PinkPantheress Redefines Pop for a New Generation at Theatre Beanfield

Pop music seems to be in the midst of a revival of sorts. Every month, a new “internet queen of pop” seems to emerge from the constant content explosion that is TikTok, from Renee Rapp to Chappell Roan. While these artists are all pumping out fantastic back-to-back cuts, one consistently stands out from the crowd: PinkPantheress. I was introduced to PinkPantheress, as much of her fanbase was, in the summer of 2021. Breaking onto the scene with a generational run of five back-to-back singles within 3 months, it felt like nowhere on the internet was safe from her frightfully catchy hooks. Since then, she has dropped two albums, collaborated with some of the biggest new names in the industry, from Ice Spice to Central Cee, and grown a veritable cult fanbase, all hooked on her jungle-pop fusion. So, when I saw that she would be stopping by Montreal's own Beanfield Theatre, I knew it would be a special night; and special it was. 

Between the Beanfield’s raised viewing platform and the stage lay a sea of phone cameras set to 0.5 and mullets, both telltale signs of a Gen-Z crowd, which, for PinkPantheress, makes sense. The singer is only 22, and the internet has repeatedly benchmarked her rise to fame. To say PinkPantheress owes her come up to TikTok would be a criminal dismissal of her talent as a musician, but it has played a huge part. This is not to dismiss the parents chaperoning their (at most) middle school-aged kids, of which there are plenty, which if anything shines an even brighter light on the average age of the PinkPantheress fan. As the room began to fill up, the buzz and excitement hung in the air like a cloud, mixing well with the lingering scent of cotton candy vape and sweat. This isn’t the artist's first warm welcome from Canada though; two nights earlier in Toronto she sang to a sold-out theatre, with some waiting over 7 hours in line just to get a hand on the barricade. The crowd of fourteen-year-old girls beside me told me this, before grilling me on my admittedly lacklustre PinkPantheress knowledge. Thankfully, before they could realize I was but a rookie in comparison to their stan behaviour, the lights dimmed, and the Beanfield was filled with enough screams to coax any artist out of the comfort of the green room. 

Sticking with the theme of musicians who got their rise on TikTok, Bktherula opened the show, joined on stage by her hype man, cameraman, and two people with bubble guns (awesome). For a crowd expecting the poppy, upbeat, garage-style dance tunes that PinkPantheress is known for, BK got a warm welcome. Playing a collection of tracks off her new album LVL5 PT2, followed by an unreleased track featuring Soundcloud legend Lil Uzi Vert, and finally, a collection of her hits, like “Tweakin Together” and “Idk What to Tell You”, BK had the Beanfield crowd going hard enough to shake the top floor. With a trap-plugg style reflective of some of the best underground hip-hop right now, Bk graced the Beanfield with her melodic vocals and deep 808s, sonically representing her home city of Atlantas in a way that would make even Three-Stacks proud. 

Just as soon as Bktherula and posse had cleared the stage it was covered in movement, as dozens of workers began setting up for what promised to be a fantastic headliner. Unable to contain their excitement, the young crowd whooped and hollered, clapping at any semblance of a musician on stage. Then, almost as suddenly as they had dimmed, the pink and purple lighting hit the Beanfields stage, exposing 5 live musicians and PinkPantheress’s signature stage piece - an oval, full-body mirror, as seen on the cover of her November release, Heaven Knows. The live band aspect was admittedly a shock to me at first; it's not every day you see a garage set with live drums, guitar and keys, especially with the pop-vocal heavy sound that PinkPantheress is so well known for. Worried flashbacks of the early 2010s trend of ukelele rap covers filled my head but were thankfully quenched the second the bassist played the first bar of one of my favourite tracks, “Break It Off”. And, as PinkPantheress skipped out onto the stage, the crowd went wild with excitement. It seemed like the entire room knew every word as if possessed by the giddy, British, 20-something pop queen in front of them.

From then on, the night was a blur. Every hit was played, which seemed to be her entire catalogue; from lofi deep cuts like “Passion” and “Pain” to new crowd favourites, like the Y2K throwback “Nice to meet you”. These tracks were interspersed with beautiful instrumental sections from the live band, witty banter from the singer herself, and some of the most genuine crowd interaction I have ever seen at a show. At one point, a fan wearing the same thing as PinkPantheress was pulled up on stage and given a round of applause, before being dragged off by security (to the dismay of the young singer, who booed the guards off). It felt less like watching a show, and more like watching a friend play their surprisingly good music for you, as the old Beanfield was filled with Britpop-infused affection. And although the sun was shining throughout Montreal that day, it felt infinitely warmer in that room, as someone who genuinely loves what they do got to share their art with a crowd more than willing to support it. This was evident after the double encore, as the crowd applauded for over 2 minutes, recognizing PinkPantheress as exactly what she is: a new-gen queen of pop. 

As I said before, pop music is in a revolution. No longer is the dominant sound coming out of L.A. studios, or big-budget labels; it's coming from bedrooms. With unbridled access to the internet, more and more people are turning to music-making for fun, experimenting with sound in ways unthought of just 10 years ago. Artists are coming full bloom out of apps like TikTok, gaining popularity off of talent and genuinely good music. While this may create the most resilient of artists, one thing is clear: PinkPantheress is here to stay. Whether you are a pop fan or not, I urge you to dive into her discography, as it is filled to the brim with the innocent charm of someone untainted by the music industry. It is true, unbridled artistic talent, and damn is it fun. Check out PinkPantheress’ newest album, Heaven Knows, here, and Bktherula’s LVL5 PT2 here.