Sydney Rose makes her London debut at OMEARA as part of her I Know What I Want Tour
The American singer-songwriter plays her first show in the capital.
Photo: Press
A crowd of young women dressed up in flower crowns and flowy skirts eagerly queued up outside OMEARA to see singer-songwriter Sydney Rose play her London debut.
The TikTok sensation is scheduled for a two-night stint at OMEARA before joining Noah Kahan for a set at BST Hyde Park on Friday. The show is part of the I Know What I Want tour, which marks her first set of headline shows.
Attendees packed into the small venue and were greeted by ornate architecture and ivy-embellished microphones on stage. The atmosphere made it feel as though you were stepping into a storybook forest, perfectly in line with Sydney’s warm stage presence.
The night was opened by folk-rock artist Noah Levine, a close personal friend of Sydney’s and a talented performer in his own right. His set mostly consisted of unreleased music from an upcoming EP, but he still managed to win over the crowd with his giddy enthusiasm and well-crafted guitar melodies. Iron Man, a meditation on masculinity, in particular, struck a chord with the audience through its moving lyricism and prompted the crowd to raise their phone flashlights in solidarity. Noah also performed the first of two Phoebe Bridgers covers of the night, delivering a heartfelt rendition of Motion Sickness, which further enlivened the crowd.
After a short wait, Sydney and Lydia Maes, her backup vocalist and instrumentalist, take the stage. The set was kicked off by an elegant performance of her song cool girl, a track from her One Sided album. She proceeded to launch into a well-curated blend of songs off the tour’s eponymous EP, as well as some deep cuts from earlier releases. Sydney’s delicate yet powerful vocals enchanted the room while Lydia’s stunning violin accompaniment elevated the songs to new heights. I found her performance of 5 More Minutes, a nostalgic ballad that sees Sydney mourning the end of childhood, especially moving live.
The second Phoebe cover of the night came in the form of a surprise duet with Noah Levine. Sydney welcomed him back on stage for their rendition of Funeral and the crowd went wild once more. Despite confessing to only having rehearsed together once, their voices blended beautifully in effortless harmony.
Despite the more melancholy nature of her setlist, Sydney herself radiates positivity. As she tuned her guitar between tracks, she would often prompt her audience to compliment their neighbour or tell their friend they love them. This cultivated a joyous and friendly atmosphere.
Occasionally, however, it felt as though the audience were somewhat restrained. Sydney herself noted that it was “the quietest a show had ever been”. At times, Sydney’s earnest and vulnerable performance felt like it merited a livelier response. Although, the front row seemed reserved for the most dedicated set of fans, who sang every lyric with their whole heart and would periodically hand Sydney handmade drawings or gifts.
Before an acoustic encore, Sydney launched into her megahit We Hug Now. This was clearly what the crowd had been waiting for. As soon as Sydney played those first few notes on the piano, fans rejoiced. As the song crescendoed to its iconic bridge, so did the impassioned sing-along. It was like watching a therapy session transpire live. The night ends with a stripped-back version of idk what i did, the first original track she ever released, lending itself to a full circle moment of sorts.
While still in the early stages of her career, Sydney has a true talent for connecting with her fans on an emotional level. Like all great artists, she makes every member of the audience feel seen as she welcomes them into her sonic world as if they were her closest friends. Combine that ability with her stellar vocals and poetic lyricism, and you’ve got yourself a performer destined for greatness.