Bree Runway has compared herself to a flamingo among the pigeons, Freddie Mercury and a painting by Van Gogh. While most artists would appear ludicrous beneath such bravado, on Monday night the 29-year-old Ghanaian pop singer from east London, born Brenda Wireko Mensah, proved that her chutzpah is entirely justified. Bree Runway is a superstar in the making. 

Michelle Obama called it first. Visiting underprivileged inner-city schools in 2009, the former First Lady came to Mensah’s secondary in Islington, which had been rated outstanding. Mensah, performing a gospel song for the occasion, was told by Obama, “You’re a star, and you must never stop,” who then suggested the musician should one day play at the White House. The 16 year old was cocksure even then, retorting: “Invite me, then!” That, Runway told the NME a few years later, was the moment she decided to take music seriously. 

It has since been a rollercoaster ride of awards and accolades for the star, who has merged hip hop, RnB and pop to create a string of super-catchy hits about sex, self-worth and womanhood, full of irreverent lyrics and bombastic choruses worthy of an arena show. And Obama isn’t Mensah’s only A-List fan: Lady Gaga invited her on the Chromatica remix album, while a Missy Elliot collaboration occurred after fans started asking if the pair were related, and Mensah mischievously tweeted the American rapper telling her to: “Come collect me mommy!”.

Last year, Runway beat fellow Brit Arlo Parks to a BET award for Best New International Artist, and this year was nominated for a Brit in the rising star category, while earning a top spot on the prestigious BBC Sound of 2022 list to boot. 

In fact, on Monday the Electric felt too small for the rapidly ascending Mensah, who, with her hair dipped flame-orange, paced the stage in front of her initials blazing within an enormous, revolving gold circle reminiscent of the Olympic rings, before launching into dizzying choreography that would make Beyoncé proud.