Petals, Pop, and Pure Emotion: Girlhood in Bloom with Alessi Rose

To close out a spectacularly booked and busy year, Alessi Rose brought her authentic dose of pop to the Bristol Beacon for a night of unrivalled girlhood and celebration.

2025 has seen Alessi embark on two huge tours, supporting Dua Lipa through the UK run of the Radical Optimism tour, and opening for Tate McRae on the North American leg of her Miss Possessive tour. The rising star has undoubtedly won over an enormous new audience this year, given the chance to play to arenas full of fresh faces. She was repeatedly praised for her sharp songwriting and lyrics that feel more like diary confessions than the glossy, polished pop mainstream media is used to. To wrap up this milestone year with a coquette white bow, Rose capped it all off by headlining her own twenty-date tour, taking her to every corner of the UK.

Opening the night was Déyyess, affectionately known to her fans as the people’s lesbian princess, who charmed the already enthusiastic crowd with her distinctive queer brand of indie-pop. There’s a noticeable grit in the way she performs, an intensity that makes complete sense when you know her story. After years of relentlessly pursuing music, she had been on the verge of giving it up entirely, only for a demo she posted online to go viral overnight. That spark of luck grew into a devoted following of like-minded women who resonated deeply with her experiences and began sharing their own stories with one another.

Joined onstage by Polly on guitar, best known for her work with The 1975, and her girlfriend Meg on drums, Déyyess radiated an authenticity that only strengthened her connection to the audience. A particularly wholesome moment came at the end of the set, when the crowd erupted at the sight of Polly and Meg sharing a quick kiss, Meg impressively not missing a single beat while doing so. There is an undeniable confidence about Déyyess, something that seems to draw people toward her and create a little safe haven within her orbit. It was a powerful, welcoming, and atmospheric performance that set the tone for the night perfectly.

At exactly 8:45, Alessi emerged onto the stage to the cheers of a now-packed hall, applause rising from the back of the pit right up to the upper balconies. Bathed in a soft blue haze, she sauntered out in heels and perched atop a small centre-stage platform. A humble yet solid entourage of two guitarists and a drummer joined her as the opening notes of That Could Be Me kicked off an hour and a half of her most beloved discography, with a couple of surprises tucked in for good measure.

Just a few songs in, some mild technical difficulties were quickly smoothed over by impromptu crowd interaction, including a particularly sweet moment when a fan handed Alessi a bouquet of roses. She thanked them warmly before placing the flowers onstage, where they stayed for the remainder of the show. Throughout several of her talk breaks, it became increasingly clear just how deeply she values the fans who have supported her. She repeatedly acknowledged how vital their encouragement has been, and how surreal it still feels to hear her lyrics sung back to her night after night. Even calling out one fan at the barrier by name as the one who came to her first ever show years ago.

Watching the show from the balcony proved to be the perfect vantage point to witness pure girlhood in full bloom. Groups of friends clasped hands as they raced toward their barrier spots, others belted every word of Sabrina on the pre-show playlist, and the fan-organised project for Bittersweet lit the entire hall in a glowing sea of red. It was genuinely touching to see so much joy and connection in one place, fangirls at their absolute best, creating a space of acceptance, community, and shared devotion.

When speaking about the tour’s name and theme, Alessi explained that she wanted the show to feel like the most authentic, unfiltered version of herself, not just the pretty, glossy parts, but everything. Before a tender rendition of Dumb Girl she addressed the audience directly, many of whom were young women not far off in age from herself. She spoke about resilience, capability, and believing in yourself even when it feels impossible. She reflected openly on her struggles with mental health, saying that this time last year, she couldn’t imagine being this busy while still feeling present, and genuinely happy.

One of the biggest highlights of the night came toward the end of the set, when Alessi joked about wanting to perform for a full two hours, “We’d just start playing deep cuts, like Situationship.” The reaction was instantaneous. The crowd erupted and Alessi realised immediately that she’d stirred something she couldn’t take back. Before the band even had a second to recalibrate, she launched into Situationship, giving the track its long-awaited tour debut. Fans lost their minds, grateful to finally hear a song that, until now, hadn’t been even whispered about on this run of shows.

The setlist overall ran through plenty of expected favourites. Get Around landed as a strong third song, and First Original Thought, her recent sensation, was met with some of the loudest cheers of the night.

The 22-date Voyeur tour has taken Alessi Rose across Europe and the UK, concluding with a final show in Newcastle at the O2 City Hall. If this year has proved anything, it’s that there’s no stopping her rise. Alessi is carving out her place among the modern-day pop princesses who are steadily taking over the charts, showing more than ever how powerful female pop culture can be.