Lennon Stella came home to kick off her Love, Me Tour this week, with two sold-out shows. The Danforth Music Hall was packed for the emerging pop star, and there was a buzz in the air.

The GTA native came north of the border to start the tour, share her songs, and look out into a sea of people on Tuesday night. Two hours before she hit the stage, fans were lined up down the street and around the corner, and 15 minutes after the doors opened, they were a dozen rows deep in front of the stage. They were excited, they were ready, and they weren’t the only ones.

As the clock ticked closer to the show, the seats in the balcony started to fill and more and more ticket holders found their spot in the general admission floor. The assembled audience was so ready that they let out a cheer when Lennon’s dad popped out onto the dark stage to take a photo of the crowd.

And then, when Toronto alt-pop act, Valley came out to open the show, they cheered again, louder than before.

The four-piece band brought plenty of their own energy to the stage, matching the crowd and playing songs from The Room Is White and MAYBE – Side A to get things going. The set was tight, with lots of movement, lights, enthusiasm from the group. And on the floor, there was dancing and grooving and moving as The Danforth got into it.

Based on their social media posts following the show, Valley is pumped to be on the Love, me Tour, and if the show on Tuesday night was any indication of how the rest of the run is going to go, things are going to be pretty great.

If you missed them, accept this as our recommendation to see them the next time you have a chance. Get to the front to take it all in up close, or find a spot that gives you some space to dance. Either way, you’ll be a winner.

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That brought us to the main event of the evening. The woman that the sold-out crowd had been waiting for in the building, lined up for on the street and buzzed about online. And if someone had asked, “how well can night one of someone’s first headlining tour go?”, the answer would be, not much better than this.

The former star of TV’s Nashville owned the stage from moment one, with confidence (but not cockiness) that showed everyone that she knew what she was doing, and she was ready for her moment. It’s an important piece of the puzzle, her being ready. Because stepping out in front of a full house that came for you, and knowing that you’re prepared for it is not easy, especially for a young artist. So when Lennon Stella sang with talent and poise well beyond her 19 and a half years of age, she set the tone for the night, the tour, and whatever comes next.

Comparisons are a big part of music. Listeners want to find artists to add to their playlists that fit with what they’re already into. So when you read this next bit, remember that we’re not trying to say that Lennon is a copy of any of these artists, we’re saying she’s a comp and a good fit.

In watching her perform, listening to her music, and thinking about songs like Polaroid, La Di Da, Bad, and BITCH (takes one to know one), a few names starting coming to mind. Taylor Swift’s run in pop music, polished and purposeful, with singer-songwriter chops underneath was there. Kacey Musgraves’ High Horse popped into my head, and I started imagining Lennon laying down a cover of the 6-time Grammy winner’s hit. And you can continue on down the line with stars like Ariana, Demi, etc., whose voices are powerful and talented and set the bar in pop music.

Lennon also controlled the tempo of the show, slowing things down with an acoustic version of Polaroid, followed by a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun while she played the keyboard. As she introduced the acoustic performance, she made a quip about turning it into a slow, sad song, because that’s what she does best. It was a nod to her foundation as an artist, and proof that the song is a jam because Polaroid 100% worked as a stripped-down singer-songwriter track.

As the show went on, the Toronto crowd seemed to be more and more involved. They were dancing all over the GA floor. They sang along in a way that a lot of artists dream about early in their careers. And it feels like they set the bar pretty high for the rest of the Love, me Tour.

Toronto fans also gave a loud cheer when Lennon’s Nashville co-star and younger sister, Maisy joined her on stage for a cover of MGMT’s Kids. It may not have been completely unexpected, but that did not stop the audience from losing their minds when she was introduced, and giving a scream of approval and excitement when she started singing.

Lennon Stella was a star long before the announced the Love, me Tour. Fans embraced and fell in love with her 2018 EP of the same name. They buy and stream and sing her songs. They know her from TV, and some have been following her career since the Call Your Girlfriend video hit YouTube almost seven years ago.

Tuesday night in Toronto she proved it all to be real, legit and deserved. Lennon Stella walked on stage and owned The Danforth Music Hall – and we’re ready for her to do the exact same thing for a long time to come.

Lennon Stella – Love, Me Tour – Toronto Setlist

? Like Everybody Else
? Feelings
? Much Too Much
? Bad
? Myself
? Breakaway
? Not Missing You
? Polaroid
? Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
? Save Us
? Fortress
? You Would
? Kids (with Maisy Stella)
? Leave Me Alone
? Black Light
? BITCH (takes one to know one)
ENCORE
? Goodbye
? La Di Da

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Joshua Murray

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