Irish singer-songwriter and social media personality Cian Ducrot brought The Wait Is Over Tour to Toronto’s Drake Underground on April 22, 2023. This is the second stop of the North American leg of the world tour. It was coming straight out of the tour’s European, United Kingdom and Ireland legs. The sold-out crowd made sure to arrive early as they started to pack the venue as soon as the doors opened. Not long after, Haley Joelle, an American singer-songwriter, kicked off the show. Much of her time was spent in front of the keyboard singing sad songs that suited…
Author: Von Valdez
The newest girl group of this generation made its first-ever Toronto appearance at The Opera House. FLO is a British R&B girl group comprised of Stella Quaresma, Jorja Douglas and Renee Downer. The group was formed in 2019, creating a buzz in social media with their song Cardboard Box and becoming the first female group to top the BBC’s Annual Sound of… (poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent). Their style is drawn from TLC, Destiny’s Child, and Spice Girls. The show was started by Samaria, an R&B artist representing the…
The Canadian R&B duo composed of singer Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85 made their final stop for the last two shows of their Working On My Karma Tour in Toronto’s HISTORY on April 6, 2023. The first opener was Shantel May, a Toronto-based singer-songwriter. Given a short set, Shantel showcased her smooth vocals conveyed through her heartfelt lyrics, which the crowd vibed to. Not long after, Scarborough’s own Savannah Ré, a Juno award winner and rising star, made her way to the stage. Fans were thrilled and were instantly hooked by the expressive delivery of her songs like Fiji and…
Atlanta rapper and songwriter J.I.D. co-headlined with Smino for the Luv is 4ever Tour in Toronto’s HISTORY on March 13, 2023. Some may call this the perfect pair, as both artists are known for their willingness to experiment with different sounds and styles, pushing the boundaries of traditional hip-hop. The show’s theme was derived from their recent 2022 albums, The Forever Story (J.I.D.) and Luv 4 Rent (Smino). Due to the high demand, the much-anticipated pairing scheduled a second Toronto show which, to no surprise, sold out as well. Opening the show was Jordan Ward, a Los Angeles-based dancer turned…
American rapper YG (short for Young Gangsta) brought the Red Cup Tour to Toronto’s HISTORY on February 18, 2023. This was his long-awaited return to the city, his last on February 19, 2019. He was accompanied by a dynamic west coast lineup comprised of Kalan.FrFr and OhGeesy. With notable hip-hop tracks, DJ Vision set the atmosphere right to hype the crowd. A short time later, Kalan.FrFr made his way to the stage sporting a Vince Carter Toronto Raptors jersey and OVO gear alongside his hype man. Not only did he rap, but he also sang, showcasing his versatility. His set…
Juno-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Dylan Sinclair kicked off his tour at TD Music Hall on February 14, 2023, with local R&B artist, Rowena Fysx opening the show. This is the first of three sold-out hometown shows set in Toronto. Accompanied by his band, Dylan took the stage and was welcomed by the capacity crowd. The excitement was through the roof as fans, friends, and family gathered to support the local talent. In line with Valentine’s Day, the timing was perfect. His soulful voice serenaded everyone in attendance with songs conveying love and existence and sounds attesting to the influences of Frank…
Iraqi-Canadian singer-songwriter Ali Gatie brought the Who Hurt You? Tour at HISTORY on November 25, 2022. This is the first of two back-to-back sold-out shows set for Toronto, Ali’s hometown. 19-year-old Johnny Orlando, a Canadian singer-songwriter, influencer, and actor, kicked off the show. Loud cheers greeted him as he made his way to the stage sporting a Toronto Maple Leaf jersey. The heartthrob serenaded everyone in attendance with songs like Everybody Wants You, What If (I Told You I Like), and a rendition of The One That Got Away by Katy Perry. He also played the guitar on a few…
Fresh off the release of their albums, Marvelous and bag or die in late October, North American Hip-hop artists, Yung Gravy and bbno$ (pronounced as “baby no money”) teamed up to co-headline Baby Gravy, The Tour. The duo marked the halfway point of the 29-stop tour at Toronto’s HISTORY on November 23, 2022. DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip, Yung Gravy’s DJ, began the night by presenting a slide deck on How To Turn Up at The Baby Gravy Show on the video wall. He energized the crowd with a plethora of songs ranging from different genres. Songs like Rich Flex by Drake, Misery…
RealestK, a Lebanon-born, Scarborough-bred R&B singer and Toronto’s secret, headlined Dreams 2 Reality, his first-ever live show, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Axis Club on November 10, 2022. Capitalizing on the virality gained from TikTok, the 18-year-old R&B rising star signed a deal with the XO record label earlier this year, adding him to a star-studded roster comprised of Toronto locals such as The Weeknd and Nav. He recently released his debut album, Dreams 2 Reality, reflecting on the journey that brought him to stardom. RealestK’s set started with the band looping a snippet of WFM. As…
American singer, songwriter, and record producer Bazzi brought The Infinite Dream Tour to Toronto’s REBEL on November 3, 2022. The show was the long-awaited follow-up to The Cosmic Tour back in August 2018. This tour supporting his third album is his biggest to date. Bazzi kicked off the show with Infinite Dream, the opening song and title track from his latest album. With the song’s 34-second duration, it was the perfect introduction. He began by presenting himself in silhouette before beginning his set with some of his most recent songs, like Miss America and Heaven. He followed up with a…
The 23-year-old Toronto-based rapper and viral TikTok star, Akintoye, performed his first-ever live show in front of a sold-out crowd at Velvet Underground on October 28, 2022. He brought with him an energetic lineup of local artists from the Greater Toronto Area, comprised by isthatshiko , mightbeleo, and Dom Vallie. isthatshiko warmed up the crowd with a mix of upbeat and slow R&B tracks. He was followed by mightbeleo. Keeping the same vibes, he also added some freestyle rapping into his set. Dom Vallie then raised the energy through the roof. Having just performed at Rolling Loud Toronto back in…