OneRepublic & Ella Henderson – Escape to Europe Tour, Cardiff Utilita Arena

If there’s one thing you take away from a OneRepublic show, it’s just how influential Ryan Tedder and the band have been on modern music. Not only have they given us nearly two decades of their own chart-topping anthems, but they’ve also written some of the biggest songs of the 21st century – from Bleeding Love (Leona Lewis) to Halo (Beyoncé) and Rumour Has It (Adele). Cardiff was treated to not just a greatest hits performance, but also a run-through of those huge tracks written for others.

Ella Henderson kicked things off in style, her powerhouse vocals soaring through Ghost, Let’s Go Home Together, and Risk It All. She had the arena crowd firmly on side and set the tone perfectly for what was to come.

When OneRepublic arrived, they brought a huge stage production – no need for a runway, the full width of the arena was alive with dazzling visuals, lights, and screens. Tracks like Lose Somebody and Sunshine came with stunning backdrops, elevating the music into a full visual experience.

Ryan Tedder kept the crowd hooked, not just with his vocals but his stories. He stopped to shout out Cardiff and Wales as a “badass as shit place,” explaining how the band had explored the city earlier in the day, buying a rugby ball and even visiting the castle. In true showman style, Tedder signed the ball and booted it into the crowd mid-show, before handing out a Welsh dragon flag as a keepsake.

The setlist was stacked – Counting Stars, Apologize, If I Lose Myself, and I Ain’t Worried turned the arena into a singalong, while stripped-down acoustic moments of some of his hits for the world’s biggest stars like for Bleeding Love” for Leona Lewis, “Halo” for Beyonce, which reminded us why OneRepublic remain one of the most enduring and influential live acts around.

It wasn’t just a concert, it was a celebration of their hits and where they have come in the 18 years together – whether under the OneRepublic name or behind the scenes with the world’s biggest artists. Cardiff got the full OneRepublic experience, and it was nothing short 10/10 showmanship.