Emerging pop sensation Bella Kay brought The Reckless Tour to Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, September 16. The twenty-year-old singer, known for her raw, emotional lyricism and viral breakout tracks, effortlessly sold out the 1,800 capacity NYC venue.
Opener Hailey Picardi lit up the crowd with her easily loveable indie-pop sound. With anthems that reflect the back-and-forth feelings of a modern teenager, Picardi was a heavily relatable opener for Kay’s primarily Gen Z fanbase. Playing her newest unreleased track, “losing u,” for the first time live, the artist was especially excited to announce its upcoming release on Friday, September 18.
Around 9 pm, the lights dimmed as Drake’s 2015 hit “Hotline Bling” shook from the speakers in preparation for Kay’s on-stage arrival. The stage transformed into an intimate bedroom scene. With posters adorning the walls, rugs on the floor, and knick-knacks scattered all around, fans were transported into the singer-songwriter’s universe before the music even began.
Strutting onto stage with “Say it Say,” a confrontational hit about mixed signals in a relationship, Kay had the crowd entranced as she stood right to the edge of the stage. Dancing along to the track as it built, Kay encouraged fans to follow her lead and shout the chorus back.
As she traveled through the tracklist, top charting bedroom pop hits shifted to more intimate, emotionally built performances. With “Promise?,” the singer gravitated between stage left and right. Getting as close as possible to her front row fans, Kay wrapped her pinky finger around those in the crowd, silently sealing a bond between them.
Midway through her performance, the singer covered one of her favorite songs, “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine. Kay’s emotional artistry matched perfectly with McAlpine’s raw, story-like lyricism. Turning the soft ballad into a heartache anthem, Kay mixed her gritty vocal tone with the otherwise soulful song.
“The Sick” and final song “iloveitiloveitiloveit” were the fan favorites of the night. Known as her biggest hits, these two mark the career-bend for Kay as her debut single and highest peaking song. Widely beloved since their teases on TikTok, Brooklyn Steel erupted with cheers, scream-singing, and palpable energy for the two singles.
Bella Kay continues on The Reckless Tour throughout the U.S. until October, and then she will join Noah Kahan’s UK and Ireland leg of The Great Divide Tour as an opener. In March, she is set to support Gracie Abrams on her highly anticipated The Look at My Life Tour.
Bella Kay – Brooklyn, NY – September 16, 2026
Setlist: Say it Say, mindf*ck, i deserve better., Promise?, Stop, Steady, ceilings (Lizzy McAlpine Cover), swu, wonder wander, tongue, karaoke, God Knows, The Sick, marrow, Blur, iloveitiloveitiloveit
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