Watching Badshah perform live at The O2 Arena for the first time in London felt surreal. The kind of moment where you look around and realise this is history in the making. From the outside, it was just another show — but inside, it felt entirely different.
The Energy Was Instant
The second we walked into the O2, it didn’t feel like a typical concert venue. It felt like a whole world, almost like a luxury mall — bright, buzzing, filled with food counters, drinks and people dressed up for the night. Everything was easily accessible (yes, you can carry your food and drinks inside), but also… everything came at a price.
Still, the vibe? Worth it.
Despite a crowd of nearly 20,000, getting in was surprisingly smooth. Multiple gates and organised entry points— no chaos, no confusion. And if you had an American Express card, you were clearly winning that night with faster access and entry into the VIP lounges.
When Badshah Came On…
The energy shifted instantly.
He walked in with his usual confidence, but there was something different this time. You could feel it — a certain weight, maybe even vulnerability. With everything going on around him lately, the show didn’t feel like just another performance for him.
From “DJ Waley Babu”, “Genda Phool”, to “Jugnu” from the crowd going all out for “Kala Chashma” to everyone screaming along to “Paagal” — it was one hit after another. The entire arena turned into a massive sing-along.
There were moments where he paused, looked around, and just took it all in. And honestly, so did we.
Then the music kicked in — and it was hit after hit after hit. The entire arena turned into one big chorus. Nobody was standing still.
Not Everything Was Perfect — And That’s Okay
The production? Solid. The lights, the visuals, the scale — it all felt big and well put together.
But if we’re being real, his troop didn’t quite match that same energy. There were a few moments where the coordination felt off, and you could see the difference between Badshah’s presence and the rest of the crew.
Still, he carried it. Completely.
And Then Came Nora…
Just when the night was already peaking, Nora Fatehi walked in.
And everything changed.
The crowd went wild. Her performance was sharp, confident, and honestly one of the biggest highlights of the night. She brought a different kind of energy — one that instantly lifted the entire show.
Walking Out, It Just Stayed With You
As we walked out of the arena, surrounded by thousands of people still humming his songs, there was this quiet realisation —
This wasn’t just about music.
It was about seeing an Indian artist command a global stage like the O2. It was about the emotion behind the performance. The imperfections. The scale. The moment.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was real.
And somehow, that made it even better.
