By Chloe Morris
I didn’t think it was possible to feel the warmth of the summer’s sun on your skin while attending a gig. But Asha Banks’ headline performance at Roundhouse on Sunday managed to do just that. Wrapping up her first headline UK and EU tour, celebrating the recent release of her EP How Real Was It?, this is only the beginning for Asha.
From the moment I stepped inside London’s Roundhouse venue and was greeted with a crowd full of smiles, I knew it the show would be a pleasure to watch.
It wasn’t long until the first support, Liang Lawrence, took to the stage. Her soft and airy vocals filled the room and instantly captivated the audience. Her relaxed acoustic approach created the perfect atmosphere for a peaceful evening celebrating beautiful music. Her closing song A Day Off In Margaritaville was a personal highlight. It had a soulful tone with deep guitar riffs.
After a brief pause, long-time friend of Asha’s and second support act, Alfie Jukes, began his set. He brought high energy and a likeable persona which was a great balance to warm up the crowd.
When the lights dimmed for the third and final time, Asha made her entrance through the crowd, parting them like the Red Sea as she headed for the stage. She opened her set with her EP opener, Rerun. Its soft guitar plucks and steady beat depicted a narrative of reflecting on personal experiences and questioning what she wants. The gradual build – which is a common theme in a lot of her discography – was flawlessly executed, increasing the song’s intensity while maintaining her unique warm and soft sound.
The set design helped transport the audience into Asha’s secret garden. With foliage, plants, and small branches, it built an entirely different environment than you’d usually see at shows. This, along with her wispy harmonies, raw emotions and inner thoughts created the sense that everyone in the room had connected on a deeper level, and her music had brought us all together.
The highlight track for me was Mascara Tears. This song felt like a confession of guilt, which resonated with everyone in the room. As she continued through her setlist, each song revealed a new layer to Banks, from her vulnerable songwriting style to her seemingly effortless vocal range, all while keeping that indie/folk/pop sound which is recognisably Asha Banks, filled with rich guitar strings and crisp vocals.
Asha took a brief pause during her set to share a lovely story about how she and support act Alfie Jukes met and told the crowd how they shared their first musical projects with each other. This sweet story pulled at the heartstrings even more, and then she continued to invite him onstage for a cover of Everywhere, Everything by Noah Kahan. This was a strong cover song choice as their voices blended together and melted away into the acoustic guitar.
Banks finished her set with a favourite track of mine, Shiver. The song depicts the realisation of something doing more harm than good. During this final song, two teenage girls who I had watched enjoy the entire evening echoed the lyrics back and held hands. Their happiness during Banks’ performance was beautiful to see and I think it truly shows the power of Asha’s music, though emotive and raw, it still brings people together to share love.
Overall, Banks’ performance blew me away… and I don’t say that lightly!
I felt all the seasons in the space of an hour and a half. The blossoming of spring, the glow of summer, the sharpness of winter, and the fading of autumn. Her indie/folk/pop mix is refreshing, and her live performance only amplified her music’s impact. I’d happily return to the tranquillity of Asha’s garden when she next heads on tour.
Photography & Text Copyright 2026 © Chloe Morris/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Olly Bailey