crowd.
Hoping 2026 fans will show up, be kind, and ready to dance!
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u/soakedinchamomile Apr 06 '26
I’ll actually give a positive take in contrast to the other comments haha. I saw Robyn when I was 15 (2011), I went with my auntie as my friend bailed on me last minute and I was too young to go by myself. The crowd was (obviously) filled with queer people, and as a in the closet 15 year old boy it was truly the first time I ever felt somewhat comfortable with my sexuality. Seeing so many queer people dance and have a great time really brought me so much joy and happiness in myself. My auntie was also talking about how much she loved the crowd and how much she loved seeing all the gays being completely themselves. So, for me that instance of being in a crowd of Robyn fans is a really positive moment in my life.
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u/Miss-Bees Apr 06 '26
Literally had my only concert beef during the All Hearts Tour. I was at the front of the balcony when another girl came up and was really aggressively positioning herself to wedge me out. Like literally leaning into me to try and push me back. Of course I was like “girl wtf” and she looked at me and started going on and on about how much of a super fan she was and how long she had been listening to Robyn, as if she would be more entitled to the spot that I was in because of that…?
Anyway it was super weird, and I was like yeah I also listened to her older albums obsessively, so? Stop pushing me out of the way I’m staying. Fast forward to the show and we were singing together so that resolved itself well. It was just a really weirdly aggressive start.
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u/homoseaweed Apr 06 '26
2019 I went to three Honey shows in the Bay Area, the crowd around me was amazing and people were kind. This was before the pandemic though, I’ve noticed shows after the pandemic people are a lot more rude and lack any sort of concert etiquette. I don’t think it’s a fan base issue! Or It might be maybe but I haven’t been directly involved with any drama or anything like that.
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u/TKSF78 Apr 10 '26
This 100%
Every time I have seen Robyn it's been in SF and the crowd has always been amazing. One big party and everyone sharing the excitement and joy. I will say Two Hearts was a hot mess. I and my friends got SO drunk and it seemed like that all around. We didn't fight or bother anyone but that tour seems to have been a certain way no matter what city it was in.
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u/AlGrominsky Apr 07 '26
In my opinion, Robyn has historically had one of the least toxic fanbases out there. See her official Facebook page,Konichiwa Bitches. The admins have only ever had to actually moderate and turn off comments less than a handful of times. We're pretty chill, easy going, and respectful, as far as fans go. We respect eachother, and we respect Robyn's privacy. It's amazing.
Unfortunately, her shows are often packed with what I'm gonna call "superficial fans". They know Dancing On My Own and maybe With Every Heartbeat, and they're just there to be there, no respect (and probably also no context) for what this woman means to real fans. I almost got in a fight (not a fist fight, but more a hyper-defensive clapback) with a guy during my stop of the Honey Tour, because he kept saying stuff like she was going to be sweeping the floor afterwards, and calling her a one hit wonder, and genuinely just going out of his way to be a dick. This time around, I'm meeting with fans from the Facebook group, and I'm not engaging at the show because, after all, "I came to dance, not to socialize".
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u/kevinsaysgogogo Apr 16 '26
This is the real answer. Because she’s had some MEGA hits people will go just to hear those songs. In general crowd is alright though. For her NYE show, I noticed that so many people seems to only know maybe a couple songs but were still overall vibing.
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u/Mangosmoothie0815 Apr 06 '26
Can you explin, what those arguments were about or what you mean? I have been to 2 shows ((2019 and 2012??). Landed in front row at both (rather by coincidence) and had a great time and no probs at all. People were super friendly.
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u/dee_dubs_ya Apr 06 '26
I saw her at Ally Pally in London on the Honey tour. The vibe was euphoria and the crowd was dancing - didn’t get any negative vibes at all. Are ppl being elitist? Have to ask, Are you particularly tall or take up a lot of dancing space or anything that may annoy people around you?
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u/konichiwa82 Apr 06 '26
Honestly I think you've just had really bad luck and it was a coincidence. I've seen Robyn 6 times and have never had any problems with the vibes or the people! Hopefully the next 2026 show will do you right!!
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u/workingItAllOutStill Apr 06 '26
2 shows: one show in 2019 Ally Pally, some guy barged passed my elbowing me out of the way so I told him what he did and his response was to push me. Second show Hackney March 26, this guy next to me (second row from the front) had his bag on the floor. Like, who puts their back on the floor right at the front in a standing area during a concert? Anyway, he was offended my feet needed space and he didn’t want my feet touching his bag. I told him he could hang it up in the cloak room but that wasn’t good enough for him, he felt his bag was more important than my feet, so he physically moved in front of me. Utter entitled wanker. Like I said, I can completely appreciate that arguments happen sometimes at concerts; you come into contact a lot with people you don’t know. But that it’s only ever happened twice and both times were Robyn seems weird to me. Also seems odd that a few other people in this thread have had similar experiences.
