Luna Li’s headline show at the Sunflower Lounge showcased the rising star’s distinct blend of charm and whimsy in performance. Her quintessential sophomore album, When a Thought Grows Wings, knits together dreamy pop melodies with its philosophical and yearning undercurrent. Li held the crowd in the palm of her hand with her skilful and intimate performance, ensuring her night at the Sunflower Lounge would be well remembered.
Opening for Luna Li was the charming and endearing Serena Sun. Sun poured her most personal inner musings through each heartfelt, self-written song. Each song began with a short backstory, drawing the audience in and creating an interactive show, which can be challenging for many opening artists. A Canadian fish out of water, Sun took the audience on an emotional odyssey of longing, home-sickness and self-acceptance. Her set was the perfect warm-up to Li’s equally soul-searching, enticing performance.
Following Sun’s strong lead, Luna Li unearthed the depths of Toronto’s grungey music scene in her captivating, playful performance. Opening her set with “Confusion Song” established a hazy atmosphere, while Li’s world of love and longing bloomed with “Golden Hour”. The throwback to Li’s jams EP imbued her set with a flurry of nostalgia, serving as a poignant reminder of where her musical journey truly began. Comprising a collection of haiku created by Li’s family, “Cherry Pit” was both hardcore and softly melodic in performance, encapturing the very essence of Li’s stage presence. Though Li reminded us that her band has been playing “Cherry Pit” since the start of her career, her passion and vigour were not lost on this track, making it sound fresher than ever. We all basked in Li’s “Afterglow”, the perfect encore with an emotive blend of wood-wind instrumentals and enchanting vocals to wrap up the night.
Li’s adept talent and her deep connection with her bandmates made her performance particularly memorable. Between delivering mesmerising vocals, Li effortlessly moved between the violin and the flute bringing the unique instrumentals of When a Thought Grows Wings to life. Her immense concentration and precision were awe-inspiring, and I felt grateful to witness such talent up close. What’s more, Li and her band were seamlessly connected; with one click of a finger, they all sprang into musical action, in harmony with one another on multiple different levels. Li’s cohesive, tranquil pop tracks came to life through her fun yet meticulous performance and has stayed with me ever since. A perfect first show to have attended at the Sunflower Lounge!