Nessa Barrett Aftercare: The Dark Fantasy Tour

By Leah Garcia

Nessa Barrett has just wrapped up her US leg of the Aftercare tour, finishing up for a 2 night sold-out show in the city of angels, Los Angeles. What originally was just a one-day experience turned into an added night to accommodate demand for witnessing this album performed live.  

Artist and opener Ari Abdul, who has a similar ambience as Barrett, hyped up the crowd and created a buzz of excitement that could be felt throughout the room. Most fans of Nessa are also fans of Ari and vice versa, so it was a great way to build anticipation for the performance that was to come. Abdul finished with her most known and viral song, “Babydoll,” in which she invited Isabel LaRosa onto stage to sing with her.

Shot by Samantha Monendo

With a quick intermission, the Aftercare experience commenced. Nessa came out with a seasoned aura of stage presence and exceptional crowd interaction. She hit her marks with her choreographed movement for her more upbeat tracks, which was a new addition to this tour in comparison to past ones of hers. Barrett made it clear that she is solidifying herself as a vocalist and a performer in showcasing this new era of hers to us.

Majority of the track list performed were songs on Aftercare, but homage was paid to old favorites like “Dying on the Inside” and “Heartbreak in the Hamptons.” By hearing her past works, a shift in sound could unequivocally be heard. 

Shot by Kristen Jan Wong

For longtime fans, the Aftercare listening experience has felt like a shift in Nessa’s discography to more intricate concepts and a heavier implementation of the dark pop sound in addition to her original pop-punk aesthetic. While the artist has dabbled with this sound throughout her career, there is more electronic production that went into this work, featuring synths and a lot of distortion all around. The production direction has echoes of influence from artists such as Chase Atlantic, Artemas, Billie Eilish, and The Weeknd, all very loved and notable artists.

This transition has not only been in sound but also in content. The album title itself tells a story of adult themes and romantic endeavors just by the phrase itself: Aftercare. Sentiments of personal sensuality, carefree intimacy, and confidence in both of those ideas as a young woman were embodied throughout most of the tracks. Barrett is known for her moody and melancholy music that fans flock to, which were present in tracks like “Does God Cry”, “Pins and Needles”, and “Breakfast in Bed”. However, there’s a newly added level of lightheartedness and an easygoing nature when speaking of potentially intense and heavy experiences. It almost presents to her audience where she’s at in her personal life, which is so vastly different than the themes of her past music. Through this new work, we can feel her confidence in herself, her confidence in her music, and her confidence in her sexuality. It’s always a treat when an artist allows their audience in on their evolvement in their personal life and creates an atmosphere where their fans can grow with their music. 

Shot by Kristen Jan Wong

Stylist Rachel Thorson is the visionary behind the moody and sexy aesthetics of this tour. For the Los Angeles shows in particular, Nessa had a full black and white set from trashy lingerie and custom-made pieces by designer Clockwork Bex. However, she’s been seen throughout the tour sporting brands like Cowboys of habit, Saint Sass, fanci club, Prodbldg, and Cou Cou intimates. She’s also shown out in vintage wear from Decades inc. and Dolce and Gabbana. 

Barrett closed out her LA show with a bang of celebration, having confetti shoot out amongst the crowd as a wonderful surprise. Now, she is moving onto the South American leg, and we hope they’re ready for the concert they’re about to receive.

The Aftercare tour is the moment right now. It’s hot. It’s enthralling. It’s what’s happening. 

Shot by Kristen Jan Wong