A music lover who has been to 12 gigs by herself in six months says more women should do this – and shared her tips on how to stay safe.
With festival season about to come into full swing, Nicole Elizabeth has a clear message if you can’t find a pal to go along: just go it alone.
But many Brits may feel hesitant to follow in her footsteps.
New research, released today (8 May) by viagogo shows 73% of women have never gone to a live show solo.
In fact, they are twice as likely to avoid this situation, compared to men – due to feeling unsafe or lacking confidence, according to the survey.
Nicole is on a mission to change this and help more women feel safe in music spaces.
Since going to gigs solo, the 38-year-old from south east London says her self-confidence has soared.
“Attending gigs on my own was a challenge to myself at the beginning,” she said.
“I was tired of waiting for people to go out with!
“The experience has given me such an empowering feeling and has helped me overcome the anxiety of being alone at a social event.
“It is a form of social freedom to be able to strike up a conversation with a stranger and be in a new environment by myself.
“It’s also nice to be alone in my own thoughts.
“At first, it was scary going out on my own.
“I was a very nerve-racking experience and it felt a bit lonely, but I also had an overwhelming feeling of thrill.
“I overcame my anxiety by smiling at others and being friendly with strangers.
“What I’ve learnt is that you can have shared experiences with people you meet at gigs.”
Nicole’s solo journey started when she was unable to find any pals to join her to see Royal Dragon at Royal Albert Hall in November last year.
Now, she never has the freedom to see any show she wants.
Her favourite set? The ultimate girl power band: Spice Girls at Wembley Stadium.
In an unexpected benefit, she says having ‘me time’ to do what she loves has helped her relationship, as her partner, Carlton Senior, 45, doesn’t share her music taste.
If she feels particularly nervous, Nicole has various “techniques” to calm herself down, such as asking a friend to be ‘on call’ if she needs to talk while out and about.
As a woman, she knows that safety is paramount and it can often be a big hinderance for fellow women who want to go to events alone.
She said: “I would recommend apps like Strut Safe [a volunteer phone line] so you can talk to someone if you are walking alone home at night.
“And have your favourite music playlist downloaded offline so that it can soothe you in transit.
“I believe many women would be apprehensive about going to gigs alone due to the safety issue.
“I feel safe when I’ve attended these venues [that I have been to so far], especially with measures put in place such as Ask Angela [a code phrase women can tell staff when they feel unsafe].
“There is still a big social pressure where people may think they might be judged for going out alone.
“But I think it’s getting less taboo to go to gigs or other social events alone.”
Knowing just how difficult it can be to find the courage to go it alone, she has also launched her own women-only music events.
The research by viagogo asked 2,000 Brits about their attitudes towards attending music concerts on their own.
The data reveals almost a quarter of fans said they lacked confidence in their own company (24%), wouldn’t feel safe (24%) or feel ‘far too anxious’ (22%) to go solo.
One in five (17%) confessed to feeling uneasy about travelling alone to a show, while a further one in seven (13%) said they’d feel ‘judged’ by others for enjoying an act by themselves.
The gender divide has shocking results – with half of men having been to a live show alone, compared to just over a quarter of women (27%).
In response to the stats, viagogo is also debuting its first ‘Solo Socials’ event ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shows in London.
The night is specially designed to boost confidence and bring like-minded fans together.
The ticketing platform is even teaming up with a NHS doctor and gig-going aficionado, both armed with expert tips and tricks to empower hesitant fans.
Nicole added: “‘Going to gigs alone is an empowering experience!
“It’s a vulnerable space at first but after pushing through this I feel I tap into an independence I never knew I had!
“The experience forces me to be present, take in the environment and truly enjoy myself.”
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