Whether it was the late afternoon heat yesterday, a week of partying taking its toll, a lack of stage presence, or a combination of all three, but Nicki Minaj’s performance just never seemed to get going properly.

Something amiss about missy
The show wasn’t lacking in sass. Her rap game was as effortless as always, and her pose-striking game was strong.

However, even though she played some recent hits – including ‘Anaconda’, which generated some dancing outbursts amongst the more enthusiastic audience members – the show was missing some serious ooomph.

Even the background dancers, though they knew their moves, couldn’t compensate enough for the lack of depth in her lyrics.

If you’ve got it, flaunt it
As animals we are programmed to flaunt our assets.

Minaj’s boob game, too, was so strong that for 99 percent of the concert I was unable to focus fully on the music, as the performer really was demanding the most of my attention capacity.

This is, by no means, a misplaced criticism of boob exposure (I’m all for freeing that nipple), but Minaj’s outfit choices merely suggested that her cleavage was intentionally as much a part of the show as the concert lighting was.

Eloquence is golden
I appreciate artists in the public eye who acknowledge a form of responsibility towards promoting meaningful messages.

Minaj too attempted some inspirational-advice shout-outs to the audience. But while someone should tell her that a little eloquence never goes amiss, the content too could do with some revising.

“Go out there and make all your accomplishments, success and achievements, and when I come back next year, I’ll be so proud of you!” … How about setting some more realistic goals for her fans? No-one believes that kinda bollocks, surely?

“Ladies, promise me one thing! I say never ever let a man care of you,” she went on. I think we get the actual message you wanted to go for here, Nicki, but if ever there was a sentence demonstrating a spectacular fail, this one is right up with the worst of them.