Nessa Barrett brings it, and so do the crowd at Reading 2023

Words: Abigail Firth.Photos: Patrick Gunning.

TikTok’s breakout stars come in thick and fast these days, but rarely do they reach the heights of Nessa Barrett. Clearly resonating with the fresh-off-exam-results-day crowd, tracks from her debut album ‘young forever’, like lovelorn ballad ‘die first’ and recent hit ‘american jesus’, prompt a major scream-singing response.

Despite battling some sound issues at the start, when she gets going she brings it, and so do the crowd (most making the dash from Mimi Webb to entirely pack out the Dance Stage for Nessa). Raised on a diet of Lana Del Rey and Halsey, her Tumblr-core lyrics and indie-driven lo-fi bangers mark Nessa as a serious contender for their throne.