Young Royals star Edvin Ryding joined Omar Rudberg on stage for the pop star’s landmark headline show at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush on Wednesday night.
Rudberg took to the prestigious 2,000 capacity venue in west London just three months after playing a sold out show to 1,200 fans at Heaven. The content of the Every Night Fantasy Tour is familiar but, as if possible, the 26-year-old has even more swagger about him at Shepherd’s Bush.
The queue of fans snaking around the venue ahead of doors is quite something to behold for an artist who is still slept on as one of pop’s most exciting names. That is perhaps due to a focus on his acting exploits in the Netflix hit, but as crowds grow in rapid time, it’s clear the world is starting to catch on.
Opening on the tongue-in-cheek ‘Bye Bye’, Rudberg strikes a pose with his figure casting a towering shower over the walls of the venue. There’s little time for breath as he rattles into ‘Yo Dije OUFF’. That 2021 hit comes to life with a vibe of Troye Sivan before being mashed up with Cardi B and Bad Bunny hit ‘I Like It’.
What’s impressive about the Omar Rudberg project is that all of the star’s inspirations and references are clear to hear, but the songwriter stays in his own lane. There’s moments of heavy Swedish pop, reggaetón, lovesick ballads and even a cover of Rihanna’s ‘Rude Boy’ in a busy one-hour set.
The highlight of the night comes as Young Royals co-star Ryding surprises the singer on stage for ‘Simon’s Song’, taken from that Netflix show. The screams around Shepherd’s Bush are surely just as loud as previous headliners Billie Eilish, Beyonce and Adele were greeted with.
There was already a feeling of magic to Rudberg’s biggest headline show to date and that’s cemented by the Ryding cameo. The true takeaway from the night, however, remains an artist seemingly capable of doing it all.
Latest single ‘I’m Not A Boy’ is delivered with grandeur over a soaring chorus and ‘In the Sunrise’ gets an extra oomph in a reworked live version. By the time Rudberg’s top is off for the trademark ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’, the venue is at fever pitch.
The night ends on the swooning ‘Sabotage’, perhaps the singer’s most impressive piece of songwriting to date. Wednesday night at Shepherd’s Bush is a celebration of the Omar Rudberg journey to this point, but it’s clear things are only getting bigger.
Are you an Omar Rudberg fan? Let us know @CelebMix on X.