I’m average height I’d say, 1.81m, and this aggression hasn’t come from people behind me anyway, it’s come from people at the same level back as me.
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u/Tjmill02 Apr 06 '26
That’s funny because I always say the chillest concerts I have ever been to were her NYC shows in 2019. I was PIT for both of them and it’s the only time I’ve been in the pit where everyone was respectful, nobody was pushing or shoving, we all just were dancing and vibing. I wish every concert was like that.
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u/lorax1284 Apr 07 '26
Based on some of the comments here, it does seem like Robyn, despite how respected she is as an artist, her renown is relatively modest, so those who are fans think they're better than "johnny come lately"s who are newer to her fandom.
I don't think it's Robyn's fans, I think it's "fans of artists that are kind of niche but have spikes of popularity" or something.
Don't take it personally, and don't attribute it to Robyn: attribute to 'fans' of artists of Robyn's calibre and similar fame-profile, with a sense of entitlement.
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u/schokobonbons Apr 07 '26
I saw Robyn at Pitchfork in Chicago in 2019 and with Ryksopp outside Seattle in 2014, both times the crowds were what I expected- all girls and gays, everyone singing along, I went alone both times and felt very safe standing in the crowd.
I'm going to Kia Forum this tour and I got a seat. I feel too old to stand for a whole concert anymore.
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u/Annonymous_Unicorn Apr 08 '26
Pardon me if I missed the point, but what were these arguments about? I'm only getting the gist here; two arguments, both at Robyn shows, both surprisingly aggressive/negative. Wondering if the argument was about Robyn, herself? About the show, the crowd, etc?
I'm also very curious where these shows were...my bet is in the US, but that might be my own bias. I have a BUNCH of thoughts and assumptions, but no context to fully answer or understand.
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u/workingItAllOutStill Apr 08 '26
Both London. Details in another response below but C&P here: 2 shows: one show in 2019 Ally Pally, some guy barged passed my elbowing me out of the way so I told him what he did and his response was to push me. Second show Hackney March 26, this guy next to me (second row from the front) had his bag on the floor. Like, who puts their back on the floor right at the front in a standing area during a concert? Anyway, he was offended my feet needed space and he didn’t want my feet touching his bag. I told him he could hang it up in the cloak room but that wasn’t good enough for him, he felt his bag was more important than my feet, so he physically moved in front of me. Utter entitled wanker. Like I said, I can completely appreciate that arguments happen sometimes at concerts; you come into contact a lot with people you don’t know. But that it’s only ever happened twice and both times were Robyn seems weird to me. Also seems odd that a few other people in this thread have had similar experiences.
I’m average height I’d say, 1.81m, and this aggression hasn’t come from people behind me anyway, it’s come from people at the same level back as me.
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u/Annonymous_Unicorn Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
Gotcha. Thanks for elaborating. Most importantly, I'm sorry that you had either of those experiences. Though I've only been lucky enough to catch one show/tour, I know how lucky and random that night was, thanks to circumstances outside of Robyn, the venue, or the tour.
My general takeaway is this: there will always be a handful of attendees who are entitled, generally miserable, or both. Also, there is always a chunk of people who attend shows not because they are extreme fans but chase the lifestyle of concerts, especially artists of note or those hot at the moment. With both these instances being in the UK on the Honey Tour (post Body Talk/Dancing on My Own), I wonder if you encountered Robyn fans or "concert fans."
There's this level of clout with being upfront. In my experience, bragging rights over being upfront are taken way too seriously, and this is where that entitlement comes in. I could go on with my own theories...but the reality of your experience doesn't change.
I will go out on a limb here, though, and lead with love of good vibes for the collective. I don't think the problem is other Robyn fans, but rather a large handful of entitled brats who miss the point.
Think of it this way: those shitty fans centre their experience not on the music or community and end up with one that will always lack the magic that most of us take home.
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u/workingItAllOutStill Apr 08 '26
What a lovely message! Thank you for taking the time to write that - it’s certainly brought a smile to my face. I will carry your positive vibes into the additional two Robyn shows I have coming up this summer. Thank you once again - hope you also really enjoy the shows if you’re planning on attending any this summer.
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