Rarely will Oslo Hackney have seen as much hype for an artist as CATTY ahead of Thursday night’s debut headline show.
With the likes of Dua Lipa and Sam Smith stopping off at the 400 capacity loft venue on the way to stardom, that’s a bold statement, but you can’t help but feel it’s true.
Having sold out initial venue The Grace before upgrading and selling out Oslo Hackney again, a CATTY ticket was hot property in London. For those who did get their hands on one, the rising star puts on a tasty hour of dark pop hits.
The singer enters the stage to the opening tones of ‘Bella Dona’, her back to the audience as she thumps the air three times. It’s a beaming grin that greets the audience as she spins. That smile is soon shaken off for a smirking swagger as the debut single’s chorus drops to raucous reception.
At times on Thursday night, the songwriter allows moments of giddy excitement to creep through. “What the f**k,” are the first words she manages as a greeting.
It may be CATTY’s first headline set, but the fans in Hackney act like they’ve seen the singer a million times before. For ‘Healing Out of Spite’, one of 2024’s most underrated pop songs, signs of “you made it” are held aloft – CATTY swallows a lump in her throat to start with but is on her knees head-banging in front of her guitarist by the time the track ends.
At other moments, notably for ‘Deep End’ and ‘I Wish Gave You Hell’, the singer’s audience are rattling lyrics back to her from the off.
Highlights of the night come as CATTY dons a pink cowboy hat for the brilliantly cheeky ‘I Don’t Miss You (I Just Miss Your Mum)’ and an endearing ode to her homeland of Wales in ‘Homesick’. Meanwhile, there’s also time for a full throttle Stevie Nicks cover ahead of supporting the superstar at Hyde Park this summer.
CATTY brings the night to a close with a final flurry of hits. ‘I Dated A Monster’ is almost cinematic on the live stage and, just as you think the show can’t sound any better, hits fever pitch on closing number ‘Maybe All The Rumours Are True’.
It’s impossible not to be taken by CATTY’s headline debut. Dua Lipa and Sam Smith are lofty ambitions… but the recipe for pop success jc certainly there.
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