Elizabeth Harris, known by the stage name of Cupcakke, has had a strong online persona since first dropping her music in 2015 but in the past year has become an internet phenomenon with tweets and songs going viral. Fans across the globe have been patiently waiting for her to come to their cities, and on March 14, she finally graced the stage for a sold out show at The Dome in North London.
I’ve only been following Cupcakke recently (since around Spring 2017) but have since become a massive fan of her, and so once I heard about the opportunity to see her in a venue near me, I jumped at the chance. Her London date was the last of a small string of UK dates on a tour promoting her latest album, Ephorize, which was released Jan. 5, 2018.
The cover work for the album “Ephorize”
When queuing for the gig, there was a lot of talk about who would be the supporting act, or if there would even be one, as there was no news of it on social media. Once coming into the venue, the set times were plastered on walls, which said that there would be two free hours once doors opened at 7 p.m. to see her come on stage.
The 20-year-old rapper from Chicago came out around 9:35 p.m., at which point the crowd was ecstatic to finally see her face, embracing her in loud cheers, as soon as she walked on stage. She greeted the crowd before diving into one of the songs that launched her career with its sexually charged lyrics called “Vagina.” Once the song was over, she went straight into another hit, “LGBT,” that saw the whole audience jumping off their feet, as it soon became clear that she was just going to be playing hit after hit this show.
Cupcakke is known and loved on the internet for her inclusive message to fans that includes body positivity and sexual freedom for all, which has set her place as a big voice for Generation Z, as she embodies so much modern honesty and tolerance. One of the songs she performed last night, “Crayons,” saw the crowd chant back “boy on boy / girl on girl / like who the f–k you like / f–k the world.” This show saw her do a 10-song setlist, which featured all the fan favorites, including “CPR” and “Duck Duck Goose.”
Not only is Cupcakke’s fan-base prominent in the UK, but it is getting stronger worldwide, as listeners respect what she says and everything she embodies; it’s clear that 2018 is going to be a prominent year in Cupcakke’s career, as she takes leaps that will see her become a part of mainstream culture.
