Troye Sivan Performs Dramatic ‘Animal’ on ‘Colbert’

Troye Sivan’s dramatic live version of “Animal” would have likely enraptured the Late Show audience – if only there’d been one. 

The pop singer presented a more band-oriented version of his dark Bloom ballad on Wednesday, relying on harmonized electric guitars, atmospheric synth-strings, soft piano flourishes and live drums. As the song climaxed, the camera zoomed around to reveal an empty Ed Sullivan Theater.

Sivan also performed his song “Plum,” adding a rock edge to the cut with heavy drums and an electric guitar solo. “Plum” is an album cut from Sivan’s recently issued second LP, Bloom. “Animal” is the fifth single, following “My My My!,” “The Good Side,” “Bloom” and the Ariana Grande-featured “Dance to This.”

The vocalist also sat down for an interview with Late Show host Stephen Colbert, promoting his upcoming film Boy Erased. The Joel Edgerton-directed drama, which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8th, follows a gay teenager whose parents send him to “conversion therapy.” “I really hope the movie is going to speak mostly to … parents,” Sivan said. “Just how your reaction to your kid coming out can really shape their lives.”

Sivan will promote Bloom with a headlining North American fall tour that kicks off September 21st in Irving, Texas and wraps November 8th in Vancouver, British Columbia.