As the sun began to dip behind the trees in Hyde Park on 11th July, a throng of festival-goers packed into the Rainbow Stage area, drawn by the magnetic presence of German-Canadian artist Alice Merton. The singer-songwriter—best known for her breakout hit No Roots—delivered a punchy, emotionally agile set that brought the stage to a vibrant close, just before Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts took the spotlight over on the festival’s main Great Oak Stage.
Alice Merton @ BST Hyde Park 2025
Merton’s performance featured a mix of her most well-known singles and tracks from her 2023 sophomore album S.I.D.E.S., as well as newer material. Songs such as Vertigo, Lash Out, and Hit the Ground Running were met with roaring approval, with crowd members singing along and dancing to her trademark brand of edgy, rhythm-driven alt-pop. A more introspective moment came in what was likely Don’t Leave Me Alone With My Thoughts, where Merton’s voice cut through the festival chatter with raw honesty and vulnerability.
Among the songs that lit up her set, the cathartic Same Team and propulsive Pick Me Up—Merton’s ability to pivot from high-energy indie-pop bangers to introspective lyricism ensured that every song chosen counted. She packed emotional range and dynamic storytelling into a tight, captivating set that underscored her reputation as a deeply thoughtful yet eminently accessible artist.
Merton first made waves in 2016 with the seismic success of No Roots, a punchy declaration of transience and identity that topped charts across Europe and cracked the U.S. Billboard Top 40. Born in Frankfurt to a British father and German mother, and having lived in multiple countries growing up, Merton’s nomadic upbringing has long informed her writing—her songs often explore displacement, self-reliance, and emotional complexity with pop-savvy hooks and razor-sharp production.
After the success of her debut album Mint (2019), which solidified her as a voice to watch, Merton returned with S.I.D.E.S. in 2023—a darker, more expansive project that ventured into themes of mental health, resilience, and the pressures of the music industry. She’s built a reputation as a fiercely independent artist, co-founding her own label Paper Plane Records and continuously evolving her sound while maintaining tight control over her creative vision.
At BST Hyde Park, Merton proved herself not only as a studio talent but as a commanding live performer. Her stage presence was engaging without being theatrical, and her vocals—clear, powerful, and tinged with the vulnerability that marks her best work—carried effortlessly over the swelling crowd.
The anthemic No Roots, predictably brought the house down. The stomping beat, singalong chorus, and universal themes of belonging and identity resonated in the open summer air, making for a euphoric final moment on the Rainbow Stage. In a festival often dominated by rock icons and heritage acts, Alice Merton offered a thoroughly modern, heartfelt, and high-energy set that proved she’s not just a support act—but a headliner in her own right, waiting in the wings.
Photography of Alice Merton @ BST Hyde Park 2025, London by Trudi Knight on 11th July 2025.
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