Lola Young live in London: Crowning moment for pop’s most relatable artist
At her biggest London show to date, Lola Young shows why she's set to be no flash-in-the-pan.
By Ben Jolley
Few popstars would dare declare their show “a shambles” so soon after stepping on stage, but Lola Young is far from your average chart-topping artist. A proudly rough-round-the-edges contrast to her media-poised peers who serve platitudes, the black-corset-wearing musician from Croydon-via-Beckenham isn’t afraid to talk about her imperfections.
Admitting to her sold-out London audience that she is known for rambling, the 24-year-old pulls her phone out to read a self-penned poem that aims to succinctly summarise her feelings. Focusing on how music has helped her to choose life over death “even though it feels more appealing and easier”, her sombre yet hopeful messaging is sure to resonate with anyone going through a difficult time.
Similarly, as a lyricist, Young hits the nail on the head every time. Whether the song is “sad, sexy or silly”, she says what everyone’s thinking – the casually-candid Lily Allen-esque ‘Big Brown Eyes’ – – which boasts the brilliantly quotable opening lyric “you can eat shit” – is a perfect example. But for every witty one-liner, she’s got the vocal range to boot: frequently jaw-dropping, with soulful tones similar to Amy Winehouse, the piano-led belter ‘What Is It About Me?’ and sway-along acoustic ballad ‘You Noticed’ swell with post-break-up emotion. Backed by a brilliant live band, extra riff-and-drum-heavy weight is added to punky anthem ‘Wish You Were Dead’ and the grungy screams of ‘Crush’, while a pre-encore ‘Conceited’ erupts with headbanging intensity and flashing strobes.
It’s important to note that, rather than them waiting for the big viral hit, the succession of singalongs for album cuts and back catalog numbers prove the dedication of Young’s fanbase to her underdog success story, which even led to a BRITS performance last weekend. Teasing that her next album is finished and better than the last, the screams do, of course, get even louder as she closes the show with her number one single ‘Messy’, which sees friends belt out the chorus together at the top of their lungs. Among them is a newly-divorced woman who, in celebratory fashion, proclaims to Rolling Stone what makes Young such a singular talent: “She’s real! Day in, day out, it’s hard, but she’s so relatable.”
On the strength of this headline performance at the 02 Forum Kentish Town – which feels like a victory lap for her 2024 album This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway – it’s clear that Lola Young is an artist who talks from the heart like few others. An unapologetic role model who is, like all of us, a little bit messy.