MARINA @ O2 Academy, Glasgow, 2 Jun

Tonight, crammed into the O2 Academy, holding on to shaky cups and peering over the crowd’s heads, we have come to see MARINA introduce us to her latest alter ego, Princess of Power, who she introduced on last year's album of the same name.

Supported by former ballet dancer and current TikTok star Mikayla Geiger, MARINA takes to a venue she has played several times before. Wearing an ABBA-esque purple jumpsuit and a shawl that stretches out behind her like the princess character’s cape, she invites us into her universe, one that takes us back to 80s arcade games, comic book heroes and shows us how fun pop music can really be.

Starting us off with the titular track, it is clear that MARINA has not slowed down since she first burst onto the scene in 2009. While her music and her look have evolved, she is just as full of energy as her fans have come to expect. Behind her, a blown-up arcade-game screen sits among a sea of flickering lights, guiding us through the narrative of tonight’s show: made up of six different “levels”, we follow the evolution of the princess alongside the songs.

MARINA, formerly of “and the Diamonds” fame, doesn’t waste much time on talking, but does take a moment to let us know how glad she is to be back in Glasgow, even telling us of a Glaswegian cousin who has joined the crowd tonight. The set features pretty much the entirety of Princess of Power, save for two tracks. She intersperses these new songs with crowd favourites that have become cult classics: hits like Bubblegum Bitch, Primadonna and Froot get the crowd moving, but the new songs don’t fall on deaf ears either. It speaks for the new album that while the audience clearly appreciates the nostalgia of the earlier eras, they get just as excited for CUNTISSIMO and BUTTERFLY, two songs off the new album that speak of female growth, empowerment and the intoxication of early summer. Providing us with a small Easter egg, she plays a mash-up of new song METALLIC STALLION and Madonna’s Hung Up to roaring cheers.

Between the more dancey songs, MARINA takes time to slow down as well, performing some of the quieter songs that let the beautiful voice she has become known for shine.

The elation in the air is tangible; yet again, MARINA has delivered a show that has us dancing, singing along and admiring her solidly delivered artistic vision.