dvsn Live at HISTORY

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 Solid. With the venue filled with R&B enthusiasts, it was just right for Savannah to perform a rendition of Love by Keyshia Cole, which excited everyone as they sang along.

With the mood set right by the lovely openers, dvsn was next up. First to make the stage were the backup vocalists, who complement Daniel’s vocals and are a staple to any harmonies in dvsn tracks. Followed by loud cheers from the excited sold-out crowd as Daniel made his way to the center stage, kicking it off with a couple of songs from their recent album, Working On My Karma. The crowd was quickly drawn to their sensual sound, smooth vocals, and falsetto. Tracks like With Me, Too Deep, and Nuh Time/Tek Time, to name a few, were perfectly placed in the setlist to give the day ones the feeling of nostalgia. Daniel also performed song covers of Freak Me by Silk, and I Hate U by SZA. Daniel then asked five fans to get on stage to dance to Touch It (Do It Well Pt. 4), a trending TikTok dance, halfway through the show. Shortly after, he brought out his special guests, Roy Woods and Nelly. Roy Woods, who is on the same record label as them, performed his classics Gwan Big Up Urself and Drama. To everyone’s surprise, Nelly happened to be in town promoting his upcoming show in June and ended up performing classics like Hot In Herre, Ride Wit Me and Dilemma. With the crowd’s energy heightened, they would continue to carry on with a few more songs leading to the show’s end and closing it off with Hallucinations and The Line, two singles that factored into their early success. Being responsible for producing dvsn’s sound that perfectly complements Daniel’s vocals, Nineteen85 also got his moment as the crowd applauded—acknowledging his presence in the sound booth.

In essence, the duo have established themselves as trailblazers when it comes to revitalizing interests in classic R&B. They have touched the hearts of many through their sound and lyrics, shaping the genre’s future. The tour wraps up on April 7.