When Jimmy Fallon introduced a PinkPantheress performance on last night's Tonight Show, I thought that he couldn't possibly be right. PinkPantheress has already spawned a whole mini-generation of insular dance-pop imitators, so she must have been on TV before that. As far as I can tell, though, Fallon was actually correct. It makes sense. PinkPantheress began her career during the pandemic, when she'd never even been inside a club. When she started playing live shows, there was a goofy little mini-controversy about how she didn't seem to care about the process one bit. Maybe her people were actually trying to keep her off of TV until she was ready. But now, she has played tons of big venues and festivals, and she also just got an honorary doctorate. I guess it was time.
On last night's Tonight Show, we got to see the practiced, pop-star version of PinkPantheress. She performed with a troupe of backup dancers, hitting some light choreography herself, and she did not bring her handbag onstage. She did just fine! She's never going to be Beyoncé up there, but a more intense, rigorous performance wouldn't suit the casual, conversational quality of her music. On the show, she breezed through a medley of "Illegal," "Girl Like Me," and "Tonight" -- the first three tracks from Fancy That, the extremely fun mini-mixtape that she released earlier this year. The songs all sounded good, and she looked more comfortable onstage than she often has in the past. Watch it below.
PinkPantheress did not get a "that's how ya do it" out of Jimmy Fallon, but she did do an online comedy bit with him.
During the performance, she did the same handshake bit with one of her backup dancers. Scott tells me that it a "viral TikTok thing." Whatever. Fine.
@burtsbeessavedmylife it wasn’t me that won doe #fentysuperbrandday
♬ Illegal - PinkPantheress
Fancy That is out now on Warner. Tony winner Nicole Scherzinger was on last night's Fallon, too, but I bet PinkPantheress is too young to remember the Pussycat Dolls.
