By Emeli Meagher
Only a few minutes from Hackney Central Station, a dedicated crowd gathered, braving the winter chill, to queue for an evening of intimate performances from Yuneki, Ashaine White, and Nell Mescal.
A night organised by War Child and Omen Magazine, the audience were promised a showcase of rising talent—culminating in a set from the alluring Mescal.
The night began with Yuneki, whose voice carried echoes of Arlo Parks and Billie Eilish.
Taking the stage at 8 p.m., she delivered a compelling set, including her new single, When Will This Body Be Mine, released just hours before. Her lyricism wove together melancholy reflections on depression and longing, with Like Honey particularly capturing the yearning that comes with falling in love.
Beyond her sound, Yuneki’s presence was captivating. The entire audience was enamored, hanging on every note. Yuneki is a truly underrated artist, who left a lasting impression.
Following Yuneki was Ashaine White (Ash to the audience—yes, we were on a first-name basis), a North London artist who immediately charmed the crowd.
Her warmth and comedic timing made the space feel smaller; more intimate. Not even the occasional cocktail shaker, or a rogue doorbell interrupting one of her sadder songs, could break the trance. A standout moment was I Sing to Myself, released in late November—introspective and deeply moving.
Ash is set to perform at Koko Camden later this year following the release of her new EP, Look What You Made Me Do.
Before the final set, we were asked to take a moment to recognize Omen Magazine, War Child, and Two Palms Hackney for helping bring the event to life. A reminder of the night’s cause—preventing children from living through conflict and providing aid to the 468 million currently suffering—added weight to the evening. There were opportunities to donate, and from my view, a steady flow of people moved towards the donation machines, a testament to the audience’s generosity.
And then, the moment everyone had been waiting for—Nell stepped into the spotlight. The moment she stepped onto the stage, she shone. Her setlist spanned her discography, featuring tracks from her EP Yellow Dresser and the fan-favorite In My Head, which found its way onto the Heartstopper soundtrack—something that delighted Nell, as she loves the show and credits the exposure for helping her reach a wider audience.
Between songs, she took a moment to thank the crowd, giving special shoutouts to familiar faces from past shows, her openers, and, of course, any “Irish lads” in the room!
For me, the moment that made this night truly special was when Nell started playing an unreleased song, that had only been shared through snippets online—Thin.
“I didn’t expect it to be heard at all, but then it blew up on TikTok, and well… here we are,” she admitted.
Played live for only the second time, the reaction was like no other. Strangers embraced as they soaked in the devastatingly beautiful lyrics, perfectly paired with her angelic voice: I’ll get thin and let everybody call it a relief.
Nell had created a space of comfort—her words not necessarily optimistic, but deeply, achingly, relatable.
Sensing the emotional weight in the room, she lightened the mood with a playful line before closing the night with her hit song. “Thanks for killing time with me,” she said with a grin.
As the crowd spilled onto the streets, you could hear the giddiness in people’s tones as they rushed home, fans exclaiming with post-concert adrenaline.
It was a great night—definitely one to remember, even if Homesick didn’t make the setlist cut.
Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Emeli Meagher/ADRENALINE Magazine. All rights reserved.
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