Of feminine rage and fairy dancing: Paris Paloma at O2 Academy Birmingham

O2 Academy Birmingham, 27 November 2024

Attending a Paris Paloma concert feels akin to walking through an enchanted forest, enraptured by an ethereal voice weaving an intricate thread of folklore and lived experiences encapsulating womanhood. Paris Paloma garnered widespread attention on TikTok with ‘labour’, a song that delves into the exploitative nature of unacknowledged and undervalued female labour. She recently released her first full-length album, Cacophony, which explores the female experience through indie, pop-punk vocals and mythological references.

Nadia Kadek, an emerging artist, opens for Paris Paloma. Her melodious voice shines through as she sings about her experiences and connects them to broader themes of identity, friendship, and forgiveness.

Throughout the show, she connects with the audience through soul-warming anecdotes and poetic introductions to her songs

Paloma graces the stage in her usual ‘fairy grunge mother’ style and immediately wows the audience with ‘my mind (now)’, the opening track of Cacophony. Throughout the show, she connects with the audience through soul-warming anecdotes and poetic introductions to her songs.  It was “little the last time” she played in Birmingham. The audience cheers as she talks about visiting the Hare and Hounds in Birmingham when her sister studied in the city.

Her angelic voice soothes as she sings a delicate melody that juxtaposes the lyrics about an abusive relationship in ‘drywall’. She describes ‘as good a reason’ and ‘knitting’ as “sister songs” which explore the themes of the “passage of love and wisdom through generations of women”. In the predominantly female audience, a mother-daughter duo had travelled all the way from Glasgow because they wanted to experience her “beautiful voice and folky style” live.

Paloma’s powerful performance continues to be ably accompanied by George on the guitar and bass and Jim on the keys and drums as she renders ‘the warmth’, ‘escape pod’, and ‘notre dame’. Her hauntingly beautiful song ‘last woman on earth’ highlights how women are pedestalized and commodified even after life. With her hand gestures and stage presence, it feels as though she is casting a spell over the audience. Her frequent reminders to stay hydrated reflect her attitude of care as the organisers pass around water cups.

For an artist who takes the time to thank every single member of her team by name at the end of her concert, it’s no surprise that her shows foster a strong sense of shared kindness and connection

One of the standout moments of the concert is the ‘Triassic love song,’ where Paloma enlists audience participation in her “pro-sing-along” show while the band takes a break. The concert feels intimate as Paloma engages in friendly banter as if she were chatting to an old friend or two as she tunes her guitar. She surprises the audience with ‘The Rider’, her latest song for the Lord of the Rings franchise, after ‘Bones on the Beach’.

Paloma’s hypnotic vocals and stirring melodies interspersed with poetic preludes build towards a grand finale as she sings about purity culture in ‘the fruits’. She renders her “mum’s favourite” ‘yeti’ and bids a quick farewell to her audience after ‘hunter’. During the encore, Paloma belts out ‘labour’, the feminist anthem about feminine labour as the audience chants “All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid, Nymph then a virgin, nurse then a servant” with her.

For an artist who takes the time to thank every single member of her team by name at the end of her concert, it’s no surprise that her shows foster a strong sense of shared kindness and connection. Her concerts feature little free exchange libraries next to the merch stand. Abbie, Rhianna, and Freya, fans of Paloma’s “emotionally rooting” melodies from North Wales, expressed that they cherished this “community”. In a fitting ending, the concert concludes with the fan-favourite ritual of fairy dancing.

★★★★