ASHNIKKO MAKES A ‘SMOOCHIE’ RECOVERY AT GLASGOW’S O2 ACADEMY

LIVE REVIEW | ASHNIKKO w/Amelia Moore | O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW| 11th February 2026 by Anne Kelly

Ashnikko is back. After ‘Influenza’ sidelined four European shows, the pop star continued their “Smoochies” tour with a sold-out performance at Glasgow’s O2 Academy, marking the start of her UK and Ireland circuit. Stepping away from the post-apocalyptic, cyborg-heavy themes of the WEEDKILLER era, this tour leans into the “Smoochie” aesthetic – a softer, yet no less subversive, exploration of intimacy and self-expression – derived from the 2025 album of the same name.

Amelia Moore

Opening the night was LA-based songstress Amelia Moore, who immediately lifted the room into an ethereal high. As the lights dimmed, the iconic Sex and the City theme filled the air, marking the start of an intimate and story-led set. Moore leaned into the theme with Carrie Bradshaw-style soundbites, using the space between tracks to introduce her music with a distinct blend of passion, flavour, and purpose.

Channeling an effortlessly cool Billie Eilish aesthetic, Moore appeared in overized shirt and shorts, with her vibrant red hair popping against a black hat. The set was stripped back with a simple bedroom desk and keyboard by a glowing “Amelia Moore” lightbox set centre stage, suitably capturing the intimate, “bedroom pop” style of her songwriting.

Despite the delicate setup, Moore was anything but shy. She commanded the Academy stage with a star charm, though the true highlight was her powerhouse vocals. Her range is staggering; she hit soaring high notes that felt rare for a live setting, leaving the crowd in a state of collective jaw-dropping awe.

Between tracks, she flashed her sharp personality, pausing to offer some sage advice: “You’re far too pretty to be crying over that ugly boy,” before launching into another pop driven anthem. Referecing Ashnikko’s recent illness and cancellations, Amelia rallied the crowd to bring some extra energy for Ashnikko, though, after this performance the audience already got the memo.

Ashnikko

Aware that this was Ashnikko’s first night back on stage after gruelling week of cancellations on the European tour leg, fans were already on edge concerned about whether the show would go on. With a nervous 10 minute delay from the singer’s scheduled 9pm start time, as soon as the lights dimmed, Glasgow’s O2 Academy erupted. What followed practically lifted the roof off the building. Through flickering lights and building anticipation, Ashnikko crawled from a tiny, Alice in Wonderland-style door at the back of the stage. Launching into‘Sticky Fingers’ from latest album Smoochies, the introduction would lay the foundations of the show to come.

Just two tracks in and already Ashnikko takes a breather to connect with the audience. They share how much they love Scotland. They shared their love for Scotland -a cliché, yes, but one that this Glasgow are happy to buy. With a birthday approaching, Ashnikko revealed plans to return, rent a grand house, and don a massive ballgown, before gushing, “I’m an angel” to deafening applause.

Going on to address their cancellations, they endearingly attribute their absence to “The Influenza” – a gag that became a running joke throughout the night. Warning the crowd that may not be able to perform to their best capacity, they ask that the crowd lend some much needed backing vocals. Fair expectation, and it seems the audience is more than up for the job. But, they didn’t need any help. Ashnikko absolutely smashed every song. Influenza who??

From Smoochies, Ashnikko journeyed through almost the entirety of the project. The first half of the set was heavily interspliced with fan interaction, storytelling, and theatrical flair. This felt like so much more than a standard gig; the show was built on a performative energy that left the room falling in love with Ashnikko a little more with every track.

The fan-centric nature of the show was brilliantly executed, starting with Ashnikko’s genuine acknowledgement of the time and effort poured into the crowd’s unique, inspired outfits. In a moment of pure chaos, they stood to the side of the stage and invited the audience to deliver their “trinkets,” triggering a mass launch of objects flying through the air. From teddy bears and hair accessories to squishy boobs and tampons, the bizarre array of offerings were swept up by Ashnikko’s scavenging “crows” before leading into the track ‘Trinkets’.

Following a sensational delivery of ‘Chichinya’ which saw the dancers graduate from being crows to dogs, and prowling through the tiny Alice style door on all fours, the show shifted gear into the second half of the set. Here, Ashnikko delved a bit deeper into her extended discography, even cringing at some of her earlier moments whilst acknowledging that it was part of her evolution as an artist; a self-aware moment of growth that clearly resonated with the long-term fans in the room.

Reaching back to their first EP, Hi It’s Me, Ashnikko delivered‘Manners’ and‘STUPID’, followed by a high-octane rendition of ‘Tantrum’ from DEMIDEVIL as a dedicated shout-out to the long-term fans. A Halloween medley, curated specifically for this tour, kept the momentum high before the set dove into the world of WEEDKILLER with ‘Chokehold Cherry Python’ the titular ‘WEEDKILLER’ and‘Possession of a Weapon’. This segment of the show was purely about performance—there was no holding back—before the energy shifted back into the Smoochies era.

Before the final stretch, the highly anticipated role of the evening’s “Smoochie Girl” was revealed – and what a reveal it was. Introduced as “Scottish Royalty”, Glasgow’s guest was none other than viral TikTok sensation, comedian, and cosplay icon Millie Graham, aka‘whatshername’. Millie proved to be the perfect candidate, delivering a distinctly Scottish rendition of the ‘Sticky Fingers‘ lyrics: “Thigh high, boots to the puss. I don’t want a city boy scared of the bush…” The lines were met with rapturous applause and roared back in beautiful, Glaswegian unison. The crowning felt like a defining moment, unique to this crowd, with Millie taking her place as the night’s rightful Queen.

Tracks like ‘Wet Like’, ‘Full Frontal’ and ‘I Want My Boyfriends to Kiss’ were executed with simple yet glorious theatricality, including a very sexy lap dance – I mean, lobotomy – from a suitably attired “nurse”. ‘Liquid’ and ‘Itty Bitty’ followed with equal strength; this is a performer who simply does not let up. Considering they were battling illness just days prior, you would never have known. If this is Ashnikko “conserving energy”, it’s impossible to imagine the sheer scale of their power at full health.

Closing out with fan favourites ‘Slumber Party’ and ‘Daisy’, Ashnikko pushed the energy right up to the 11 PM curfew – a rare feat at the Academy, even on a school night. My only critique is that Ashnikko has clearly outgrown this stage; the music is massive, the concepts are vivid, and the talent is undeniable. Give them half a dozen dancers, a full live band, and a sprawling stage production to play with, and the result would be unstoppable.

While the interludes between tracks were slightly longer than I expected, I wrongly assumed this would be a more conservative show. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Those high notes Ashnikko feared were out of reach? They nailed them. Every bit of choreography was energized, thrilling, and tight, matched perfectly by the intensity of their two backing dancers. Ultimately, if this is how Ashnikko performs while “recovering”, then I can only imagine how fierce they would be full health.