When we first spoke to Australian singer Peach PRC in 2020, she was still trying to comprehend her growing online presence. “I still can’t really wrap my head around the fact that there’s people out there who are listening to my voice and the words I’ve written and actually enjoying it,” she told us. “It means the world to me, and it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
After five years, a debut EP, and over 2 million followers and growing — and Peach is now a globally acclaimed artist, on a nearly sold-out tour across North America.
On September 23, Boston fans had the chance to listen live. But before Peach sprinkled her pixie dust across the stage, rising artist Madelline (with two L’s) set the tone for the night.
Draped in a faux fur shrug, Madelline delivered a theatrical, genre-blurring performance she describes as “theatre pop.” With her pearl necklace swinging low, she commanded the stage with a dopamine-spiking set that included “Training Wheels” and “Expiration Dating,” a song she introduced as a reflection on society’s expectations and the joy of embracing one’s inner “childless cat lady.”
As the crowd warmed up and sang along, an unexpected fire alarm blared, triggered by the overzealous smoke machines. With a safe-to-stay venue approval, Madelline then turned the chaos into comedy, harmonizing with the alarm and improvising songs based on audience suggestions. A fan yelled out “Oregano,” prompting her to sing, “When I ordered weed in 9th grade, they gave me oregano,” to laughter.
When the smoke finally cleared, she closed out her set with “Dopamine,” a fitting end to a high-energy performance that had the crowd buzzing and ready for Peach PRC.
In a sweet nod to her early career TikTok uploads, Peach was welcomed to the stage by the glow of an LED screen playing defining moments from her internet career, from quitting her job as a stripper to signing her record deal to building her now-iconic CD wall.
That CD wall still holds a special place in fans’ hearts. As Peach opened with “Perfect For You,” the crowd held up signs that read, “Perfect since the CD Wall.”
The gesture nearly brought her to tears, especially when a fan handed her a crocheted stuffed animal version of her dog, Marbles. Hugging the handmade gift tightly, Peach revealed how homesick she had been. “I was on my bus the other day and was like, ‘I wish I had my dog to hold, or even just a teddy or something, because I was feeling so sad,’” she shared. “You really answered my prayers. Thank you so much for this.”
Peach’s show felt less like a concert and more like a long-overdue hangout with an old Facetime only friend. “Thank you for being such an amazing, present crowd,” she said with genuine appreciation. As someone who built her career online, Peach understands the pressure of constant phone use, and celebrated the crowd’s choice to live in the moment without phones in hand.
For the encore, Peach returned to the stage with a dreamy cover of “Teenage Dirtbag,” but, in poetic fashion, the fire alarm went off again. If Peach hadn’t been right there with us, she probably would’ve been filming to share the hilarity with her online community.
If you get the chance to escape into Peach PRC’s world—no phones, no distractions—do it. You’ll be so glad you did.