Remi Wolf is about to become a household name. The 28-year-old singer songwriter, who describes her uniquely weird brand of upbeat anthems as “funky soul pop”, comes fresh from opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s sell-out stadium tour, and has previous experience opening for fellow alt-pop icon Lorde.
Now, playing her first headline show in two years ahead of her second album Big Ideas dropping this July, Wolf is showing that she’s ready to hold her own.
A distinctly Gen Z pop star despite being just out of the catchment age, Wolf broke onto the scene with a debut album in 2021 that The New York Times described as “hypercolored explosions” of bedroom pop.
Bedroom pop does not necessarily translate into a good performer, but Wolf’s show at Electric Brixton last night proved that she has got what it takes.
Instead of bursting onto stage, she appeared cowboy hat-clad in one of the venue’s turrets and serenaded the crowd with an intro she tells us they recorded the previous night on GarageBand.
Once on stage, the Palo Alto native showed more energy than a sugar-high toddler (she has previously described her songs as ADHD anthems), performing her ultra-catchy new single Cinderella.
Wolf followed with fan favourites Sexy Villain and Liz, belting each song like her life depended on it, before an acoustic trio of songs that slightly dimmed the tempo.
“Alright, let’s wake up,” she said before launching straight back into liveliness with a cover of Valerie by Amy Winehouse.
She’s endlessly raunchy and playful, and the crowd was hopelessly in love with her by the time she played her big hit, Photo ID. Closing with Disco Man for an encore, the vibe went from jubilant to hyper, the Monday night blues completely blown to bits.
Even the most reluctant of onlookers, or a punter with no knowledge of her music would have enjoyed this gig, as Wolf cemented herself a pop icon in the making.
Her trademark brand of playful weirdness might make her more of a buoyant Billie Eilish than a mainstream pop star like Olivia Rodrigo, but ultimately, one thing’s for sure: this girl’s destined for greatness.
