Live Review: Lola Young’s triumphant return melds pop hits and Brummie accent admiration

On Saturday night at the O2 Academy, Lola Young upped the ante somewhat, proclaiming to the sell-out crowd that the Brummie accent was the sexiest one ever and that she wanted people to message her with their offers of whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

Whether she meant that or not is up for debate, but what cannot be up for debate is that Young is very much back where she belongs in the limelight.

After a difficult 2025 which saw her run offstage at Coachella retching and collapsing at the All Things Go festival in New York it’s no surprise that her UK tour got pushed back.

Two months in a residential facility and attendance at AA meetings has clearly done her the power of good as the joy of performing has very much returned for Young.

From set opener ‘SAD SOB STORY! :)’, it was obvious how much performing means to the 25-year-old BRIT school alumnus.

Stood in the spotlight in a brilliant white tracksuit, there was not only joy from seeing the crowd sing her words back to her but almost a vulnerability and fear that she could have lost these moments.

As she sang ‘Conceited’, she held the mic out for the fans singing her words back to her, drinking in the love and affection in the venue.

It was while singing that song she collapsed in New York and her renewed energy and happiness on stage is only further evidence of how far she has come since then.

Young was at pains to thank the crowd for standing by her and coming to her shows and apologised profusely for letting people down because of her issues with addiction.

Yet it’s that imperfection that clearly resonates with her fans.

Her songs deal not only with tales of heartbreak and of loneliness, but of how she used substances like alcohol to cope with the stresses of life and the consequences that can bring.

And while the easy comparison to make would be one with Amy Winehouse – especially if one considers the sheer power and emotion of Young’s voice – there is so much more to take in from what Young writes and sings about.

She has spoken about how the Arctic Monkeys album ‘AM’ has influenced her in the past and it’s not hard to understand.

There is almost a story-telling element to her songwriting, which only helps her to connect further with her audience.

Young said before singing ‘Big Brown Eyes’ that it was her favourite to perform live and it’s not hard to understand why as Young bounced around the stage losing herself in the moment before finishing the song while grinding on the mic stand to the adulation of the audience.

There is also a defiance in her songs.

On her 2025 sophomore album, Young deals not only with the pain of breakups but also how she used substances to deal with those struggles.

For example, ‘SPIDERS’ talks of how while she feels incomplete without her partner, her partner is also incomplete without her.

While, ‘d£aler’ is almost a positive affirmation that after moving on from a relationship the only thing she will miss is her drug dealer.

Young wrapped up her set with ‘Messy’, bringing even the seating areas to their feet and dancing much to the exasperation of the security guards on the balconies.

She was ably supported by American indie folk singer Annabelle Dinda, whose almost country-tinged songs went down well with the audience despite having technical issues during her short set.

With more than 23 million monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s clear that the O2 Academy should be too small for Lola Young.

Next time we see her in Birmingham, it will undoubtedly be at an arena sized venue – which like her post-show Instagram inbox, will be full to the brim of Brummies thirsting to see more of her.

Lola Young played

SAD SOB STORY! :)

d£aler

One Thing

Conceited

Big Brown Eyes

Walk On By

Penny Out of Nothing

why do i feel better when i hurt you?

Walk All Over You

Post Sex Clarity

SPIDERS

You Noticed

Not Like That Anymore

From Down Here

Messy