Mae Muller is the epitome of empowerment as she kicks off her ‘no one else, not even you’ UK tour at The Wardrobe
Crowd gathered, lights dimmed, and the deep bass of the backing track prepare the stage for the entrance of the magnetic Mae Muller, who performed her first solo show in Leeds at The Wardrobe this past week. Opening with ‘nails too long’, Mae sets the scene of her ‘no one else, not even you’ tour with the confident, feelgood, bad b*tch energy that she radiates through her music. The atmosphere only continued to gain vitality with each and every song, so it’s safe to say that on one of the first stops of her UK tour, Mae ignited the venue with her dynamic stage presence.
Cat Burns swiftly got the crowd warmed up with her angelic voice and heartfelt music, the lyrics of which were open, honest, and impactful in their vulnerability. ‘Free’ was Cat’s most touching and uplifting song of the evening, with a powerful message of liberating self-acceptance embedded in the ease of listening to her joyful pop melodies. Cat’s song ‘Anxiety’ was a particular favourite of mine as it resonated with my own personal experiences; her musical expression to take control of her own mental health was once again supported by an upbeat melody that made it a pleasure to connect with. Ending the set with ‘Go’, her most viral song to date, Cat gave the crowd what we were all waiting for as every person sung out the lyrics back towards her. It was an inspiring performance and elevated the excitement for Mae to take centre stage.
As an avid fan of Mae Muller, one could say I am slightly biased. However, that is only because her anthems of independence and self-worth in the face of disappointing men are the epitome of empowerment. ‘Dick’ is probably her most direct musical communication of her impatience for men, along with ‘work like that’. Her performances of these absolute bangers were highly interactive as Mae encouraged the crowd to release their own rage for men who think it is okay to bounce between women. It’s not, “you really are [just] a prick”. The originality of her song writing facilitates Mae’s talent for exposing situations that aren’t talked about enough, ‘Therapist’ being an example of how women can be taken advantage of for their sympathy as well as their physicality. It’s my own personal favourite as it helped me get through my own unfortunate experience with a disappointing “man”. Hearing the entire crowd shout “If I spend all my time and my energy / Taking care of you who’s gonna take care of me” reflecting the community that Mae has created through her musicality, her engaging showmanship driving the electric atmosphere within the venue.
Despite Mae’s animosity towards men (and rightly so), her performance of ‘dependent’ and ‘plot twist’ were a refreshing outburst of catchy pop positivity. Two songs that express the surprise to be had in the early stages of falling for someone accompanied Mae’s contagious smile; she directed her microphone towards the crowd and made use of her stage space as she danced along to the laidback beats. The unreleased song ‘Bad Thoughts’ is definitely one to watch out for and was a hit with the crowds, whilst her emotionally stripped back performance of ‘Maybe’ confirmed the versatility of her setlist. The passion that Mae puts into her music was certainly not lost on the audience, her performances embodying the feeling behind each lyric and the projection of such was evident in the enthusiasm of the crowd.
Mae’s confident aura certainly contributes to the ease of her showmanship. However, this also stems from how much she genuinely cares about the support she has around her. Mae asked the crowd to step back and spread out immediately after her opening song to ensure everyone was comfortable and safe, and she later introduced her band and backup singers to her audience (the talent of which were incredible btw). Mae also recognised the “worried parents” in the crowd after performing ‘Dick’, but she followed this with her intent to teach the younger audience members that “no one should be able to f*ck with them”, a message that I could not agree with more. As she finished the show with her most popular hits ‘When You’re Out’ and ‘Better Days’, the latter having received global success, Mae got the crowd jumping and the good vibes going strong until the very end. Her upbeat pop anthems were the final touch to her high-energy performance, and they aptly represented the success of the gig as she musically conducted her crowd to “dance, feel ourselves, and be in the moment”. Big things yet to come are on the horizon for this queen of self-love and rising pop sensation.
