There is an electric, sweat-drenched energy that only a packed-out O2 Ritz can generate, and on Sunday night, it took very little time for the room to transform into a full-blown club.
Finnish DJ and producer DEVINIT took charge of opening duties, flying in to deliver a relentless, crowd-pleasing warm-up set. Blending dancefloor edits with timeless pop classics—ranging from Michael Jackson and ABBA to a heavy-bass remix of Ariana Grande’s “Break Free”, he kept the energy soaring high. The room belted out Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been” under a green haze before shifting into high gear with classic bangers like “Pump Up The Jam” and “Satisfaction.”
DEVINIT seamlessly moved from a tease of “…Baby One More Time” straight into Daft Punk’s “One More Time,” keeping hands firmly in the air. Throwing in a nod to INNA with Alexandra Stan’s “Mr. Saxobeat,” he also showcased his own hypnotic drum ‘n’ bass creations amidst swirling blue and green lights, before wrapping up with a soaring edit of Bastille’s “Pompeii.” Admitting, “God damn, I think I need to come to the UK more often, you guys are amazing,” he left a thoroughly warmed-up room bouncing and chanting in anticipation.
By the time the lights dropped to deep blue, the venue was sweltering, and the crowd were already screaming for the main event. Romanian pop star INNA bounded onto the stage accompanied by her dancers, instantly taking command of the room.
Early in the set, she paused to break away from the intense choreography to share an intimate moment with the audience. “Can I take a moment to sing a song in my language? You’re going to learn it by the end,” she promised, launching into “Yalla” under bathed purple lights and white spotlights, as a fan proudly hoisted a Romanian flag in the pit.
Energy remained sky-high as her dancers returned for “UP” (complete with its infectious “magic touch” hook) and “Callin’ U”. Periodically pausing to check in on fan hydration in the hot room, INNA later sat down directly in front of the stage fans to cool off, before delivering fiery renditions of Spanish-language hits “Dame La Mano” and “Sí, Mamá”.
A sequence featuring “Ruleta,” “More Than Friends,” “In Your Eyes,” and “Tu Manera”, complete with dancers wielding glowing LED fans, had the venue moving continuously, before the heavy bass of “Iguana” shook the floorboards under sharp green lighting.
Taking time to speak directly with a young super-fan named Maria in the front row attending her very first show, INNA shared a candid message of encouragement:
“The secret is to never give up on your dream… my mom took my hand and said ‘you’re going to be a star.’ If you have a dream, don’t give up on it, you work until it becomes a reality.”
She followed with “Caliente,” laughing about its sudden viral resurgence on TikTok 13 years after its release, before powering through fan-favourites “Wizz Air,” “Morenito,” and the massive “Cola Song,” which saw bright red and white lights strobe across a wild crowd.
Closing the night in truly unforgettable fashion, INNA stepped down directly to the barricade. Under soft white light, she delivered a stripped-back, acoustic-leaning version of her career-defining hit “Hot,” singing shoulder-to-shoulder with her fans to wrap up a masterclass in dance-pop showmanship.
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