Toronto has been witnessing an influx of trending artists performing in the city lately and Mariah The Scientist was no exception last night at Danforth Music Hall.
The all-ages event was filled with the shining eyes of young girls belting out Mariah’s songs while being decked out in fur coats, black shades, and matching bodysuits.
It was clear everyone was desperate to see the headliner, but they equally vibed to the show’s openers Chxrry22 and Nineteen85.
Chxrry22 brought a mix of girl next door and sultry sounds to the stage, while Nineteen85 had everyone singing to old school favourites when “Unthinkable” and “Marvin’s Room” blared on the speakers.
Although Mariah came on with only one hour left until closing, I could see why so many people thought she was worth the wait.
“She’s a regular person I listen to. I love R&B and I just really like her music,” one fan told Now Toronto.
Some audience members told me Mariah was coming to town because of Concerts Fanatics, a growing social media account on Instagram and Twitter that promotes upcoming concerts happening in Toronto.
As Mariah graced the stage with background visuals of BeetleJuice and Tom Cruise’s face from popular action rom-com “Knight and Day” behind her, voices echoing “She’s so cute” and “I love her” scattered throughout the audience.
The singer struggled in the beginning, scrunching her face at her own pitchiness while apologizing that her voice has been “off” for the last two weeks due to an illness.
Despite the rocky start, mainly girls and their boyfriends screamed in adoration and support, making the artist blush on stage. “Don’t make me nervous,” Mariah said with a shy smile.
The screams didn’t stop there. Fans continued to scream when she asked the audience how they were doing by pointing her magenta blinged mic to each fan section.
I applaud the artist for pushing herself because she was able to shine through when she surrendered to the present moment of the emotional power in her own lyrics.
Eventually, Mariah cozied up on stage as she sheepishly slid off her heels, took fans’ phones to snap pictures of herself, and graciously accepted gifts from an eager front row of hands in the air.
As people raised their middle fingers in the air when Mariah started singing “Revenge,” which samples Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River,” I looked at my colleague and said, “Do you notice there’s a melancholy mood all around us?”
Mariah’s tunes touch on common pains young adults face growing up – heartbreak, relationship problems, feeling lost and too emotional.
I can definitely say Mariah has an ability to put into words what young people are afraid to admit to themselves, and that gives her fans the strength they need to feel their own emotions.
When I felt her chilled-down R&B beats in my skin, even as I stood near the back of the crowd, I felt like she was speaking to me too.
Mariah The Scientist is performing in Montreal tonight at Théâtre Beanfield.
