Sombr, the 20-year-old alternative pop artist and so-called TikTok industry plant, has found himself in the midst of online controversy after an upsetting review of his concert, posted on October 16, racked up 8 million views and continues to grow.
The controversy sparked at none other than our own concert venue: The Anthem. On October 13, Sombr performed his D.C. date of The Late Nights & Young Romance Tour. Shortly after attending the show, 25-year-old Megan Tomasic, also known as @meganator__ on TikTok, created the viral concert review, criticizing Sombr for inappropriate behavior with his predominantly underage fandom. In the TikTok, she described the concert as “the most egotistical performance” she has ever seen, and “the closest [thing] to a middle school dance,” as the venue was packed with tweens. Not only did she advise fans over sixteen not to waste their money on tickets, but she also explained how the shows are an uncomfortable experience even for the pre-teen fans. The artist made vulgar jokes to his audience throughout the night, also encouraging them to “bark” for him, and then replied, “Yeah, I’m daddy.” There is also a particularly disturbing segment in each show where he brings a young girl up to the stage to call their “toxic ex” over the microphone.
Sombr first went viral for his song “undressed,” which released on March 21, 2025, and continued to top the charts with the release of his first album, I Barely Know Her. Now, “12 to 12” and “back to friends” have been taking over radio stations, the Top 100 Billboard charts, and Spotify’s Top Hits. Because Sombr is a young artist who predominantly writes upbeat, alt-pop music, his shows tend to attract a younger audience. At the D.C. concert, he attempted to connect with his teenage fans by making “6-7” jokes, which gave concert-goer Tomasic “second-hand embarrassment.” These childish references to TikTok trends contrasted starkly with his later crude comments about his own sexual activity. Clearly disgusted, Tomasic concluded her video by stating, “So, you know your audience is clearly 13, yet here you are.”
On October 19, Sombr officially released a TikTok response to Tomasic’s critiques. He began his video by saying, “It’s come to my attention that there’s TikTok drama going around because a 25-year-old attended my concert.” Referring to himself as “freshly twenty,” he defended the inappropriate behavior by noting that he is close in age to the teen fandom, and he blamed Tomasic for not anticipating a non-adult audience. He said, “I totally respect people having opinions, but… [if] you’re 25 years old and you’re gonna 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.”
Concertgoers agree that as a musical artist, it is vital to recognize your audience and be mindful of the age range that will attend the shows. While anyone can purchase tickets to attend, acknowledging the majority demographic is crucial. Across social media platforms, music fans compared the Sombr scandal to Sabrina Carpenter’s drama surrounding her sexually explicit “Juno positions.” Many parents were outraged by her suggestive lyrics and concert performances because their children were in attendance. However, Carpenter stated during many interviews that her music is targeted towards adults. She shared, “You’ll still get the occasional mother that has a strong opinion on how you should be dressing. And to that I just say, don’t come to the show, and that’s okay!”
The Sombr review took many fans by surprise—especially due to his recent debut—and @meganator__’s comments are overflowing with support. Now that the artist is aware of this feedback, fans hope to see a change in his behavior or, at the very least, a genuine apology.
