Solange in Toronto

Music is good for a mourning soul. This became quite apparent last Saturday as Live Nation presented Solange at the Danforth Music Hall in a night mixed with bittersweet songs.

Captivating singer Kelela opened the show in the dark, her smooth, sultry voice echoing through the venue. The lights rose, displaying the petite talent as she began to belt over her electronic beats. Kelela gave a great performance through talent alone, as the singer was able to hold the audience’s attention for nearly an hour, with just her voice and a microphone, a task too rare.

After Kelela left the stage, the house DJ began to spin. While fans waited for Ms. Knowles to hit the stage, they pulled out their phones to check their social media accounts. Word quickly spread through the venue that George Zimmerman had just been announced as ‘Not Guilty’ in the Trayvon Martin case.

The energy in the building changed entirely. Complete strangers were discussing their shock and disgust with the verdict between the sets. In the packed venue, it was as if time stopped and those in the room were forced to face the reality of the case. Then the band hit the stage and the crowd celebrated, as the lovely Solange took to the stage, in a floral patterned skirt suit and knee-length single braids and began to sing. She began her performance with an emotional rendition of, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” in Trayvon’s honour and transitioned into a cover of Mos Def’s “Umi Says”, which she dedicated to justice. The crowd screamed.

Even though the energy in the place was low, Solange did her best to ease the worries of those in attendance with her music, performing her hits such as “T.O.N.Y”, “Losing You” and “I Decided”. Her vocals were on point and her dance moves were engaging, but the spark that most often makes her such a captivating artist and performer was missing during her show. “My heart is broken. I’m doing my best up here,” she explained, apparently upset from the verdict. But her fans were forgiving, as they sang along with her for the rest of the performance.