“I’m Lucy and my parents suck!” It’s Thursday night in Camden and Arabella Latham, or Baby Queen as she is better known, is on stage doing a little ad hoc, mid-gig therapy. In pigtails and a T-shirt bearing the image of a Care Bear smoking weed, Latham is whipping up catharsis. “My name is Claire and I’m a depressed psychology student!” howls another fan. Everyone whoops in response. Latham takes the mic: “I’m Bella and I’m a f***ing narcissist!” The words prove to be more battle cry than contrite confession, though, as Latham and the crowd grind into her acerbic single “Narcissist”.
The song is classic Baby Queen: a loud admission of unflattering feelings and a cultural critique rolled into one. Her genre is punk-minded pop, or pop-minded punk that calls to mind artists like Willow Smith and Billie Eilish. Tonight, on her hot pink guitar, Latham shreds through tracks about faking it on social media, losing your sex drive on antidepressants, and online dating. Each one has a brutal honesty that’s like a siren song to the crowd who evidently feel the exact same. The crowds are only growing bigger, thanks to Latham’s name on the BBC Sound of 2022 nominee list, two features on the soundtrack for Netflix’s hit show Heartstopper, and a forthcoming tour accompanying Gen Z it-girl Olivia Rodrigo.
