Pop Princess Magic. It is a specific vibe (one we’re happy to dip our to into as part of our Breaking Boundaries initiative), and tonight the O2 Academy in Glasgow was absolutely drowning in it.
First up to warm the crowd was Déyyess. For an opening act, the energy was palpable immediately. Delivering a set of slick, alternative pop, tracks like “Losing My Mind” and “F U & Your Friends” really set the tone for the evening. There is always a tricky balance for a support act – engaging a crowd that is desperately waiting for someone else -but Déyyess managed it with style, proving to be the perfect appetiser for the main course.
Then it was time for the headliner. I have to admit, these concerts are beginning to make me feel ancient at the grand age of 24. The singer is only a year younger than myself but has garnered a massive teenage female fan base, so I only felt a little out of place amidst the screaming hordes.
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Due to Alessi Rose’s stylistic leanings, I had just assumed she was American. Her sound definitely channels that polished, high-production angst, reminding me of a Nessa Barrett or Olivia Rodrigo type of artist. However, after hearing her speak between songs, hearing that distinct English accent, I instantly thought she was ten times cooler. Maybe that is wrong of me, but there is definitely something nice about artists you love and enjoy being from somewhere close to home rather than across the Atlantic.
Kicking off with “eat me alive”, she had the room in the palm of her hand. Alessi spoke candidly about struggling with her OCD and shared her genuine experience with Imposter Syndrome. She made sure to remind her young audience of the importance of sticking at something, even when you feel like you don’t belong or if you begin to lose hope. It was a shame that she found herself not feeling like she deserved the stage, considering how much she absolutely owned it tonight. Tracks like “crush” and “girl’s girl” were received with deafening approval.
Each of her songs was catchy but didn’t feel overly repetitive like so much of pop music nowadays. There is a craft to her songwriting that lifts it above standard radio fodder. Ending the main set with the massive “breakup sex”, she left everything on the stage.
Overall, there was a great atmosphere at the concert, whether you were there as a young fan screaming every word, or a supervising parent who probably left as a new fan as well.
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Photos by Ellissa Avart
