Mimi Webb's rise to fame has been swift, from a teenage major-label signing to a TikTok sensation and scoring a No. 4 chart placing with her debut album, Amelia. Her rapid rise to fame is impressive, but does her live performance match up?
Webb's biggest London show to date was delivered with slick but soulless high-gloss pop, peppered with glib homilies about believing in yourself and following your dreams. Her energetic and professional performance showcased her solid set of pipes. However, her performance came across more like a ChatGPT simulation of a pop star than the real thing.
Amelia “Mimi” Webb’s Performance
Dressed in a sparkly figure-hugging bodice, fishnet tights, and shiny stack-heeled boots, the 22-year-old Webb stomped around the stage in full glamazon dominatrix diva mode. Her lyrics were mostly wholesome Gen-Z confessionals about romantic heartbreak and rubbish boyfriends.
Webb's album features a prestige team of co-writers and producers whose stellar collaborative credits include Rihanna, Britney, Adele, The Weeknd, and more. Despite this, the gig highlighted how few genuine solid-gold bangers the singer has amassed to date. In between sky-punching sing-along anthems such as "Good Without" and "Freezing" lay far too many sluggish, faceless plodders like "Halfway" and "Both of Us."
For this performance, Webb's three-piece backing band gave most of the material a politely raunchy soft-rock makeover, with clobbering drums and crunchy guitars lending much-needed extra poke to otherwise lightweight numbers such as "See You Soon" and "Dumb Love."
Theatrical Razzle-Dazzle
Theatrical razzle-dazzle was laid on thick, with a spectacular pyrotechnic waterfall appearing just four tracks in during "24/5," closely followed by two arena-filling confetti snowstorms in less than an hour. These weapons of mass distraction drew huge cheers from the youthful crowd, though the weaker tunes still dragged.
Unlike most of her chart peers, Webb seems nostalgic for that lost era before R&B, hip-hop, and house music became central to pop's DNA. Most of the staid, old-school power ballads in this set owed more to Andrew Lloyd Webber than to Beyoncé or Lady Gaga.
Indeed, it is easy to imagine the singer having a future career in West End musicals. To her credit, she did end this set on a high, with a belting "Red Flags" and a stampeding "House on Fire," two of her sharpest songs. There were teasing sparks of wit and originality here, but not enough to elevate a patchy evening of bloodless algorithmic pop.
Conclusion
Mimi Webb's performance was energetic and professional, but her performance felt like a ChatGPT simulation of a pop star rather than the real thing. Webb's album features a prestigious team of co-writers and producers, but the gig highlighted how few genuine solid-gold bangers the singer has amassed to date. Theatrical razzle-dazzle was laid on thick, with a spectacular pyrotechnic waterfall and arena-filling confetti snowstorms. Webb's staid, old-school power ballads seemed more suited for West End musicals than pop music. Although there were teasing sparks of wit and originality in her set, it was not enough to elevate the patchy evening of bloodless algorithmic pop.
FAQs
Who is Mimi Webb?
Mimi Webb is a rising star in the pop music industry known for her high-gloss, low-ambition pop songs.
What did Mimi Webb perform at the Eventim Apollo?
Mimi Webb performed a set of high-gloss, low-ambition pop songs at the Eventim Apollo in London.
Did Mimi Webb show any flashes of wit and originality during her performance?
Yes, Mimi Webb did show teasing sparks of wit and originality in her set, with her two best songs of the night, “Red Flags” and “House on Fire,” showcasing her songwriting talent and potential for greatness.