"I’m not the best performer" - PinkPantheress addresses critics' opinion that her music is not meant for the stage

British singer Victoria Beverley Walker, who goes by PinkPantheress, recently revealed she doesn't make music for the stage. During her appearance on the Capital Buzz podcast, released on Wednesday, May 14, the 24-year-old producer addressed criticism over her performance skills.

Noting that it was a "fair" judgment, the Heaven Knows artist explained that she didn't make music to "perform." She stated:

"I don’t do music to perform, I think is the thing, and that’s perfectly fine. I think that people are probably used to and also expect a singer to be able to perform well. And I don’t blame anyone for thinking that. I’m not the best performer."

Last year, Walker opened for the second half of Olivia Rodrigo's Guts World Tour. However, in August, the singer abruptly announced on Instagram she would be dropping out of all her remaining live shows that year due to health concerns. However, in a May 2025 interview with Billboard, she expressed not feeling confident as an arena artist.

"No amount of rehearsals can make a difference when you’re in front of like 10k, 50k, 100k (people)"-PinkPantheress about her stage fright

During her Capital Buzz podcast interview, PinkPantheress noted that with practice, her confidence in her performance skills will "get better." However, she continued:

"No amount of rehearsals can make a difference when you’re in front of like 10k, 50k, 100k (people). There's nothing. No amount of rehearsal you can do, and as somebody that has got very bad stage fright... I don't know."

The Just for Me artist also acknowledged that she agrees with comments that her "performances (were) a hindrance to her career." PinkPantheress elaborated that she believed if someone wanted to "make it" like a "big pop diva," they would have to "crunch down" and perform. However, the singer noted that while it would be great if she could achieve that, she was also happy otherwise.

"I'm going to figure it out!" she added.

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In addition to opening for Olivia Rodrigo, PinkPantheress' cancelled live shows included opening for the Australia/New Zealand leg of Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour and appearances at festivals like Field Day and Summer Sonic.

Needless to say, the move was met with a mixed response. While some questioned if the move would harm her career, others empathized and hoped she would recover soon.

During her appearance on Zane Lowe's namesake show on Apple Music 1 earlier this month, PinkPantheress shared a glimpse into her mindset when she called off her live tours. She told Lowe that she knew it would garner "backlash" and face monetary repercussions, but they were not a major "concern." Highlighting her need to prioritize her mental health, she told the host:

"I think it was when I started cutting my hair with razor blades where I realized, you know what? I’m actually going to stop now… I’m going to probably take a step back and chill."

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Walker elaborated on the sentiment during her May 13 interview with Billboard. When questioned about her experience opening for Rodrigo, the songstress explained it was "difficult" for her, but she "enjoyed" it. PinkPantheress noted that the drivers license artist was an "actual force" while on tour, adding:

"Watching her and how she combats an arena and how she actually does the arena, made me realize, 'Wow, some people are arena artists and some people are not.' I’m not an arena artist."

Walker explained that it was when she realized her "own incapabilities" as an "arena artist." She also acknowledged that her dropping out caused problems for Rodrigo, stating:

"It distraught me that there were any sufferings to that leg of the tour for her because of my shortcomings. I wish I could do have done it the whole way through, but I feel like I was gonna be detrimental to myself."

PinkPantheress gained prominence after her songs became popular on TikTok and SoundCloud. In 2021, she signed with Parlophone and Elektra Records, releasing her debut mixtape, To Hell with It. The project debuted at number 20 on the UK Albums Chart, pushing her to the mainstream.

The singer dropped her second mixtape, Fancy That, on May 9. It is available to stream online.

About the author

Nirali has been a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda for the past 1.5 years, covering celebrity/influencer trends and profile/histories, political news, crime reports, and lifestyle. She completed her Bachelor's in Architecture from University of Mumbai and Masters in Heritage Conservation from University of Southern California. Professionally, Nirali has a strong 7.5-year experience working as an architect, an Assistant Archivist and a Digital Archivist across three companies.

Nirali’s educational qualifications and unique career trajectory put great emphasis on research and writing, which along with her personal interest in popular culture, led her to the current role at Sportskeeda. Her specialties are researching histories, crime stories, and developing general knowledge pieces.

The most crucial step in Nirali’s reporting is rigorous fact-checking, and she relies on information from primary sources only for her news. In the absence of a primary source, Nirali double, and even triple-checks information from multiple sources before presenting them to her readers. Strictly anti-AI, she believes in giving credits wherever necessary.

Nirali’s favorite celebrities are Mark Ruffalo and Dolly Parton, and she admires them for their support of humanity and advocacy for what is right. An avid reader, Nirali can be found nose-deep in a new book when she is away from her keyboard. Nirali also loves to illustrate in her free time.

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Edited by Bharath S