"Kids need better role models": Netizens react as Sombr responds to viral video criticizing his concert

A TikTok video recently went viral that criticized rising artist Sombr's concert. It prompted a response from the 20-year-old musician. The controversy has drawn notable reactions across social media platforms.

The drama began when a 25-year-old concertgoer shared a post describing Sombr's Washington, D.C. show as "one of the worst experiences" of her life. Her post was quick to gain traction. As the singer himself responded, netizens said,

"First of all, who is he? And second, she kinda spilled in certain parts. The kids need better role models. Cos this can’t be the talent they’re experiencing."

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What did the concertgoer and Sombr say?

In her video, the woman described her experience at Sombr's October 13 show at The Anthem in vivid detail. She claimed that the performance was dominated by "tweens." She also criticized the artist's jokes and referred to one portion of the night, his now-viral "Sombr Dating Show", as "secondhand embarrassment in real time."

Below is the complete statement from Sombr's concert attendee:

"The first two minutes he's on stage, he makes a 6'7 joke. I'm not even kidding you. And all the tweens. I've never had such immediate buyer's remorse in my life. I left early. I didn't even hear my favorite music. He proceeds to make a bunch of niche meme references for like the 12 to 16 year old age range group. And I only understand them because I'm chronically online, but every other adult in the room, including my boyfriend, is like, why is he speaking in Tong?

"Like, what is he saying right now? Just ridiculous to hear out loud. It was like brain rot on stage. 30 minutes in, he cuts all the music and he's like, we're now gonna have the Somber Dating Show. Raise your hand and come on up on stage if you wanna call your toxic ex. Make sure it's toxic and make sure there's somebody who's gonna pick up. Again, all the tweens. We then proceeded to watch three tweens go on stage and call their ex. And then Somber's on the mic like, clock it bro, clock it bro."

The woman continued describing her experience at Sombr's show:

"Oh, chill out bro, chill out bro. I've never had such secondhand embarrassment for someone. He would make like super niche references to like 13 year olds, but then he would also say like super vulgar stuff about like getting his dick sucked. And it was like, so you know your audience is clearly 13, yet here you are, okay. There was a moment in between songs where he literally just randomly went, bark for me. And you hear the arena of 13, 14, 15 year old girls start barking and then immediately followed up with, yeah, I'm daddy. that and he wasn't even a good performer genuinely it sounded bad like he said he had bronchitis it seemed like that wasn't the only issue going on then i get on tiktok and i'm seeing all these kids posting these videos oh my god this must be how my mom felt this is my generation's david bowie i saw a tiktok from the anthem dc that i the show i was at where girls like recording it and it's like the kids are gonna be all right no no No, cut that. Absolutely."

The 25-year-old concluded, saying:

"Never in my life have I felt so much rage. Not even during it. Like I felt rage during it, but seeing the aftermath on TikTok and seeing it be like, he's the hottest. You guys need better role models. You guys need better sex symbols. I'm so sorry. Slenderman, we're picking him. We are picking the weird dancing dude. I will insert the clip. He dances like Napoleon Dynamite."

Now, below is the complete response from Sombr regarding the concergoer's criticizing comments:

"I thought I was chronically online, but it's just come to my attention that there's a TikTok drama going around because a 25 year old attended my concert and was basically complaining that there were too many tweens there. I was making too many brain rot jokes and she just thought it was a cringe concert."

Sombr defended his humor and performance style, adding:

"And also she was body shaming me and it's kind of started a massive body shaming hate train directed towards me on a lot of videos of me on the internet right now, which is, I totally respect people having opinions, but I am a 20 year old artist, freshly 20. And if you're 25 years old and you're going to come to my concert and not expect people younger than you to be there when I, the artist, am five years younger than you, it's just a skill issue. Also, like, the jokes thing, like, you have to have known about my online presence before coming to my concert. I mean, anyone who knows me knows I've never uttered a serious word in my life."

Sombr concluded his statement, saying:

"And also, I make jokes for five minutes of the concert, and the rest is music. Like, live a little, enjoy life. Every age, sex, sexuality, gender, race, everyone is welcome at my concert, and I mean everyone. You guys need to find problematic people to hate on, because I am just existing. Also, I'm just gonna give a quick tutorial. Also, I just remembered that I had a fever and bronchitis at the show she went to, but the show goes on. I will not cancel unless I'm on my deathbed."

Netizens were notably quick to weigh in on the controversy as they penned their opinions. Below are some of their reactions:

"Sombr is giving “customer service apology video” energy. You can tell he rehearsed this in front of a ring light and guilt.", declared an X user.

"he’s annoying but like why are you 25 going to a concert of someone who you know majority of their fanbase is teens and college kids and being suprised that the humor used at said concert is targeted at teens… like that’s Sombr's age group…", noted another.

"i saw someone call her out for lying about it being tweens going up during the sombr dating show thing cause one said that her ex cheated when she went to college or something (idk about the other 2 tho) 😭", commented a third.

Others also chimed in:

"So Sombr doesn’t have a response to telling teenagers to bark for him, referring to himself as daddy and making joking about getting his dick sucked in their presence?? I feel like that was the meat and potatoes of her video…", stated a netizen.

"It’s wild how one video can go viral and paint a whole night wrong. 😤", opined another.

"He didn't come to entertain the faint-hearted. Some nights are meant to shake the world-and you felt it. #Sombr", commented a third.

Notably, Sombr is officially set to make his Saturday Night Live debut as the musical guest on November 8, 2025, alongside comedian Nikki Glaser as host. The episode follows a lineup that includes Brandi Carlile and Olivia Dean in other upcoming weeks.

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