More about: Olivia Rodrigo

Just days after a career-defining Glastonbury set that included a Lily-Allen approved ‘fuck you’ to the American government, Olivia Rodrigo came to London for the penultimate show of her tour. The Eventim Apollo was dressed in typical prom-night props – cheesy silver tinsel, a giant disco ball hanging from the ceiling. But the minute Rodrigo bounced onto the stage in a lilac outfit and massive leather boots, you knew it was going to be anything but juvenile. 

The setlist was pretty straightforward, bookmarking the show with more upbeat tracks and planting Rodrigo’s slower cuts in the middle. The show kicked off with album opener ‘brutal’, as she jumped around in front of her all-female backing band. ‘brutal’ proved that Rodrigo wasn’t just a pretty voice – that girl can absolutely entertain. Rodrigo also gave her guitarists (Arianna Powell and Heather Baker) the space to have their own solos in ‘happier’, which was a nice commitment to displaying the supposed lack of female rock talent Rodrigo has spoken about before. 

When more intimacy was needed, the curtains closed between Rodrigo and the backing band, providing a small space for her and an acoustic guitar to serenade fans with a mashup of ‘enough for you/1 step forward, 3 steps back’. It felt very cinematic – again, like an American high-school talent show – but the dressed down staging also let Rodrigo’s natural charm shine through. Like her or not, you can’t deny that she’s got a gorgeous voice, and she makes vocal emotional expression look enviously easy. 

Rodrigo also announced she had brought a guest out – and tonight, London fans got to see Natalie Imbruglia! After sharing a big, long hug, Rodrigo and Imbruglia performed ‘Torn’ to the delight of literally everyone. It was a really lovely surprise, especially given that both women had equal admiration for the other, and provided a nice highlight for the night. 

After the ‘Torn’ cover, Rodrigo ended with ‘déjà vu’ and ‘good 4 u’, two performances which completely cemented her star power. In ‘déjà vu’, Rodrigo ran to each side of the stage, asking the crowd to scream ‘déjà vu’ – safe to say, it was enjoyably ear-destroying. It was the throwback pop-punk angst of ‘good 4 u’, however, which was the easy winner of the night. Rodrigo effortlessly belted, hit the crash cymbal on the drums, and asked fans to repeat the bridge with her. Not once did she appear vaguely out of breath or tired – in fact, the amount of love London was showing her tonight seemed to energise her even further. 

Lots of artists can put on great shows with creative staging and top-notch vocals, but they’re nothing without an audience. Tonight really demonstrated the power of Rodrigo’s fanbase, who worked incredibly hard to elevate the Olivia Rodrigo experience. There was not a single moment in which the fans slacked; I do not exaggerate when I say every note was sung, and every word was screamed. TikTok soundbites such as ‘maybe I’m not as interesting as the girls you had before’ practically rattled the walls. 

The appeal of Olivia Rodrigo might confuse older listeners, who might complain that her whole ‘thing’ is a little trite. I’d argue that Rodrigo is just jarringly unpretentious. There’s no hiding behind complicated metaphors, no performance art, no crazy backup dancers or flamethrowers. It’s just honest, well-executed lyricism, delivered by a professional who’s ready to genuinely engage with the audience with the fruits of her own talent. Rodrigo’s London show is proof that sometimes, all you need is a bit of personality and sincerity to become a star. 

See the photos from Fabiola Bonnot below:

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More about: Olivia Rodrigo