Mallrat - Butterfly Blue at the Forum

The Brisbane-based singer/rapper Grace Shaw - known as Mallrat has set off on a successful tour across Australia/NZ for her debut album ‘Butterfly Blue’ released this time last year. The album took her from being the little bedroom pop princess to the charts being listened to worldwide.

When I entered what claims to be Grace’s favourite venue, the Forum I knew it was going to be a great night. The stage was covered in plush animals and starry lights, the crowd was chatting amongst one another, dancing to the pre-show playlist and their outfits were incredible.

Beginning the evening was biblemami. Originally from Canberra, the singer/songwriter warms up the crowd with her alt-pop tunes that get everybody dancing. Following this was the iconic duo Cat and Calmell. The pop duo from Sydney have been rising in the industry since the release of their debut single ‘Dumbshit’ in 2020. They opened with ‘Therapist’ and ‘Intentions’ - a powerful and captivating performance that no one could turn away from. Their voices are to die for and are absolute style icons with their perfect plaid mini skirts, layered tops, and knee-high shoes.

By the end of the opening sets, fans were eager to finally see Mallrat live. The vibes were electric and everyone was counting down the minutes until she stepped foot on stage. As she began, her band including Japanese Wallpaper's very own Gab Strum, Franchesca Chong, and Stella Farnan entered the stage with the pop-princess serenading the crowd with a mix of live electronic and guitar elements. We were also treated to incredible starry lighting and moody smoke to create a euphoric aesthetic for the evening.

‘Wish On An Eyelash’ was the perfect opener, the crowd was screaming and Shaw was bopping along with her angelic voice. The setlist was curated perfectly with her hits ‘Heart Guitar’, ‘Groceries’, and ‘Butterfly Blue’.

Overall, Shaw knows how to work the stage, from her incredibly cute outfits to her powerful voice, electronic/alt-pop music, and love for her fans - this evening was one for the books.

Photographs by Sara Regan - @elytssara