Let us ‘be in your band!’ Camille Blackman Rocks NYC’s Night Club 101
New York City, New York- February 13th, 2026
In an era when TikTok continues to play a prominent role in the music industry, many people are ashamed to admit that it introduced them to their favorite artists. Some, however, claim it loud and proud. TikTok has consistently served as a mediator between myself and so many talented but underrated artists. So imagine my surprise when the infamous algorithm blessed me with a lively, kinetic snippet, accompanied by the most unique voice I’ve ever heard. A voice that made me pause and think, “This isn’t your run-of-the-mill indie track.” On paper, a timbre associated with such vintage and class is akin to something more ballad-like. “Who is this?” Well, let me introduce you to Camille Blackman and how she totally rocked NYC’s Night Club 101.
Photographer: Isabella Margolis
As I entered nightclub 101, there was love, or, (considering the murky club atmosphere downstairs), rather lust in the air. A pre-Valentine’s Day show, the perfect way for unlucky lovers to acquire a last-minute Valentine. Although I wasn’t as lucky as the girl next to me, sharing beers with a determined bassist, I was instead left with a newfound love of live music.
Camille (Vocals), accompanied by Spencer (Bass), Kaveh (Drums), and Ashley (Guitar), opened with crowd-stirring track “supersonic car,” which took the crowd on a jet-fueled journey from 0-100, with the immense distortion of the guitar seeping into the crowd, luring everyone closer. Camille openly commanded the room with a sense of authority, setting the stage for what’s to come.
Continuing to ease into her set, Camille then transitioned to “made you sick”, a vapory track that underscores the unfortunate indifference consistent with the actions of past lovers, like how one “raved on about how I tasted so sweet”, playing up the irony of sweet talk as she continues with “took a bite/didn’t like/ guess I rotted overnight”, calling attention to a rather sharp shift of perception. Despite the song's intensity, Camille maintained an amused, playful presence onstage, all while singing with raw conviction and emotion, ultimately leaving the crowd empowered.
Feeding off the surging energy of the crowd, Camille picked it up with crowd favorite “readysetgo,” which features the booming bass riff that initially piqued my interest when it stumbled across my timeline. It seems that “readysetgo” had not only caught my eye but also Pedro Pascal’s, Camille joked, sharing that the actor had featured it in one of his Instagram stories. It is safe to say Pedro has taste, and the crowd agreed, as they sang every word right back at her.
She then blessed fans with an unreleased song, “tea break.” It was during this song I realized Camille has a discography tethered to the soul. Her raspy vocals rang out as she sang “cracking my spine just to get back to you.” Calling attention to the hoops women put themselves through in relationships where they’re merely an afterthought.
The middle half of Camille’s set really solidified her emerging stardom, proving that not only does she have this uniqueness in her own music, but it’s something that’s transferable. She continued to showcase her originality as she performed a funky and retro spin on Smerz’s “You Got Time and I got money”.
Nearing the end of her set, she moved on to my personal favorite, “be in your band,” leaving the crowd in awe as she contrasted the timid, mellow verse with an explosive bridge. Still maintaining this playful nature, she poked fun at the petty trials concurrent with dating musicians. Spotlighting how easy things could be if they pushed aside the little things and were present in the moment, as she sings, “I’m sure we could figure it out/I just wanna sing while you jam/I just wanna be in your band”.
As Camille brought it back down with “Whatever You Say,” she shared that it holds a special place in her heart, emphasizing its effect on her career as the first single she ever released. The song touches on a relationship cursed by distance. The crowd gripped their loved ones as the reality-inducing lyrics “Stay, I’ll be wherever you are,” rang out.
With the crowd deep in reflection, Camille ended her set with another fan favorite, “just friends.” Due to the song's TikTok tease, the crowd was ecstatic when she finally announced its release on February 27th. The flirty tune immediately had the crowd up on their feet. With its cheeky nature, the song is a dare, calling the audience to embrace the unexpected. Serving as a spin on a classic friends-to-lovers trope, “just friends” frames how a dynamic can shift with age, but “there’s nothing we can do” except embrace it.
Just when fans thought it was over, Camille popped back onstage with a bonus song. The crowd roared as the opening riff of “mouse” played. Despite its eccentric imagery, this carefree track maintained its playful charm. The repeated bridge of “up down left right,” encouraged the crowd to participate, making it the perfect end to such a perky set.
As I was heading out, I heard a multitude of “holy shit, she’s really good”, “that was amazing”, and “I’m actually obsessed.” And they couldn’t be more right. After Camille's show tonight, it’s only a matter of time until she goes from all over your feed to right in your face.
