Sombr defends show amid online debate over young audience

Sombr, a 20-year-old singer-songwriter, responded this week after a nearly nine-minute TikTok by a concertgoer criticizing his Oct. 13 performance at the Anthem in Washington, D.C. went viral and sparked a broad online discussion about his stage material, the age of his audience and the tone of fan responses. The concertgoer, a 25-year-old who posts as meganator, said she left the show early and advised viewers that "if you're over the age of 16, you should not spend your money on a Sombr concert."

In the video, the attendee said she had enjoyed his recorded music but found the live show discordant with her expectations. She cited a segment called the Sombr Dating Show, in which audience members were invited onstage to call ex-partners, and described the act and other onstage bits as overly crude and aimed at a younger crowd. She also criticized Sombr's dancing and singing and called the overall experience "cringe," while noting that many fans clearly enjoyed the performance.

Sombr addressed the criticism in a TikTok posted days later, saying he had been surprised by the online reaction and arguing that the concertgoer had misjudged his typical audience. He said the viral post...