Alessi Rose Brings Pop Power to the O2 Forum

Alessi Rose brings her high-energy victory lap tour to London’s O2 Forum, delivering a powerful, emotional set spanning all three EPs.

If you’ve tuned in to this year’s music at all, there’s a high chance you’ll know the name Alessi Rose – the nation’s newest, hottest pop princess, who this year alone performed at Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, and TRNSMT, supported Dua Lipa in stadiums across the UK and Europe, and opened for Tate McRae over in the States.

She’s also released not one, but two EPs this year, including an 11-track deluxe to her most recent: Voyeur. There’s no escaping the force that is Alessi Rose, and for good reason.

Even if you haven’t heard her music, or seen her live, she’s accidentally become a household name recently, with a funny name drop on EastEnders – something she took to TikTok to laugh about, completely oblivious she was being named in the episode.

After conquering just about everything this year, Alessi now heads across the UK for her victory lap tour - and on Tuesday, it was London’s turn. With a queue snaking around the O2 Forum, you knew it was going to be a great night.

With some fans already in the venue after getting their hands on VIP Soundcheck tickets, others rushed to the barrier as soon as doors opened, to get as close as they possibly could to their idol.

First up was alt artist Déyyess, whose mellow melodies got everyone swaying from side to side. Having just released her second EP Would You Go Down On A Girl? less than two weeks before, it was a pleasant surprise to see fans on the front row singing all the words to her songs. After I left the photo pit and ventured to the back of the venue, songs like Claire created a nostalgic vibe as you walked through the massive O2 Forum, from the cloakroom to the bar, to the merch stand and eventually to the comfortable seating upstairs. Her songs felt like you had stepped into a montage from a romance movie – only further emphasised by a ‘kissing scene’ during She Knows, where she lovingly glanced over at her drummer (who is also her girlfriend) before walking over and caressing her - which gained a huge cheer from the crowd. Fans held up LGBTQ+ flags, including one that said, ‘Lesbians for Alessi’. They really appreciated an artist like Déyyess showing such confidence on stage - not afraid to be open and herself, paving the way for others. What I was most surprised by, was the fact her drummer was not distracted by the kiss and continued playing the drums – now that’s a talent!

After leaving the stage, fans then became super excited, with songs on the pre-show playlist causing them to go wild.

And eventually, the lights went down once more to reveal a religious cross behind the backdrop lit up in a deep blue. Alessi stepped on stage and kicked off her set with energetic pop track That Could Be Me – posing for her crowd on her podium creating silhouette figures while the lights were low, before gracefully moving across the stage when the drums kicked in, admiring all her fans’ faces, whether on the front row or at the back. Fans jumped up and down and chanted the lyrics, eliminating the need for backing vocals as Alessi was supported by her audience the entire time. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter pointed at members of her crowd, inviting them into her magical world.

Her set was beautiful, designed like a grandiose chapel, with fans cheering, screaming, and dancing in every corner – in effect, worshipping her at the altar.

The next track, eat me alive, caused fans to go crazy, while don’t ask questions slowed the pace, bringing nostalgia with similar chord patterns to Billie Eilish’s Your Power. Fans couldn’t help but scream the lyric ‘You’re the reason I can’t stay in London’ – especially as they were in the capital – before they locked in for the rest of the song.

“That was really fun!” Alessi shouted afterwards, giggling as she spoke. “I was staring at the queue earlier and I was like ‘Everyone’s dressed like me!’ This is really fun.” “Everyone’s got lace, and they’re really pink! I’ve just been getting really flustered and stressed…”

“Um, London? I think I have a crush on you,” she teased, before kicking straight into CRUSH!, a track bringing with it a more rock vibe, bearing resemblance to Olivia Rodrigo, especially with an addictive, chant-worthy bridge. The energy had never been higher.

Fans screamed at the idea that their idol had seen their thoughtfully crafted outfits – pinks, whites, yellows, all decorated with listening jewellery, but they were also happily surprised as CRUSH! was yet to grace the tour set list.

Taking a breather, Alessi spoke to the crowd: “Hello London, are we good?!”

“Your petitioning to add that back on the set list did actually reach my ears!” she laughed, “…and I decided that I was an idiot to ever take it off!”

She was instantly charming: “Are you having fun, like better than an average Tuesday?”

But was able to bring it down with the flick of a switch: “Anyways… this is a sad song now, okay? Who’s ready to feel like a f*cking freak?!”

Alessi’s craft is so versatile because you can feel like you’re on top of the world at one moment, then back down to earth the next. Her whole set felt like a piece of theatre, carefully designed to boost your ego with tracks like First Original Thought and Get Around, while ripping your heart out at the same time with tracks like Stella and Bittersweet.

A highlight of the night was definitely Falling Forever, where fans danced like there was no tomorrow. It’s an infectious, drum-driven, addictive pop track. She explained that at the soundcheck, an eager fan asked her what her favourite song of hers was, and she explained that this one currently stands out to her the most. It definitely stood out to the fans too when she performed it flawlessly.

Alessi Rose completed her set with Dumb Girl, but fans knew it wasn’t over. They initiated a clap to the synth that was playing in the background, inevitably landing in a chant: ‘Alessi, Alessi, Alessi!’

Making her way back on stage, Alessi laughed: “I wasn’t really gone, I was just behind that door!” Desperate to make the most of the encore, fans sang at their loudest, screamed at their highest, and danced at their most energetic - at times, the crowd was almost as loud as Alessi!

The pop princess completed her set on the song that began Voyeur: Same Mouth.

“London?! This is the part of the show where I struggle to string a sentence together because of how emotionally overwhelmed I am, but thank you so f*cking much! This tour has been a dream, and it’s not even over yet, but I really felt this immense sense of ‘Is this actually happening?’, and I couldn’t really tell what was real, and right now I feel so present.”

“This is so real, and every emotion in this room is so real, and everything I feel for you all is so real. I love you.”

Fans danced one last time, albeit emotional after Alessi’s speech. They have seen her confidence and music career grow rapidly this year, so ‘proud’ would be an understatement.

As the last chorus of Same Mouth was performed, pink confetti rained down as fans rushed to catch it.

With an extensive setlist spanning three EPs, a whole load of grafting, and a beautifully energetic stage presence, Alessi Rose has put in the work, and she’s destined for even larger headline crowds in the future.