Zeinab and I arrived at the Margaret Court Arena after wandering around Olympic Boulevard for half an hour, and we were immediately smacked with the sight of an endless queue spanning across the bridge atop the Batman Ave lanes below. It was apparent there was colossal hype surrounding Camila Cabello’s arrival in Australia; the last time she’d been here was over a decade ago. A couple of hiccups revolving around a missing wristband and bringing restricted equipment inside (Zeinab’s laptop in her leather bag…), we reach the pit, only a couple meters away from the front row.

Cat & Calmell, electronic pop duo hailing from Sydney, opened the tour with a banging performance full of sultry club beats that perfectly aligned with the current craze of partygirl sleaze aesthetics integral to Cabello’s album C,XOXO. I admit I had no idea who these girls were, and was incredibly confused when they started throwing custom-made panties to the audience. Not against the idea of throwing panties at your fans in the slightest, but the clashing visual tones of Cat & Calmell and Cabello herself was offputting; especially when a good chunk of the audience weren’t as hyped as the music was.

Cabello presented an intimate atmosphere with soft lacey fonts and greyscale photoshoots promoting the tour. Cat and Calmell twerked around their DJ set as they sang about partying on autotuned mics. It was a shame they weren’t given more time to shine and that they didn’t get the audience they deserved, as they were seductive and mesmerising to watch on stage!

The stage was mostly bare, with one cube-like structure that resembled a padded cell in the left side of the stage that later moved to the center. But it also glowed? From within that cell, Camilla Cabello rose to the top to begin her performance of ‘Shameless.’ Behind her strong vocal start was a dramatic live band that immediately hyped up the audience. The band changed the tone of her music in a big way, and it worked great in a concert setting.

One thing that Cabello delivered was keeping up the energy with her impressive choreo. Energetic, sexy and fun—Cabello’s stamina and stage presence was a consistent highlight of the night. Cabello is a vocal powerhouse, even live. Her impressive breath control allowed her to survive intense choreo while sustaining notes and delivering dynamic riffs. While most pop stars rely on the backing vocals, she easily outshines it in volume and vocal prowess, hitting her iconic impressive high notes with ease. We just wished the crowd could have matched that energy…

The visual story she was trying to convey, however, did not have that same consistency. Back to the padded cell that glowed up at times, later in the concert, it opened to resemble scaffolding and the pieces spread across the stage to be used as places to stand or dance on.  At some point, she was on a cloud. I couldn’t tell where this story she was trying to convey was going, and I don’t think she did either. Cabello, despite being in the industry for so long, seems to be in the same type of transitionary phase as rising stars. Is she a Brat 365 party girl? A Carpenter-esque Americana? Or a Miami beach girl? While the set design was all over the place and essentially resembled nothing and nowhere but also everything and everywhere, this is Cabello’s perfect chance to find that place.

It is clear Cabello is trying to open up to her fans more, trying to unpack her history and self through song, yet I can sense a hesitation. With C,XOXO being the only semi-raw album in her entire body of work, it isn’t enough to carry this honest identity she is trying to portray. C,XOXO is about self-reflection and discovery, but this journey hasn’t ended for Cabello. The confused set design and aesthetic of her tour is a reflection of her current phase as a pop artist, but I think with a little more time, and a little more self reflection, she can cement a spot for herself near some of her more creatively established pop counterparts.

While the performance itself was fun and there are certainly no doubts Cabello’s performing ability was stellar, the crowd felt almost undeserving of the show. Lack of energy during the opener was somewhat understandable, but its absence is felt for a good portion of the setlist. I was especially annoyed when people got upset at others in the pit for dancing. People were not dancing at all in some sections of the show where Cabello specifically wanted people to dance (thinking of when Don’t Go Yet near the end of the final act and the entire left section of the pit stood completely still).

Not all is terrible though, as one of the best moments in the concert was when Cabello surprised us with a cover of ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia, an instant Australian classic that served as a sweet tribute to her Australian fanbase. A backdrop of blue skies accompanied an ivory white piano, it is clear that vocally is where Cabello shines best. We’re grateful Cabello’s vocal prowess was strong enough to not let the scent hamper the rest of the night.

Upon reflection, Cabello’s genuine adoration for her fans was what made this night so memorable despite a few grievances. Near the start of the third act as Cabello performs ‘B.O.A.T’, she shouts out a Melburnian fan account on X who had been supporting her music since its inception with ‘Crying in the Club’ in 2017. There’s a sparkle in her eyes and a lightheartedness in her speech as she looked back on her history with the fan account, and it’s a shimmer that never dulls throughout the show. The appreciation is mutual, but it’s also real. And so is Cabello’s destiny to be on the stage.