“GLASGOW – I HAVE A CRUSH ON YOU!” ALESSI ROSE BRINGS ‘VOYEUR’ TO THE O2 ACADEMY

LIVE REVIEW | ALESSI ROSE w/ Déyyess | O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW | 30th November 2025 by Anne Kelly

Having supported global superstars such as Dua Lipa and Tate McCrae this year, blossoming alt-pop star Alessi Rose has had her fair share of big stages to fill, yet nothing quite compares to headlining your own show. From performing to a 300 people capacity King Tuts just little over a year ago, this week she hit that number nearly ten-fold as she returned to Scotland with The Voyeur Tour – selling out Glasgow’s O2 Academy and certifying beyond doubt that she is more than ready to step up time again and again.

Like a cauldron of youth, fans gathered from the early hours of a freezing cold Sunday morning to secure their prime spot down the front for Alessi’s biggest Scottish headline show to date. Despite the usual big queues snaking around the building, the room was packed early on. With a sea of pastels, pinks and poka-dots – the soft girl aesthetic hit the O2 Academy like a fluffy, sugary tidal wave.

But before this crowd could secure their Alessi fix, it was time for support act Déyyess who was met with a thunderous applause. Appearing alongside her band, Déyyess brings an infectious queer alt-pop star glow to the O2 Academy. A no frills performance, it’s her dreamy vocals combined with a sort of smooth effortless stage persona that carries her set from start to finish. Unapologetically owning her sexuality on stage – even stopping to make out with the drummer mid song – it’s artists like Déyyess who are changing the narrative for young queer woman everywhere. It seems inevitable that she will be soon be following a similar trajectory to tonight’s headline act.

You could feel the excitement wash over the room as 8.45pm grew nearer and nearer. The soundtrack to the wait? The sounds of Gracie Abrams, Sombr, Chappell Roan, and this crowd were making the most of every moment. As soon as the opening notes of Chappell’s ‘The Subway’ hit there was a sing-a-long echoing across the room, building a spine-tingling sense of shared unity. But then, as Madonna’s iconic ‘Like A Prayer’ filled the chapel themed stage, we knew it was time for the star of the show to make her grand entrance.

Clad in a strawberry covered mini dress (the best fruit…obviously), Alessi Rose is a vision to be seen as she launches straight into opening number ‘That Could Be Me’. Like a dog with two tails, Alessi covers every inch of the stage dancing, flicking her hair and strutting her stuff with an endearing yet defiant attitude. There was no need for theatrics tonight, Alessi’s stage presence was simply magnetic for every second of her 75 minute set.

Despite her biggest year yet – sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in pop – Rose is genuinely humbled to be here. She returns many times between tracks to reflect on her time in Scotland, and how Glasgow in particular has become one of her favourite places to play. From her first time in Glasgow just over 2 years ago – opening for Ella Jane at the Poetry Club to just 10 people – then selling out the iconic King Tuts late last year, to opening the ‘For Your Validation Tour’ at SWG3 in April this year and now an even bigger stage tonight , she remains grateful and humble for every opportunity.

Opening up often about her own anxiety and OCD battles, Alessi’s words strike a chord with this young crowd. Remembering her last show in Glasgow at SWG3, she confesses that she was struggling and going into shutdown before the show. However, thanks to the overwhelming support and acceptance from her Scottish fans that night, she found strength she didn’t know she had, something that she has carried with her since. Despite the riotous energy, Rose forms moments of true intimacy tonight, reminding us that despite her well deserved success, she is still the same girl she was when she first appeared in Glasgow.

But back to the present, and this show is all about the raw, honest, and unapologetically feminine world of the Voyeur EP. A perfect harmony of slick pop precision and genuine emotional outpour, early tracks in the set like ‘Don’t Ask Questions’ and ‘First Original Thought’ land with fierce intensity and stunning vocal clarity. “Glasgow – I have a crush on you!” screams Rose before launching into “CRUSH!”. The O2 Academy was pure euphoria – a feeling that would remain until the final notes rang out.

Honorable mention must go out to her driving force of a band too whose flawless rhythms and technical precision underpin the entire show. Every track is a belter, from ‘Stella’, ‘imsochillandcool’, ‘Bittersweet’ to ‘Falling Forever’ and ‘Dumb Girl’ – they all slap like it’s her biggest hit and the crowd response only reinforces that sentiment.

After playing the “this is my last song” charade, Alessi returned to the stage to perform a powerful rendition of ‘RIP‘ followed by fan favourite, ‘Same Mouth‘ – leaving no doubt that this is pop music made for the stage. The voice of a new generation of confessional pop, Alessi Rose knows exactly how to work a room. The Glasgow show was a flawless, high-energy example of why she’s one of the UK’s most compelling new pop stars. Next time she comes to Glasgow, the stage will only get bigger.