shot by: tullo.photo
Emei invited us to fall down the rabbithole with her for her first-ever concert in Arizona and the second-to-last stop of The Rabbithole Tour, held in Phoenix, Arizona, at The Crescent Ballroom on April 4, 2025. The night marked a celebration of her latest EP, RABBITHOLE, which dropped in November 2024 and has since taken listeners on a journey through her bold, expressive alt-pop world.
When Emei finally took the stage, she told the crowd, “You haven’t been to an Emei show if you still have your voice.” But truthfully, that had already become the unofficial theme of the night long before she even stated it.
The energy was high from the start, thanks to Bay Area artist Ashley Mehta, who kicked things off with an electrifying set. Drawing from her Filipino-Indian roots, Mehta performed several original songs—including some unreleased tracks—and connected with the crowd through her vibrant stage presence. Ashley proved she could captivate the crowd early on, sparking energy and connection with every interaction. She encouraged fans to jump, sing, and sway along with her, turning the venue into a pulsing, collective rhythm. A standout moment came when she delivered a stunning cover of Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” prompting the audience to light up the venue with their phone flashlights in a moment of pure, shared emotion. Beyond her strong vocals and catchy melodies though, Ashley also brought personality and humor to the stage. In a surprisingly hilarious moment, she leaned into a few ASMR-style water gulps, which drew loud cheers and laughter from the audience. It was the kind of playful spontaneity that made her set all the more memorable. She closed things out with her heartfelt track “I Wish I Didn’t Love You”—a song that instantly earned a spot on my personal playlist.
Haiden Henderson kept the energy surging the moment he stepped on stage, seamlessly building momentum off of Ashley’s performance. As he appeared under the lights, the room erupted with squeals from teenage girls and women—true, living definitions of the word fangirling. Haiden didn’t waste a second, launching into an electrifying set that had the whole crowd on their feet. He moved with confidence and charisma, jumping and dancing across the stage while delivering fan-favorite tracks like “bleachers,” “K.O.,” “hell of a good time,” and “lovesucker,” the latter inspired by his unapologetic love for all things Twilight.
In a moment that sent fans into a frenzy, Haiden jumped off the stage mid-song, making his way into the crowd to dance and high-five fans, blurring the line between performer and audience. As he made his way back on-stage and the set heated up, Haiden stripped down to a white mesh t-shirt that clung to his toned frame, drawing cheers from the crowd. With lights caught the glisten of his sweat-slicked muscles, as he brought the set to a steamy, high-energy close with his latest release, “SWEAT,” leaving the crowd breathless and buzzing with anticipation for Emei.
Not long after Haiden left the stage, the lights dimmed and a deep red glow washed over the venue as Emei’s band quietly took their places. The opening notes of her song Cynical began to play, and just as the first line rang out, Emei rushed onto the stage to a wave of cheers that echoed through the Crescent Ballroom. The energy in the room instantly shifted—fans screaming, hands in the air—as she dove into her set with a magnetic presence.
When the song ended and the crowd calmed in anticipation, Emei paused to introduce her tour and express her gratitude. She thanked both Ashley Mehta and Haiden Henderson for opening the show, and shared that not only was this her first time headlining in Arizona, but her first-ever show in the state. Her excitement and sincerity were palpable as she thanked everyone who came out to support her. She teased a mix of old favorites and newer tracks throughout the night, and reminded the crowd, “You weren’t at an Emei concert if you leave with your voice.” From there, she encouraged fans to sing every word with her—and they absolutely did.
The official start of her setlist kicked off with Love Me Not, a pink, bubbly, high-energy pop track that had the entire crowd singing and bouncing along. Emei kept the momentum going with early career hits like Ferris Bueller and Late to the Party, the latter of which featured a special callout to Phoenix that earned cheers from the audience. She transitioned into her more recent releases, including her emotionally-charged single Crazy Stupid Love, before slowing things down for a deeply personal moment.
Taking a seat on the floor with the audience, Emei performed a stripped-down version of an unreleased song titled Ginger Tea, written about the recent loss of her grandmother. The room fell into a reverent silence, as the live-looped melodies, raw vocals and heartfelt lyrics filled the space. After that tender moment, she returned to the stage to reignite the energy with Human Being before Haiden made an unexpected return for a surprise cover of Justin Bieber’s Baby, sending the room into a frenzy.
As the night began to wind down, Emei reflected on the journey of her EP and the growth she experienced throughout the tour. She spoke candidly about what RABBITHOLE means to her and how much she’s cherished connecting with fans along the way. Once again, she reminded the audience they shouldn’t leave with their voices intact—and to her surprise and amusement, they took that as a challenge. In the pause between this reminder and her next breath, the entire crowd erupted into an extended, unified scream, holding it as long (and as loud) as possible, which left Emei beaming.
To keep the fun rolling, she brought out a giant slingshot—now a beloved tradition at her shows—and launched a merch item into the crowd, sending fans scrambling to catch it. She then shifted the mood back down for a series of softer, ethereal tracks: 9 Lives, The Part, and Don’t Know About the World. These moments felt intimate and reflective, adding emotional depth to the night’s high-octane energy.
But Emei wasn’t done yet. She closed out her set with a trio of her most high-powered songs: Irresponsible, RABBITHOLE (the EP’s title track), and Scatterbrain. Irresponsible was a clear crowd favorite, with the audience singing every word and chanting the “la-la-la’s” back to her with infectious joy. After exiting the stage to roaring applause, Emei returned just moments later for an explosive encore with her original hit single, 711. Haiden joined her one last time, and together they made sure the night ended with a bang—launching three beach balls filled with glitter into the crowd as the first chorus kicked in. It was loud, chaotic, joyful, and unforgettable—everything Emei’s fans were expecting and more.