No one took her seriously, but this superstar continues to prove her critics wrong

Braving the wind and rain on Tuesday evening, fans who were lucky enough to land a ticket to Rae’s first ever Australian show were met with oversized wrought iron gates bearing an oversized A on the stage of The Forum, as well as a chandelier and candelabra hanging for good measure. When the 25-year-old and her four dancers took to the stage blindfolded and wearing neon lingerie to open with Fame is a Gun, the entire crowd erupted and set the tone for the next hour. Having spent her childhood as a dancer (the very talent that helped her amass close to 90 million followers on TikTok and make her among the most followed content creators on the platform), Rae moved through the set to songs such as New York, Summer Forever, High Fashion and released a sea of rainbow balloons from the ceiling during Headphones On. As a whole, the highly choreographed moves and costume changes made the experience feel like a glorious mashup of early ’00s and ethereal pop, a high school theatre performance and a Dancing With the Stars special. When four fans were pulled onstage during Rae’s cover of Charli XCX’s Von Dutch to join in her now signature microphone scream mid-song, Rae told the audience, “just because I didn’t pick you tonight doesn’t mean you can’t prove to me why I should have picked you”. Her closing track, her biggest hit to date, Diet Pepsi, performed while she was clad in a giant tutu, felt like the natural culmination of an evening celebrating the evolution of someone many thought would never make it out of their dance studio into a bona fide pop icon-in-the-making.