Words: Rohan Minhas | Photos: Corbyn John
Venue: O2 Academy Birmingham, UK | Date: 14th December 2025

After four years away from releasing music, Joy Crookes’ performance was that of someone who knew their anticipated return had serious purpose. The artist said the time was spent "making sure that the songs sounded the way they should". This show felt like the full-circle justification of that choice, not that there was any doubt whatsoever. The self-proclaimed ‘girl from FIFA’ is deservedly a household name. 


From the moment she stepped out to ‘Brave’, the opener of Juniper (her sophomore album), it was clear that her magnetism never left. Entering halfway through allowed the band to lay the groundwork, before her brilliantly held vocals commanded the room. A quick transition into ‘Pass the Salt’ was perfect representation of the vibey, warm basslines that are a signature of Joy. The infectious ‘call it what you want’ of the chorus brought the audience into the show. A diverse crowd, the South Asian artist declared "I love Birmingham because there are so many brown people". Her nod to the diaspora led perfectly to ‘Carmen’. A beautiful song full of heritage and heart. Soft and anthemic, much like Olivia Dean’s ‘Carmen’. More importantly, it’s rooted in belonging and identity, an important theme prevalent throughout both the night and her artistry. 

‘Perfect Crime’ stole the show. It allowed the band to show off their full musical prowess. An addictive and catchy song, it’s always a struggle to refrain from singing "I’m a killer, I’m a killer, I'm a killer". That eruption of energy continued into the hit song ‘Somebody to You’. The final chorus soared above Joy’s own vocals without her ever needing to ask. It was natural, instinctive, and epitomised the feeling her music gives. 

Then came the inevitable fan-favourite ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me Now’. Hearing this live gave me flashbacks to old FIFA lobbies and being on football TikTok during sixth form. Unsurprisingly, the energy was electric. Birmingham knew every word, every ad lib, every backing vocal. It was evident Joy was both overwhelmed and grateful by the response.  


A change began to occur at this part of the show. Here there was an exploration of further vulnerability and emotion. After joking that ‘Mathematics’ was the subject she was “sh*t at,” Joy arguably delivered her rawest vocals of the night, a high bar she’d already set and exceeded. That said, it was ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ that froze the entire room into stillness. Dedicated to two fans whose father was no longer with them, the crowd stood in absolute silence as she performed. No phones, no murmurs and no harmonising until the final chorus. It was a sacred moment which I can only describe as ‘pure presence’. Everyone standing in awe. 

She then dedicated the beautiful ‘Forever’ to Palestine. It’s a song she’ll continue to sing and dedicate until Palestine is free. Again, it was quiet, followed by a long, heartfelt applause. It completed a part of the set that was emotional and deeply profound. 

The tonal shifts throughout reflected her wide range. ‘Mother’ helped flip the mood and revived the crowd participation instantly. Screaming back "bad bad bad", a song about complex family dynamics can hit home for many. One highlight of mine of the night was 'House With A Pool’. I was reminded how much her introspective lyricism cuts when heard live. Stark lines including ‘I could be drowning but you don’t wanna get wet’ hit harder in person. That said, the song holds a groove that you can't help but dance too. 

And that’s what we did. Joy was grateful to dance with us on a Friday night. The catchy rhythm of ‘First Last Dance’ had everyone moving again. ‘Fade Your Heart’ stunned with its incredible synths. The background visuals here were a beautiful gradient of red and green. A tribute to her Bangladeshi roots. Knowing this song is on the new EA FC 26 soundtrack, a sense of pride was present throughout. ‘I Know You’d Kill’ and ‘Two Nights’ kept the tempo high. The latter proved that Crookes is evidence that the dance recession doesn’t apply to her and her fans. 

The room was welcomed back into political clarity through a cover from the incredible Sinead O’Connor, a homage to Joy’s Irish roots. 'Black Boys on Mopeds’ lyrics are still painfully relevant 35 years later. She admitted she wishes she didn’t have to sing it anymore, but she does, because the world demands it. The fascism and anti-immigrant hate that exists is powerful, and unfortunately at the detriment of most of tonight's crowd. "These are dangerous days, to say what you feel is to dig your own grave". While sadly true, it was a cover we are all grateful to have heard. 


After ‘Paris’ and its backing vocals adding depth, Joy gave the line every fan dreads: "Only two songs left guys". Like 'Paris', everything was poured into ‘Skin’, the room echoing the chorus back. A mix of heartbreak and the highs of the set. The show closed with my favourite song of hers, ‘When You Were Mine’. Clearly a shared opinion. Everyone was dancing, either with friends or strangers. A final burst and a moment of the warmth, fun and dancing intensity we had experienced all night. 

Dancing with strangers summed up the real sense of community. Everyone bonded and related to the music. Within the multitude of relatable lyrics, one was resonated the most. "Heartbreak inconsistent like British weather". As everyone had challenged through treacherous rain to get here, the show made that problem feel miniscule. 

I struggle to find adjectives to perfectly encapsulate the night. There was heart and heritage. Dancing and dedication. A 19 song setlist that still felt too short. Joy has crafted a show that was a perfect tribute to culture, politics, heartbreak and humour. To experience the range of her artistry and emotions with her, simply felt like an honour. 

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