Written by Becca Hemens
Nieve Ella and Girl in Red joined forces to bring a night of contagious energy and girl-power to Wembley’s OVO Arena
With the sun setting on one of our last hot summer days, crowds streamed off the Jubilee Line as they made their way to Wembley’s OVO Arena for a night full of indie-rock and girl power. And with a lineup where the opening act has already filled out the stadium, you know it’s going to be a great night. As the opening riff to ‘Girlfriend’ played out, Neive Ella took to the stage like it was second nature. Playing tracks from her first few EPs as well as already established hits from her upcoming album ‘Watch It Ache and Bleed’, she proved herself to be a natural performer with her pristine vocals and electric stage presence. From the melodic soft pop of ‘The Things We Say’ to the noughties rock-esque ‘Sugarcoated’, fans sang back the lyrics to their heart’s content as they shared the artist’s joy to be onstage. Neive Ella also proved herself to be more than just a singer, as her guitar was effortlessly incorporated into her tight and meticulous band, and the grungy distortion of her playing seemed to evoke the nostalgia of the punk days of Avril Lavigne. When ‘Ganni Top (She Gets What She Needs)’ was finally played at the penultimate moment, fans screamed on demand as they recited her all-too relatable lyrics and awed at her candour of surviving and thriving through her adolescent years. And with her manifestation for her own headline show and the upcoming release of her new album, one things for sure; October 16th can’t come soon enough.
Now it was time for the main event, Norway’s own Girl in Red. Starting out as a SoundCloud prodigy back in 2015 and rising through the ranks to a now Platinum-certified artist, her long-dedicated followers and die-hard fans awaited eagerly for her to grace the stage. And on she came, suited and booted in her signature look, and raring to go. While her energy and stamina was impressive as she sprinted about her stage, her hold on her audience was even more so, as her own vocals were drowned out by the ecstatic crowds. Fans bounced in one smooth motion to the contagious beat of ‘bad idea!’, and camera torches lit up the stadium as she sang her emotive ‘October Passed Me By’. Aside from her impressive catalogue, Girl in Red’s status as a queer icon was exemplified that night at the OVO arena. Her music was not just captivating, but has been a soundtrack to thousands of individuals’ journey of self-discovery and acceptance, which was abundantly clear that night. As pride flags were waved through the crowds and hands were tightly held, the inclusion of same-sex love songs and the pride toward her LGBTQ+ identity was a breath of fresh air. As the night continued, Girl in Red’s energy seemed to surge even more, as a brief absence led to her sudden arrival onto a miniature stage right in the centre of her adoring fans. With confetti raining down on her, even those more casual listeners couldn’t help but sing along to the catchy chorus of her biggest hit ‘we fell in love in october’. With a final ‘wall of death’ which saw her create a tunnel through the arena as she sang ‘i wanna be your girlfriend’, she was engulfed into the crowd and disappeared as suddenly as she’d arrived. The night had now drawn to a close, and everyone began the race to squeeze onto the soonest train, with a feeling of elation and warmth.
