On Tuesday, June 2, Haute & Freddy wowed a sold-out crowd at Warsaw. Their first of two sold-out nights at the Brooklyn venue, the theatrical pop duo did more than just play music – they gave the performance of a lifetime.
The “Freaks” duo is composed of Michelle Buzz (Haute) and Lance Shipp (Freddy). After moving to Los Angeles to pursue careers as songwriters, the two met and spent their weekends making music. Buzz and Shipp are highly successful songwriters independent of their work together, having written for acts like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Rauw Alejandro. After two years of fine-tuning the project, they released singles “Scantily Clad” and “Anti-Superstar” in 2024 under Haute & Freddy. Now signed to Atlantic Records as of January 2026, the alternative-pop duo is taking the world by storm on their Big Disgrace Tour.
Opener: The Rubin Brothers
Opener The Rubin Brothers perfectly prepped The Royal Court for their main act. The two demonstrated their unique circus talents, such as unicycling and juggling, while complicating tenfold by adding music into the mix. Colescott demonstrated his balancing skills through unicycling around the small stage while plucking the upright bass. AJ later climbed onto his brother’s shoulders while juggling pins to sing about their affinity for redheads. Combining hilarity and circus talent, the brothers are natural-born performers.
Haute & Freddy
A Haute & Freddy concert is an all-around performance masterpiece. Live show elements, such as a troupe of vintage clowns, acrobats, and stilt-walkers, as well as circus inspired set pieces and mid-concert sideshows, teleport the Warsaw stage back to an 18th century performance at the traveling circus.
The band is known for overlapping musicianship with theatrics through their renaissance runaway carnie aesthetic. Comparable to other current baroque-pop artists like Chappell Roan and The Last Dinner Party, the two-piece are cementing themselves amongst industry greats. The duo has a loose backstory of being outcast, misfit circus performers who antagonize aristocracy. Treating every night on the road as if it’s a stop on the Big Disgrace Traveling Circus, Haute & Freddy arrive on stage with their circus troupe to set-starter “Anti-Superstar.” Alongside the musical duo are performance artists Fou York, the New York City-based troupe of Fou Fou Ha!
With their quick rise to fame, the two immediately point out their gratitude for the sold-out crowd. Describing that they last played in NYC at Port Authority’s Hidden Jewel Box Theatre in March, the big smiles rarely left Haute’s face. From an intimate crowd of fifty just three months ago to two sold out shows at the 1,100 capacity Warsaw, the highly successful release of Big Disgrace has already made a difference in Haute & Freddy’s world.
Transitioning to fan-favorite “Fashion Over Function,” the duo demonstrated exactly how to dominate a stage. With Freddy behind the drums and Haute on vocals, the pair radiate electric energy. Haute traversed the entire stage, doing high-kicks in the air as she sang along to the synthesized tune. On stage left, Freddy commanded the beat, often sticking his tongue out at front-row fans with a silly smirk.
The two have an innate sense for self-acceptance. They’re fun, they’re freaky, and they’re weird – with the best part being they embrace it all fully. Their fanbase, lovingly referred to as The Royal Court, are right there with them. Coming to the concert donning their masquerade best, many attendees spent hours creating their show outfits by hand. Between songs, Haute made sure to reference this by asking the crowd about their technical mask-making skills, clearly impressed with the dedication of their mighty fanbase.
Haute & Freddy stayed in their misfit runaway characters for the entire set. Their music traverses time, as it deals with themes of oppression, personal-liberation, and human spirit. But as a live spectacle, they are not two people living in modern day America – they’ve fully immersed themselves and their audience to live in medieval times for a night. Between the “shall’s” and “thee’s” of Haute’s Elizabethan language during fan interactions to their costuming and physical image, the duo play the part well.
“Freaks,” a personal favorite on Haute & Freddy’s discography, had the crowd roaring. The catchy, rhythmic tune perfectly details the essence of their audience. Describing how shy people can be freaks under the surface, the two encourage their fans to dress up, dance, and feel themselves to their live music. From the view at the back of the venue, The Royal Court danced harder than ever before with their friends, strangers, and partners as they sang along to Haute’s powerful vocals.
If pure joy hit an all-time high with “Freaks,” fan immersion into the world of Haute & Freddy skyrocketed during “Scantily Clad.” Hand-picking a few extra-fashionable fans from the audience, the duo offered them a challenge. As if “Scantily Clad” was a Shakespeare reenactment, Haute & Freddy asked their chosen fans to portray the roles of characters in the song on stage. In the order of the song, the newly appointed queen, king, pope, and knights were tasked to interpret the lyrics through dramatic movements. Later, Haute & Freddy improvised a song about a crowd member, which they tend to do on most tour stops.
The rest of the night continued showcasing the high-renaissance charm of Haute & Freddy. While they have completed their New York shows, the alt-pop duo continues on their tour, hitting venues and festivals throughout the United States through October. Tickets and show dates are available here.
Haute & Freddy – Tuesday, June 2 – Warsaw
Setlist: Anti-Superstar, Fashion Over Function, Sweet Surrender, Sophie, Fields of Versailles, Femme Hysteria, I Like My People Weird, Freaks, Scantily Clad, Improvised Song Medley, Showgirl at Heart, Dance the Pain Away, Let’s Dance (David Bowie cover), Symphony for a Queen, Shy Girl
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