Lauren Spencer Smith Brings Heartbreak and Power to The Fillmore
by Vy Le | February 18th, 2026
All images are from Lauren Spencer Smith’s - The Art of Being A Mess Tour Philadelphia, PA on 2/18/26.
Photo by Vy Le | @Tvyphoto.jpg
Just like most people, I first knew Lauren Spencer Smith from her viral TikTok hit “Flowers.” I’ve always liked her branding and the amount of emotion she pours into her music, so when I found out she was coming to Philadelphia, I knew I had to be there.
The show took place on February 18 at The Fillmore Philadelphia. According to Ticketmaster, showtime was listed as 8:00 PM. However, when I entered the venue at 7:45 PM, the first opening act, Maisy Kay, was already finishing her set. I was honestly so surprised that I barely processed what was happening on stage. What stood out to me more was how packed the venue already was at that time. I usually judge the strength of a fanbase by how early people show up. Fans who truly care tend to arrive early to secure good spots, and the fact that most of the audience was already inside before the official showtime told me these were her hardcore fans. Another thing that surprised me was how young the crowd was. I noticed a lot of pre-teen and teenage girls, many accompanied by their parents.
Photo by Vy Le | @Tvyphoto.jpg
The second opener was Henry Moodie. I went into the show assuming I didn’t know either opener, but I was wrong. Mid-set, I realized I actually knew one of his songs, “drunk text.” I love that song, so I literally gasped when I recognized the first few chords. For that track, he switched to keyboard instead of the acoustic guitar he used for most of his set. His live vocals sounded rougher and more “cursive” than the studio version, which was another unexpected but interesting difference.
Lauren Spencer Smith took the stage around 9:15 PM, and the crowd absolutely lost it. There were birthday signs everywhere, and one little girl at the barricade held up a banner asking if she could sing with Lauren. It was honestly adorable. She opened with “IF KARMA DOESN’T GET YOU (I WILL),” which was such a strong way to start the night. It immediately set the tone: full sad-girl energy, rage, heartbreak, and tears.
One of my favorite parts of the show was the stage design. The set looked like a train stop, complete with signs, a bench, and a telephone booth. What made it even better was that she actually used the props during the performance instead of just leaving them as decoration. She sat on the bench, answered phone calls from the booth, and incorporated those moments into song transitions.
Photo by Vy Le | @Tvyphoto.jpg
“small” was one of the most powerful performances of the night. The song began with an incoming call from the telephone booth, supposedly from her younger self asking if she still remembered when “size didn’t matter and jeans were just jeans.” It was such a creative and emotional way to introduce a song about body image and insecurities.
Lauren was also incredible at fan interaction. At one point, she read anonymous secrets that fans had submitted before the show. In another segment, she invited someone from the audience to spin a wheel to choose the cover of the night. For Philadelphia, it was “favorite crime” by Olivia Rodrigo. Even though I was lowkey hoping for “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, “favorite crime” fit perfectly with the heartbreak-heavy setlist.
Overall, Lauren Spencer Smith’s THE ART OF BEING A MESS TOURis absolutely worth attending. The fan energy was intense, with everyone screaming every lyric at the top of their lungs. And vocally, she sounded just like the recordings, if not even more powerful live. It was emotional, dramatic, and exactly what her audience came for.
OPENERS:
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MAISY KAY
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HENRY MOODIE
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OPENERS: - MAISY KAY - HENRY MOODIE -
