South London singer-songwriter Lola Young made a buoyant return to live performance at Manchester's O2 Apollo, following a period of intense social media scrutiny and a stage collapse in New York last year. The 25-year-old, who rose to fame with the gen Z anthem Messy, had paused live shows amid struggles with addiction and public attention.
Dressed in a baggy black hoodie, Young appeared relieved to be back on stage, connecting with a crowd of young fans sporting bleached mullets and denim jorts. She shared a personal 'Manchester mantra' from her phone, a pep talk about remembering one's own power, which charmed the audience with its raw honesty.
The setlist included tracks like D£aler, a love ballad about a transactional relationship, and One Thing, which featured gospel harmonies and groovy bass lines. A Pride flag thrown from the audience was wrapped around her microphone stand during the R&B-fused rock bop Conceited.
Young breezed through 15 songs with faultless vocals, including Post Sex Clarity, a reflection on girlhood and poor decisions. The evening culminated in a several-minutes-long standing ovation for Messy, confirming that the star has regained her confidence and connection with fans.
