Photo Credit: Alice Moitie
Words: Ariana Boga

Maisie Peters went right back to her roots this January and February by putting on a selection of acoustic sessions to mark the beginning of the ‘Florescence’ era – her highly anticipated third album, releasing on 15th May. Fans have already had a taste of three tracks, with a fourth, titled ‘My Regards’, releasing on 6th February.

Peters brought a breathtaking acoustic set to Sheffield’s well-loved bookshop La Biblioteka. Hidden away in Leah’s Yard, the performance felt more like a gathering of friends than a concert, as fans enjoyed a 40-minute raw and intimate set surrounded by the quiet magic of hundreds of stories. 

The set began with Peters paying tribute to her last studio album, ‘The Good Witch’ with ‘Body Better’ – known for its raw vulnerability and emotional reeling in the sudden aftermath of heartbreak. Her upcoming album is said to be somewhat thematically different, with more of a focus on the lasting impact of a lost love and how those experiences can still echo years after. ‘Say My Name in Your Sleep’, one of fifteen tracks on the upcoming ‘Florescence’, captured the essence of this perfectly and the simplicity of the live performance created the perfect space to reminisce on the complexities of personal heartbreak. 

The set continued with ‘Audrey Hepburn’ – dubbed the new album’s “theme tune” by Peters herself. The song focuses on the comfort of returning to familiarity and the intimacy associated with that, providing a juxtaposition to Peters’ previous work which was heavily influenced by a longing to leave and see the world. Lyrics like ‘I wanted to be immortal, now I’m fine with growing old’ echoed beautifully around the space, reminding the audience that while large stage productions of mass scale are wonderful, sometimes going back to the simplicity of just a voice and a guitar is equally as special.

‘You You You’ was next – a gut-wrenching song about being submerged by a past love, seamlessly followed by Peters’ own cover of ‘The Black Dog’ by Taylor Swift, one of her biggest musical inspirations. Both tracks are synonymous with heartbreak and yearning, and their lyrical density complimented each-other perfectly. After teasing a small snippet of her new track ‘My Regards’, Peters went straight into a fan favourite – ‘Lost The Breakup’, with the audience joining in to echo the sense of community created by her previous shows. The iconic ‘I’m in Sheffield tonight!’ came next, just before Peters introduced and thanked her brilliant guitarist, Joel Peat. 

The wonderful ‘History Of Man’ was the perfect song to finish with, being a cornerstone of all of Peters’ success thus far. The track truly resonated with the crowd, and ended with a powerful applause to praise the singer’s honesty and lyrical talent.

A huge number of fans had queued outside in the hopes of getting a spot inside the bookshop, yet due to limited space, many spilled out into the courtyard area. Peters ended her Sheffield visit by playing ‘Lost the Breakup’ and ‘Audrey Hepburn’ for those fans also, thanking them for their time and unconditional support. Maisie Peters’ intimate acoustic sessions allowed her to pay homage to her formative years as an up-and-coming artist, a journey that began when she was just 17. Now at the age of 25, she has established herself as a fully-fledged lyricist and performer, while still maintaining the raw, unfiltered vulnerability that won her an audience all those years ago.