Raw, unfiltered, self-proclaimed narcissist: Baby Queen invited us to step inside her ‘Bedroom Sessions’ ahead of her debut album.
An eclectic burst of colour doesn’t seem to stand out too much on Broad Street – and yet there’s somewhat of a simplicity to the painted cobbles I cross over to join the queue.
We’ve literally and figuratively reached the end of the rainbow here in Hockley, with crocheted boleros, star-splattered eyeliner, and a gradient of psychedelic dyes that almost seem to dim in comparison to the eagerly awaiting fan attitude.
Her self-proclaimed nihilism seems to have been washed away by the day’s earlier rain, and the crowd is vibrant, a physical manifestation of the world that Baby Queen has crafted for herself and her ‘Baby Kingdom’. A kingdom which resides here in Rough Trade tonight.
The alt-pop artist is inviting her loyal subjects to her intimate ‘Bedroom Sessions’ for a sleepover, as it were, to preview her upcoming debut album, Quarter Life Crisis.
The stripped back performance truly redefined the term ‘intimate gig’ – possibly a little too much, as Latham revealed how she found this setting more nerve wracking than a show.
And yet the ease with which she handled these emotions tonight was beautiful. The expressive conversationalist that she is brings reputation to her repertoire already.
Known professionally as Baby Queen, Arabella Latham’s artistic journey pivots outside of the confines of her guitar.
Born and raised in South Africa, she emigrated to London at the age of eighteen to pursue a music career. It’s quite fitting the landscape in which her debut album has arrived upon.
A new, unfamiliar city would be daunting for anyone and combined with the challenges of moving away from home, her lyrical relatability is sharp enough to cut through the backdrop of university that the students of Nottingham and beyond find themselves experiencing.
“I didn’t quite know what it was I was creating,” she opened the show explaining the album process; there wasn’t one, “because I don’t really think that you ever do know.”
It was only once shifting through the songs to compile a track list that she realised “[she] was writing about different facets of the experience of being in your twenties, and that confusion where you kinda feel like you’re still a child and you’re not an adult yet, but you’ve got to step up—and you’re like, f***, this s*** is real, I’m a human being now.”
This candid catharsis led straight into the track Kid Genius, the second song from the upcoming album. It heralds internet escapism and the tangibility of a connection.
Bella is rallying for a generation to be seen, heard and represented without the pretence of personified pixels on a screen, and it’s a fun little number.
Die Alone has a rhythmic swing that metaphorically lifts the upbeat song. The verses are layered with staccato vocals that waltz alongside the piano medley changes, like a tribal drum syncopating to its lonely fate.
Whilst the moody blues of Grow Up feel haunting, her vocals soaring desperately against the adolescent vacuum, the crisis is tentatively resolved with recent fan favourite Dream Girl.
It’s a playfully pining alt-pop song, a sound that led to her contribution on the hit-Netflix series Heartstopper; Latham has featured tracks on both seasons of the show, and even makes a graceful cameo in the second season.
The musician has a limited release run of album art penned by the webcomic creator, Alice Oseman, for her debut, which has been pushed back to November, 10, 2023.
Latham swapped guitar strings for piano keys, and it really was Obvious that the next unreleased track was the most hard hitting one.
I felt like we were intruding on Bella’s inner turmoil of failing to grasp onto an identity, finding your place within someone else’s heart – the audience are hearing these songs for the first time, but the atmosphere is tense and weighted down by her honesty.
We could finally release the breath we were holding in as the ballad draws to a close, and onto a familiar tune.
The audience rival Bella on her renowned quick wit, enveloped in that overindulged giddiness of spending the night at your mates.
Their demands were anything but for LAZY, with the beloved single a surprise song for both the artist and the audience.
Suave call back responses proved to us that We Can Be Anything, the acoustic set finishing on a windswept high; the existential jauntiness similar to that of a sea shanty accompanying this daydreamers ship.
A signing took place for fans just after the gig: Bella greeted every single one with a hug and an expression of gratitude mirrored in her fans’ eyes.
This is music, for fans, by fans.
Baby Queens’s debut album ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ is set to be released on November, 10, 2023.
Image credits: Talia Robinson
Just like that dreaded feeling of waiting to be picked up from the sleepover, I didn’t want to face my “quarter life crisis” and enter the real world again.
Thankfully, it won’t be long until she’s back in Nottingham performing on the Rescue Rooms stage (let’s hope the nerves keep at bay, because we can see her hitting the likes of Rock City real soon!).
You can preorder her debut album here, and buy tickets to experience the indie pop star’s existentialism here.
Featured image credits: Talia Robinson