There’s no shortage of people braving the cold Kentish Town air outside the Forum as the queue snakes around the building, fizzing with anticipation.
Inside is no different. Crammed to the front, the young crowd, dressed to impress their idol dance and sing to every song warming them up over the PA. It’s a sign of things to come, filled with Alessi’s influences, from Madonna to Gracie Abrams, Chappel Roan to Lorde.
Alessi Rose’s fandom is tight-knit and dedicated (I spoke to one fan who had come in from Portugal for this show), locking in to her raw, personal output. This applies as much to her social media mastery as her music, but both allow her to connect in a fashion that feels visceral for some of the crowd tonight.
As the lights go down, the volume of the crowd goes up, the air pierced with screams of expectation. A cross lights up the rear of the stage, not entirely inappropriate for what looks like a quasi-religious experience for some, and Alessi’s silhouette fills the backdrop before she strides through the curtain to her centre stage platform.
That Could Be Me and eat me alive energise the crowd from the off, Alessi posing, effortlessly creating social media-worthy imagery for her army of fans. Set against a backdrop like a gothic chapel, it’s a striking picture, with a chandelier hanging high above centre stage.
Joyously interacting with the crowd, there’s still a sense that this is all fresh for the headliner. “I was looking at the crowd earlier…everyone’s dressed like me! This is fun!” You’d think, given her summer of touring with Tate McRae and Dua Lipa, this wouldn’t be such a surprise, but her genuine pleasure in the whole spectacle is endearing.
Rattling through crowd favourites like First Original Thought and CRUSH! we then hear her latest release Get Around which is an infectious anthem to unrequited, red-flag-filled love. The main set closes out with one of her biggest songs – Dumb Girl, before returning to remind the crowd of her gratitude for what’s been a stellar year for the Derby-born artist. Rounding off the encore with Same Mouth, the crowd are emotional and longing for this night not to end. As the pink heart-shaped confetti flutters down, fans rush to scoop handfuls to cherish as souvenirs.
With irresistible, catchy melodies and her confessional lyrics, Alessi Rose has the momentum right now. Propelled by a fandom that believes in her completely, her natural presence and connection suggests that 2026 should be an even bigger year.
The tour continues to Nottingham and Newcastle, before hitting Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball to round out the year.
