by Olivia Macrae
Emerging alt-pop star Siobhán Winifred pulled off an emotive and charming set for
excited fans at the SWG3 Poetry Club on October 6.
Upon the recent release of her highly anticipated debut EP ‘Don’t Do Well Alone’,
Winifred set off on a five-night debut headline tour, selling out both her Glasgow and
London shows months in advance. The London-based rising artist blends alternative, indie, and pop genres appealing to fans of the likes of Holly Humberstone, Flora Rose, and Nieve Ella.
Alex Apolline opened up the night with flawlessly haunting vocals, offering a beautiful collection of songs with detailed storytelling and light chatter. Her only released single ‘inevitable’ got the crowd engaged when singing part of the bridge, “I know, I’ve let a good thing go”, creating a sense of togetherness in the room.
By around 9pm, Siobhán was ready to take stage, albeit with a few technical issues,
the set ran a smooth discourse of emotional ballads including ‘Keep Sweet’ from her
recent EP, and her 2022 single ‘This House’. Vulnerable lyricism in ‘Keep Sweet’
discusses feelings of isolation and numbness whilst trying to keep the other person happy, before delving into a hard-hitting instrumental bridge – something that must be experienced live.
Photo by Olivia Macrae
The set also featured an enthralling cover of ‘Pretty Things’ by Rufus Wainwright, an
artist that Winifred has often looked up to musically. An additional cover of ‘Apple’ by
the electro-pop singer Charli XCX was to follow, which got the youthful crowd
buzzing and dancing.
Other songs played from the ‘Don’t Do Well Alone’ EP were fan-favourite tracks
‘Lungs’ and ‘Killers’, where fans at the front excitedly sung the lyrics, clapped along,
and engaged in eager chatter in-between songs.
With an exciting upcoming supporting slot for The Snuts’ headline UK tour in
November, as well as supporting The Blossoms’ sold-out show in Manchester’s
Albert Hall – it’s no doubt her fanbase will continue to expand alongside her. Winifred
is definitely an artist to watch for 2025, and it will be intriguing to see what the
upcoming months hold for her!
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