By Kyle Horne
Last Wednesday, London venue KOKO was in bloom as Maisie Peters graced the stage for a gig in celebration of her past albums, and in preparation for her future album Florescence. The singer blended both high-energy pop tracks with intimate moments, and even surprised the audience with two special guests. It was a night not to be missed.
Opening the show was British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Essence Martins. She appeared a little while after doors had opened, and with her three-piece acoustic band she started the night with Quiet & Perfect, a heavenly sounding and lyrically honest track, about being loved on her own terms, insisting: “I never minded not being the type that the guys never dated… I’ll have a love who’s deserving, and someone who loves me in private.”
Her songwriting proved to be relatable: “But I hope it’s not the plastic stuff I grew up on, like Penny and Leonard, or Rachel and Ross who were toxic and wouldn’t have made it,” which resonated with the crowd. They watched on in awe as the joyful Essence stood, singing in a flowing white dress, wearing friendship bracelets on her arms, and playing her acoustic guitar, decorated with playful stickers.
The performance was led by Essence, and supported by her backing singers Haydn and Allyson, who provided beautiful harmonies. A standout moment saw each of them taking their own solo during Essence’s song Salvation’s Forgotten Us, a track about queer identity and religion.
Candidly writing on social media, Essence described the writing process behind the track: “I wrote this song at a time where I felt ashamed of my queerness and I really didn’t want to anymore, so I wrote it in the mindset [of where] I wanted to be. I pretended I didn’t care or fear what others thought. It’s still something I’m figuring out though.”
The rendition that night was stunning, and it was certainly a performance Essence should be proud of. In truth, she was the perfect opener for Maisie Peters. Her set was raw and vulnerable, much like Maisie’s early artistry, as Martins performed a song called Brussel Sprouts, a track reminiscent of the candid YouTube track Toast by Peters. There were also nods to Rachel Chinouriri and Celeste in her vocal delivery.
With strong lyrics and gorgeous harmonies, Essence set the tone for an intimate evening.
When the lights went dark, it wasn’t long before Maisie would take the stage.
‘Good evening, London!’ Maisie called out coyly, as she stepped on stage and began her set, starting with Love Him I Don’t. On paper, this felt like an atypical opener, considering the high-energy Lost The Breakup was next, however, looking back, it felt fitting because it was like a warm hug or a catch up with a friend who you don’t particularly need a huge introduction to.
When Lost The Breakup kicked in immediately, it was clear this wasn’t a show the singer was playing around for. Throughout the night, she would bring the energy both up and down, mixing intimate moments with big, standout crowd pleasers.
Maisie initiated a clap for the second chorus, lifting the energy even higher, and of course, the “I’m kinda busy like…” was filled with “I’m in London tonight!”
Explaining what her Before The Bloom show would entail, Maisie told the audience: “This show is unlike any other show I’ve put on before, and it might be unlike any other show you’ve been to before.”
“I’ve basically crafted this show to be a representation of the journey I’ve been on so far in my career. I wanted to take you guys from the start to where we are now – which is a month and a half away from my third album, Florescence – and I really wanted to show you guys in musical form what it has taken to get there: the songs, and the albums, and the eras, and the haircuts!” she quipped.
“I just wanted to really celebrate that with you all, the people that got me there, so this is going to be a celebration of that time and of the beautiful wonderful thing that we have built together!”
The Before The Bloom tour has really been built to pay homage to Maisie’s past ‘eras’. It’s like a mini Eras Tour, where she’ll celebrate the work she’s created and what’s to come next.
This was made even clearer by Maisie “taking it all the way back to the very beginning” and performing the very first song she ever released, now firm fan-favourite, Place We Were Made. The crowd sang along with Maisie in unison, like one big choir. It was a surreal experience.
Maisie then went on to talk about her new album, Florescence, due for release on the 15th of May this year. It will be her first since number one album The Good Witch. The singer-songwriter revealed that Volcano (from You Signed Up For This), an acoustic track with light pop elements mixed within, is the song that is most like the new record. This caused all of the Volcano fangirls in the room to scream with excitement.
That wasn’t the only sneak peek of the album we got, as Maisie performed a new track called Vampire Time. She revealed she wrote it about her boyfriend – single Maisie has left the building – and it has major country vibes, using traditional stringed instruments like violins and banjos. It also features a foot-stomping drum which gives it an anthemic feel. This, and the refrain “I’m ready now” will make this a fan-favourite when it is finally released.
It is slightly similar to You Signed Up For This where Maisie reflects on her journey thus far, as she writes “I tried the blonde, I tried the boots and it was fun, I admit.” She told the crowd that there’s definitely a “two sided nature” to the record, as there are some songs about love and others about reflection.
It wouldn’t be a Maisie show without her pop hits though. Before John Hughes Movie came, she spoke about new beginnings, revealing: “I remember releasing this [JHM] and feeling a shift in both the relationship I have with you guys and the relationship I have with music.”
“It taught me so much about making music purposely with joy.”
The track got everyone singing along at the tops of their lungs, before it was merged with Two Weeks Ago, which felt super cinematic, as it was full of orchestral backing. It felt as if, after the countless tour dates with Ed Sheeran, jumping from city to city, state to state, Maisie is now taking things at her own pace, slowing down, and crafting a beautiful new world. This tour, and this mashup signals that transition.
The way the songs are performed this time around, not least the lyrics, are a far cry from The Good Witch’s pop heavy dominance, and its pop-culture filled lyrics where Maisie mentions Graham Norton, among other celebs.
Maisie mentioned how she had previously performed a Before The Bloom show in London, all the way back in October at EartH in Hackney.
“We’re going to have to bring you some surprises so we don’t give you the same night” the singer quipped, before completely surprising her audience by bringing out special guest Paris Paloma to perform her hit track labour. For fans of the lore, Paris supported the singer during her Good Witch tour, so for Before The Bloom, it felt fitting to close her witchcraft chapter with one of the musicians who performed alongside her for it.
And then, out of absolutely nowhere – none other than Sophie Ellis-Bextor took to the stage while Maisie was on her ‘final’ track My Regards. Alongside Tina, Maisie’s keyboard player, the singer called out for help for her famous dance sequence.
Sophie bounded out with energy, joining Maisie in the dance, and the venue broke out into a thousand screams.
During the My Regards dance, Maisie was high on the energy, and teased the crowd saying “What is happening?!” before the opening synths of Murder On The Dancefloor began. A moment no one could quite believe. A mirrorball on the ceiling projected bursts of light around the room.
And if that wasn’t enough, Maisie for sure wanted us all to leave KOKO feeling fulfilled, so performed My Regards one last time, but this time around, she welcomed support act Essence, Maisie’s friends Cate, Janeva, and Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper), and Paris Paloma and Sophie Ellis-Bextor on stage again to dance while confetti fell from the ceiling.
It was such a joyful celebration, with fun twists and turns no one expected.
Much like that of the Eras Tour, Peters confidently performed on stage through each of her ‘eras’, from her earliest tracks, to songs from both her first and second albums, even inviting surprise guests on.
Maisie may have the lyricism of a more English early Taylor Swift, but it’s clear this Tortured Poet is coming out the other side and blossoming into her new career filled with love and happiness, and it all starts with her third album Florescence due on the 15th of May. If this show was anything to go by, it will be just as show-stopping.
Photography & Text Copyright 2026 © Kyle Horne/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Alisha Lawton 
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Emma Turner