It’s been an exciting few months for RØRY. She’s fresh off winning Best UK Breakthrough Artist at the Heavy Music Awards, has been listed for next year’s Slam Dunk and 2000 Trees festivals, and just dropped the video for her latest single, “SORRY I’M LATE”, which is already proving a hit.
With her album RESTORATION releasing in January, it’s safe to say she’s entering a new chapter—and her performance at the 100 Club last month proved just that.
RØRY has come a long way since her Islington show two years ago. Back then, her core fanbase was already fiercely loyal, but since, drawn to her warm, no-frills persona, she’s brought thousands more along with her.
Her relatability, reinforced by her openness about losing her mum, ADHD, and sobriety, has made her the centre point for fans seeking connection.
At the intimate 100 Club gig—a special War Child event on the Day of the Girl—she was candid about her evolution as an artist. “I’ve tried to move away from the sad songs,” she admitted early in the set. Yet, as she delved into her emotional catalogue, the room was full of a strange kind of joy.
The setlist was concise but impactful. After opening with the feverish “ANTI-REPRESSANT,” she launched into “Baby Vendetta,” joking that she’d tried to cut it from the set but couldn’t resist the infectious energy it tends to spark in the crowd – and this proved to be true.
When it hit, the crowd enthusiastically began jumping as they sang “Don’t cry, baby. Let’s play a game, a vendetta.”
Introduced with a heartfelt, “Do I have any sober fans in here?” RØRY’sobriety and its impact on her music took the spotlight with “Help Your Friends Get Sober”, and was met with applause that showcased just how many still resonate with her journey.
A technical glitch briefly interrupted the short set, but served as a demonstration of RORY’s likeability as she calmly quipped “tech says you need the sad songs,” before the band continued with a stripped-back acoustic rendition of “the apology I’ll never receive”.
The emotional pinnacle of the night came with “Jesus & John Lennon,” a song dedicated to her mother. Before performing, she asked how many in the room had experienced similar losses, and a sea of hands went up. She urged the crowd to grab the person next to them and jokingly said, “I just wanna remind you—you paid to cry.”
It was the second point in the evening that truly captured the vulnerability that defines her shows and ultimately the reason for her growing fanbase. It sounds contradictory, but a space where everyone’s crying together can be strangely uplifting. For RØRY’s fans, her gigs are a safe haven, and going through the motions is half the appeal.
As the set progressed, highlights included the reflective “Hurt Myself” and “this is a song not a suicide letter” followed by crowd-favourite “BLOSSOM,” where she laughed and commented: “How do you know ALL the words?”
The evening closed with her latest single, “SORRY I’M LATE” released just 24 hours earlier, it was already a hit, signalling a shift in her sound. Upbeat and filled with pride, the track captures the essence of RØRY’s next chapter—one of growth and confidence.
With a debut album on the horizon and a busy year ahead, RØRY’s star is on the rise.