LIVE REVIEW: ALYSSA FLAHERTY - C2C COUNTRY TO COUNTRY 2026 - THE ROUND UP STAGE

Come Sunday at C2C, there was really only one place to be first thing and that was at the Round Up Stage to see Alyssa Flaherty. She made such an impression during Country Calling and Long Road in 2025, but that was no surprise to #TEAMw21 as we have been reporting on her activities since her first single and meeting her in Nashville. Alyssa in 2026 seems a slightly different prospect, she is still remarkably young and is trying to live as normal a life it is possible to lead as a 22 year old, when your chosen career is as a country singer.

A slight figure, with just her guitar for company, held in place by her "Alyssa" emblazoned guitar strap, she would start with one of last year's singles "Broken By You", immediately repaying our faith in coming out early, with one of the best sets of the whole weekend.

With smart lyrics fired out at a rapid rate and and an ear for a melodious hook, she was magnetic, rapidly drawing in casual passers by to catch something special.

Alyssa has been somewhat quiet release wise of late so the inclusion of some new songs was the icing on the cake, which was apt as the first of those new songs was "Cherry On Top"! A brooding little number, that almost seemed immediately ready to translate into a full band version, Alyssa managed to inject a little steaminess into proceedings with talk of "Taste the sugar on my lips on the dance floor" or when she sings "Pull me in honey show me what you got - I can be the good time you can be the Cherry On Top".

In celebration of the night's headliners, a cover of Brooks & Dunn's "Ain't Nothing About You" set the scene perfectly. The break up song "Lucky You" showed Alyssa's innate ability to play with volume to create drama, moving from softly spoken to all but raising the O2 roof on one extended note. Another new song came in the form of a Natalie Hemby co write. "La La La La I Can't Hear You" which would yield one of the earliest C2C audience singalongs ever at 11:15. With a neat line on witty put downs, it seems destined to cheer crowds for some time again.

Alyssa's ability to instantly switch moods was shown on "Know You By Heart", the beautifully observed song from last years EP, the fast fired words of the chorus hit home like punches, the final move through the gears from the opening whisper to the full throated "Heartbreak" finale, was simply a joy to behold.

Another new song, "Out Of Line" with a melody on the chorus to die for, was an instant earworm, with Alyssa working wonders on guitar. Surely destined for a new EP, although with Alyssa's creative output rate, that is by no means certain - we're still waiting on songs heard two years ago to surface in a recorded format. A cover of "Strawberry Wine" captured Alyssa's pure vocals perfectly, even a pesky O2 Tannoy Announcement could not compete with her soaring notes. The set flew past in minutes and somehow we were suddenly at the final song "Heartbreak Thank You", the intricate guitar work on the intro, the words all but tumbling out, all contributed to closing out an excellent set.