Songer’s 'The Price Of Therapy' tour, named after his newest project, has been a whirlwind of shows across the UK & Ireland. On Saturday night, the final leg took place in the sold-out O2 Forum Kentish Town. Songer delivered an iconic performance that symbolised all the success the Reading-rapper has experienced in recent years.
Photography by Harvey Ryan - @harveyryan.jpg
The night began with first support act Daneo, a long-time collaborator and friend of Songer. He successfully got the crowd excited with his hard-hitting beats and bars. He made way for rising star KiLLOWEN, who delivered his usual blend of energetic dance-infused bangers, and introspective lyrics. His appearance on this tour was an important moment, playing venues he will undoubtedly be headlining himself in the future.
Before long, it was time for Songer to take centre stage. This large, multi-tier venue was bubbling with anticipation on every level. Songer arrived to an eruption; something seen only by an artist who is truly loved by their fans. He began delving into a blend of old favourites, and some new offerings from his latest project. Immediately evident was the rapping ability that Songer possesses. In a time where many artists opt to rap along with the full song as their backing track, Songer was taking on every lyrically-dense-verse and double-time section without fear.
Photography by Harvey Ryan - @harveyryan.jpg
A stand-out moment was the most emotional portion of the night. Songer discussed a fan who had recently passed away, and described how hearing about this from friends of the person had resonated with him, as someone who had also lost a close friend. He sang ‘DEC 22ND’, a song about this deeply personal event, accompanied with slides on screen encouraging those in the room to reach out to their loved ones. It was a poignant, and deeply heartfelt moment in an otherwise jovial environment. Credit to Songer for using his platform in this way.
Shortly after, he was joined by some guests, including previously seen Daneo, and another frequent collaborator, Mani DM. His electric stage presence was an unanticipated, but welcome addition to the night. Songer continued working through his multi-genre discography, going from hip-hop to liquid DnB songs with fluidity.
The garage banger ‘4:59’ from Songer’s album SKALA then arrived. The song was stopped as an old phone that was on stage began to ring. The call was from the song’s featured artist D Double E, who apologised for not being able to attend the performance. However, this was a carefully planned trick from Songer, with D Double E then coming out and surprising the room, causing a frenzied response from the crowd. A special moment for all in attendance, perhaps most of all Songer. The co-sign of this UK rap legend coming out to perform would’ve meant the world.
Photography by Harvey Ryan - @harveyryan.jpg
‘Endlessly’ and ‘I’d rather you cheat’, from The Sunrise Project, were then performed by virtually everyone in the room. Definitely fan favourites. Penultimately, it was the recently charting hit-single ‘Toxic (Freestyle)’. The Britney-sampling anthem that earned Songer his first entry into the charts was an energetic affair. This energy was continued into the last song of the night, Songer’s hugely successful collaboration with DnB artist K Motionz, ‘Vino Bandit’.
And with that, it was over, and Londoners poured back onto the street having seen a performance well-worth every penny. Songer delivered a lesson on the importance of a core fanbase on Saturday night. What he has built since first entering the consciousness of his listeners is hugely impressive. In putting his heart on his sleeve at every stage of his career, he’s developed such a close relationship with his supporters. He said on the night, “I have the best fans in the entire world, I swear”. Often seen as a performer's cliché, but in this case, he was not wrong. That is credit to an artist who has committed himself to authenticity at every possible opportunity. All of this is without mentioning his hit-making ability, fantastic stage presence and charisma. A remarkable performance from Songer; an artist who continues to defy expectations.
Photography by Harvey Ryan - @harveyryan.jpg
