A sold-out crowd is gathered on a packed dance floor at The Lexington in Islington, London. The crowd is mostly young and – while a few have gone to whole hog and donned glamorous costumes – most have pink glitter streaked boldly underneath their eyes, just like their heroes on stage. As the noise swells, each one nods their head in a vicious rhythm, with some raising their fists in the air. Sweaty bodies near the front collide and twirl and dance with each other in appreciation for one of the most eye-catching and engaging live acts in the UK right now: Queen Zee.
“When I go to a show, I don’t want to see something that’s bland and apathetic and boring,” Zee, lead singer of Queen Zee, says. “If I wanted that, I would live my normal, boring life. I feel as if, when people come to our show, they want to see a show. They want to have an experience,” they say. When we speak to Zee and bassist Frank, two hours before their sold-out show, they both acknowledge that there’s expectations loaded with the band.