Holly Humberstone leans on the rock of pop rock at TLA show

Long before the doors opened Tuesday night, a line stretched down South Street for Holly Humberstone’s sold-out show at the Theatre of Living Arts. Philadelphia marked the fourth stop on the 26-year-old English singer-songwriter’s North American tour, a run that will carry her through a string of major summer festivals this June.

The show opened with Diva Smith, who came out like a literal ray of sunshine, illuminated in golden light as she delivered an eight-song acoustic set. Her voice immediately captured the attention of a packed floor. Between songs, Smith shared that she is a preschool teacher. Her warmth and easy charm felt like an emotional warm-up for what was to come.

Holly Humberstone’s music is equal parts falling in love and falling apart. Where earlier albums leaned into darker emotions, Cruel World, released in April, glows with the energy of a summer crush – bright, electric, and emotionally exposed. Songs like “To Love Somebody” shimmer with excitement and possibility.

Humberstone’s set hinted at a cemetery scene, with the drum kit tucked behind rolling hills and a large black cross in the corner. The brighter sound of Cruel World may signal a new chapter, but the gothic undertones that have long defined her artistry remain firmly intact.

Dressed in black and white, Humberstone stepped on stage to a roar of excitement. She greeted the audience with a tiny wave that felt like she spotted an old friend. The set opening mirrored Cruel World, with the album’s introduction and first two tracks, before pivoting to fan favorite “The Walls Are Way Too Thin.”

The songs all hit harder live. With a guitar slung over her shoulder for most of the night, this was much more of a rock show than polished pop. “Down Swinging” showcased the strength of her band, as guitar work gave the song added weight and urgency.

Humberstone performed nearly all of Cruel World, leaving out only “Peachy,” the album’s piano-driven ballad. When she put down the guitar for “Beauty Pageant,” Humberstone unleashed the power of her voice. She vulnerably added, “that song is the most terrifying experience to sing in front of a crowd.”

The performance beautifully stitched together different seasons of Humberstone’s career. New songs carried the rush of possibility, while older favorites brought the crowd back to the raw vulnerability that first made them fall in love with her music. Humberstone’s live show feels like a late-night drive with your best friend – windows down, humid air rushing in, lost in music and memory. It was intimate without feeling small, nostalgic without getting stuck in the past. When favorite “Falling Asleep at the Wheel” arrived, the floor shook as the crowd jumped, holding onto each other and belting out every word. 

For the encore, Humberstone returned with her keyboardist for “Lucy.” Introducing the song, she tenderly shared that it was written for her sister “and for anyone who feels overwhelmed, really.” The stripped-back performance created one of the night’s most intimate moments. She wrapped us in a tight hug with this song, before bringing out the full band and letting loose with a cathartic closing of “Scarlett.”

I moved from the floor to the balcony for those final songs, to take in her connection with the crowd. Humberstone’s music was born in vulnerability and feels intensely personal, but it thrives when experienced collectively. As I watched the crowd sing every word back to her in Philadelphia, it was hard not to feel that the artist and audience were chasing the same thing: a chance to hold joy and heartbreak in the same breath.

After her US dates, Humberstone is going overseas for a full European tour before returning to Los Angeles this December, opening on select dates for Gracie Abrams.