“I can’t believe I am in this room,” said Suki Waterhouse at the beginning of her Oct. 21 show, excited to be back performing in Phoenix after a year. Stepping out onto an enchanted, forest-like stage adorned with spider webs, vines, and flowers, she embodied her album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, creating the perfect habitat for a sparklemuffin—a spider meant to represent her.
Waterhouse started her career at 16 after being scouted by a modeling agency at a shopping mall. Since then, she has modeled for prestigious brands like Burberry and Alexander Wang.
Waterhouse has also stepped into the acting world, appearing in various critically acclaimed films like Love, Rosie and Assassination Nation. Her most recent television role was playing “Karen” in Prime Video’s adaptation of the novel Daisy Jones and the Six alongside stars Riley Keough and Sam Claflin.
Now, the multi-talented star’s current focus is on promoting her latest album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, to her fans, the “Sparklemuffins,” across the United States.
Eager fans lined up hours early at the doors of the downtown phoenix music venue, The Van Buren, with hopes of a front-row view, passing the time by braiding each other’s hair, applying hair glitter, and enjoying slices from Ziggy’s Magic Pizza Shop. “I haven’t looked at the setlist yet; I want to be surprised,” said Abby Ayotte, a high school student from Anthem, Arizona, who was waiting in line with her friends two hours before doors opened.
“I’m a really big fan of when Suki Waterhouse was in Daisy Jones and the Six,” added Mianna Alva, an attendee from Tucson. Many fans waiting in line echoed their admiration for Waterhouse’s performance in the series.
VIP fans enjoyed skipping the line for an exclusive two-song acoustic set, featuring her single “Faded,” followed by a laid-back Q&A with the singer.
Bully, an American rock band, opened the concert for Waterhouse, delivering some of their biggest hits. They closed their set with lead singer Alicia Bognanno’s powerful acoustic rendition of their song “Atom Bomb.”
Waterhouse’s anticipated set began with the sounds of crickets and running water, creating a forest-like atmosphere. She kicked off her powerful performance with “Gateway Drug” and “Supersad.” As she took the stage, fans were immediately captivated by her energy.
During her hit song “Johanna,” Waterhouse brought a longtime fan on stage, dedicating the song to her. “She’s come to so many of my shows; I love you so much,” Suki said as they swayed and performed the song together.
Waterhouse continued the night with energetic songs like “Blackout Drunk,” “My Fun,” and “Big Love.” However, fans went wild for her performance of “Good Looking,” her hit single that went viral on TikTok in 2022 and has garnered over 485 million streams on Spotify, making it her biggest single yet.
Waterhouse slowed the night down with a piano rendition of her debut single, “Brutally,” a 2016 release about immense heartbreak that she now describes as a song of new beginnings.
After the ballad, fans chanting “Suki, Suki, Suki…” were rewarded with an encore, where she delivered her final song, “Model, Actress, Whatever.” She shared with the audience that she was “initially scared to put this song on the record,” but the crowd’s enthusiastic response proved otherwise.
Waterhouse’s performance at The Van Buren captivated the audience, with her powerful stage presence and visuals feeding the crowd’s energy as the night went on.
Waterhouse’s tour is just beginning, with back-to-back shows awaiting her in San Diego and Los Angeles after an energetic performance in downtown Phoenix.
Edited by Shi Bradley
