Gracie Abrams has officially entered her arena era — and Sydney felt every bit of it on Friday night.
Fans camped overnight in the rain for a front-row spot at Qudos Bank Arena, her signature hair bows drooping but spirits sky-high. By nightfall, 21,000 of her young audience were buzzing through train stations and arena gates, ready to cry, scream, and sing along with the 25-year-old pop star.
It’s been a fast climb. Since her last (sold-out) Aussie visit in early 2024, Abrams has gone from cult favourite to full-blown main pop girl — opening for Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ concerts, dropping a #1 album (The Secret of Us debuted at the top of the ARIA chart), and somehow landing on Drake’s radar — all while navigating fame with a familiar last name and the occasional nepo-baby comment (yes, her dad is that J.J. Abrams).
Friday (May 2nd) marked the second stop of her first ‘The Secret of Us‘ tour, hot off a surprise Lorde cover in Auckland.
She felt the shift, too. “The last time we played here, the room wasn’t this big,” she told the crowd, eyes wide. “I’ve been dying to come back ever since.”
Opening barefoot and beaming in a sparkly silver dress, Abrams set the tone with “Risk” and a breathless “Holy shit, Sydney!”
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The vibe? Best-friend sleepover with 21,000 guests. Fans lobbed handmade gifts on stage — a custom Australian flag with her face got the prime spot, draped over her piano like a trophy.
“Thank you for filling my life with so much joy,” she said, hand on heart. The screams were deafening.
Halfway through, the mood shifted. The lights went out, and suddenly, there she was — on the other side of the arena, standing in a replica of her childhood bedroom, complete with fairy lights, lamps, and floral sheets.
“Welcome to my bedroom,” she grinned. “This is where I grew up and wrote most of my songs.” She reminisced about uploading early demos to SoundCloud and Instagram and holding concerts over Zoom during Covid, adding, “We were like pen pals online, so it feels right to bring the virtual world here.”
A piano cam zoomed in as she introduced the night’s cover—a now expected tradition on tour. “It’s by an Australian artist I’ve loved for ages. You better know it.” She looked nervous. “Hope you sing along with me.”
Then came “Torn”, the Natalie Imbruglia ballad that made her a household name in 1997 (recently covered by Dua Lipa on her Australian run), which suited Abrams’ breathy tone. “Best song ever alert,” she beamed afterward.
Later, during “Cool”, she paused, spotting a familiar face. “Wait… I took your phone on stage at the last show,” she said, grinning. “How’ve you been?”
Because Gracie Abrams is the kind of pop star who makes a stadium feel like a sleepover.
For the encore, she held back the heavy-hitters: “So True”, followed by “Close to You” — her first Billboard Hot 100 entry and still the biggest scream-along of the night.
@nimhussain sydney girls had the time of their lives last night @gracie abrams #gracieabrams #gracieconcert ♬ original sound – Nim
Gracie Abrams’ ‘The Secret of Us’ tour continues with two more nights at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, before hitting Brisbane on May 6–7, Melbourne on May 9–11, Adelaide on May 13, and Perth on May 16–17.
Gracie Abrams
The Secret of Us Tour
Tickets for all of the upcoming Australian shows are on sale now. Click here for more details.
Saturday May 3rd
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Sunday May 4th
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Tuesday May 6th
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
Wednesday May 7th
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
Friday May 9th
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Saturday May 10th
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Sunday May 11th
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Tuesday May 13th
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
Friday May 16th
RAC Arena, Perth
Saturday May 17th
RAC Arena, Perth
