El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA — October 5, 2026

Bella Kay brought her Reckless Tour to Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre on October 5th for the first of two nights in the city, with Hailey Picardi opening the show. The tour celebrates Kay’s debut album, My Reckless Abandon, a 13-song record exploring heartbreak, isolation, and resilience. With a living-room-inspired set complete with a couch and homey details, the packed El Rey felt less like a theater and more like an intimate living room show from the first song to the last.

Picardi set the tone with a strikingly intimate opening set, drawing from her debut EP, scars to prove it. Her signature pigtail braids swung as she sang about some of her rawest emotions, including “losing u,” a song that had only just been released as she took it on tour. Throughout the set, Picardi opened up about her own struggles, creating an immediate connection with the crowd. Fans nodded along to every word, and by the end of her set, the room felt just as much hers as it would later belong to Kay.

Kay opened with “Say it Say,” and the intimacy only grew from there. She reached down to hold fans’ hands, leaning into the front row as if she were singing directly to each person individually. Midway through the set, she covered Lizzy McAlpine’s “ceilings,” before pausing to celebrate a fan’s birthday as the entire room joined in. Throughout the show, the crowd sang along to every word, but “The Sick” brought out the biggest reaction. The song has become a defining part of Kay’s rise, and as soon as the first notes played, the entire room erupted, with fans shouting every lyric back to her.

Late in the set, Kay gave the crowd an unexpected gift, debuting a new song, “like a god.” The room fell completely silent as everyone listened, captivated by the unreleased track. After the main set ended, fans began chanting for “iloveitiloveitiloveit,” bringing Kay back to the stage for one final song. She closed out the night with the fan-favorite hit, tossing bouquets of flowers into the crowd as the room erupted around her.

Words & Photography: Amy MyAn