One of the biggest names in pop music across the globe, Renee Rapp delivered an exceptional performance in Manchester last night (18th March), and the evening was truly unforgettable.
Arriving at the venue, this marked my first time at the AO Arena, and it was absolutely rammed, a sea of mainly young girls and women all eagerly awaiting the lesbian goddess herself.
It was clear her team had gone all out for her biggest show to date, with the visuals and stage set-up impressing even before Renee had graced the stage.
All eyes were on the red curtain, which read ‘Bite Me’, the name of this tour and her latest album, released last year. Suddenly, all the lights lowered and the curtain dropped, sending the sea of fans into screams and cheers. As Renee entered the stage wearing a tracksuit and glasses, a homage to 90s Britpop, the roar of the crowd grew louder and the atmosphere heightened further.
Renee kicked off her Manchester set with the utterly iconic and fabulous pop anthem ‘Leave Me Alone’, a track that screams independent, bad bitch energy and one that many young women can resonate with. The crowd reaction was brilliant, and when she followed it with ‘Kiss It Kiss It’, that energy only continued to build.
Her vocals were frankly amazing throughout the entire show, with so much passion and versatility from song to song. She even maintained pristine vocals while singing upside down.
In one heartfelt moment, Renee used her platform to talk about her partnership with the charity Save the Children, explaining that she was donating proceeds and encouraging fans to do the same if they could. She also spoke about how standing on that stage was her “I made it” moment, and you could feel that every single person in the crowd had her back. It truly felt like one of those “we made the right person famous” moments.
It is worth noting there was an alarming number of people passing out during the show, but Renee made sure to address it every time, showing how much she cares about her loyal fanbase.
Renee closed her Manchester set with ‘Atleast I’m Hot’, and it is safe to say she did not just meet my expectations, she exceeded them.
