There’s an irony in the 40 minutes of wicked Alessi Rose lyrics being delivered at the altar of St Pancras Old Church – and it’s a feeling that plays right into the hands of the rising star and her winking pop hits.
Dancing out with a huge grin, a white top flowing behind her and crosses on her earrings, the 21-year-old is more than up for playing the patron saint of heartbreak at her first ever headline show.
It’s a full-blooded start as the singer launches into debut track ‘say ur mine’
“This is f***ing sick,” Alessi blurts as the track dies. “I shouldn’t swear in a church, but it’s fine,” she giggles.
While its tales of young heartbreak that are at the centre of much of Alessi Rose’s releases to date, the songwriter isn’t recording down and out ballads. Instead, the star verges on masochism as she layers teasing lyrics over big production.
That’s clear to hear on latest single ‘break me’ – “I wrote it about this guy… urgh!” she explains as a prelude. That track builds into a grungy chorus that threatens to smash the stain glass of the St Pancras chapel.
There’s a lot of hype around Alessi Rose and it’s most plain to hear on unreleased effort ‘Crush’. The singer gleefully sings of masochism and twisting knives and she jumps from one side to the stage of the other in that flick dedicated to an ex.
“That was crush,” she says as the song fades, flicking her hair back and nonchalantly swigging some water. The star seems blissfully unaware that she’s just taken a sledgehammer to love on the ground many have made their vows – it’s almost criminal to keep a track like that on a hard drive.
Another highlight on Wednesday night comes in a genius Chappel Roan cover, both for the artist’s name and the ease with which the star turns viral hit ‘Pink Pony Club’ into something that sounds like her very own release.
It’s very clearly the start of something special for Alessi Rose. St Pancras Old Church sold out in rapid time and there’s a series of big festival and support slots to come in 2024.
If there was any last proof needed as the star’s set comes to a close, it comes in ‘eat me alive’.
A single which has racked up hundreds of thousands of streams online, it turns the church crowd into a frenzy that verged on a mosh pit in the aisle. It’s a special sight – Wednesday night is intimate and Alessi Rose is surely arena-bound.
Are you an Alessi Rose fan? Let us know @CelebMix on X.