Loyle Carner Makes Me Feel Like I Can Do Anything And You Can Too.

At this point, it’s probably not surprising for you to be reading something about Loyle Carner from me. What can I say? I’m a huge fan! When I first moved to Cardiff, I made a list of artists I only ever dreamed of photographing and seeing. Sitting pretty close to the top (if not the very top, though I’m trying to play it cool) was Loyle Carner. And on Friday, 7th November 2025, at the Utilita Arena — I did both. Isn’t that something?

I was eighteen when I first heard Loyle Carner, on a train to a gig with my friend. Knees brushing, eyes glued to a phone screen as No CD played out in front of me. Suddenly, the trees outside the window that had always captivated me were forgotten, as I was introduced to someone whose music would continue to soundtrack my life for, well, what feels like the rest of time.

It was the first time I heard music that truly held weight. Every word felt like it meant something, because it had to — not because it was trying too hard. And for someone who had been continuously searching for peace amidst the chaos of adolescence, I truly think I began to find it within Loyle Carner’s music.

And to think, I am now doing something that eighteen-year-old Meg-Ivy used to dream about on those train rides.

Now, I’m twenty-six, and my life is so much different than it was back then. But one thing hasn’t changed: my admiration for Loyle Carner. Looking up at him from the photo pit, lights drenching both of us, his words still held as much weight — but in a new way now. Maybe it’s because I’m older and have lived more, but the chaos I once sought solace from at eighteen has now given way to a quiet resonance with the truths I uncover at twenty-six.

The Utilita Arena is a huge space, but Loyle Carner managed to pull everyone into his orbit. The production isn’t expansive; it’s just him and his band on stage, making a statement with his music. He opened the night with all i needfrom his new album hopefully!, immediately setting the tone that this wasn’t just a concert, but a heavy, soulful conversation that allowed you to let go of everything you had carried into the arena that evening. I know I did. No more stress, no more worries, no more overthinking.

The setlist moved seamlessly through his catalogue — the rhythmic clarity of Nobody Knows (Ladas Road) hitting particularly hard, contrasted beautifully by the emotional vulnerability of fan favourites like Loose Ends.

I say this often, and I really do mean it: sitting high in the balcony after taking the photos felt like something straight out of a dream. Lights filled the stage and the arena as Loyle and the crowd (and myself) slowly but surely sang their way through every song with so much conviction, leaving no room for doubt. I felt more okay than I had in weeks. Actually, I think seeing Loyle was the solace I had been seeking. The room felt like a shared confessional, where every sway, every scream of a lyric, and every head nod confirmed, “I get it. I’ve been there too.”

In times when we need music the most, Loyle Carner almost always pulls through.

One thing is certain: Loyle Carner can never be background music. He makes music meant to be listened to and digested. I left this night truly believing that music transcends, heals, and keeps us going… if you just let it. And I did.

This concert left me feeling grateful that I get to do what I do, and in awe. Awe that music can sound like this, that it can be so raw and real. God, I kind of hate that word, but it’s true, isn’t it? It is real. I felt inspired to keep pushing in whatever direction I want to go, to keep on dreaming, and most importantly, writing. Speaking.

Maybe one day, something I say will hold the same weight as the words Loyle Carner shares with us. I hope you’re around to see it — and hear it too.

Written & Photographed by Meg Ivy Brunning