As R&B and pop artist Chxrry wraps up the North American leg of her sold-out tour in her hometown of Toronto, the rising artist is opening up about embarking on her first-ever headlining tour.
Chxrry, who is originally from Scarborough, touched down in Toronto on Saturday for a sold-out show at Adelaide Hall as part of The Ego Tour. It marked the second Toronto stop on the tour and the final stop of its North American leg.
She performed tracks from her latest album, U, Me & My Ego, including “Bible,” “Main Character,” “Bottles & Lights” and “Hall of Fame.”
While Chxrry captivated the crowd with her smooth vocals and effortless performance, it was the fans who helped make the night memorable. They chanted along to nearly every song, turning the show into one giant sing-along.
“It was fun. It was so loud. I didn’t know they could get that loud,” Chxrry told Now Toronto. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen them that crazy.”
For Chxrry, performing in Toronto is especially meaningful, with friends and family in the audience and the city serving as a major source of inspiration.
“We got the baddest bi*ches, for sure. It’s my favourite thing,” she said when asked what she loves most about Toronto. “And all my friends and family are here.”
That connection to home also comes through on U, Me & My Ego, an album she says was about breaking free from the expectations placed on her.
“I just wanted to lay it all out on the table,” she said. “Being an artist, you hear a lot of assumptions about yourself, and people could put you in a box. And so for me, I was like, ‘Oh no, honey, I gotta get out of this box.’”
She says the album allowed her to experiment with different sounds and show different sides of herself.
“I gotta say all the things I want to say, and show different sides, and try different sounds, and just be my authentic self,” she said.
The Ego Tour is another major milestone for Chxrry, who has previously performed as an opener, as a result, she says she had to learn fast about being a headliner.
“My second tour was a stadium tour, so I went from small to huge to medium. I’ve seen it all.”
But nothing compares to performing for her own fans, she says.
“I think nothing compares to your own fans in one room screaming your lyrics,” she said. “I’m just lucky to be here and have the best fans ever.”
The tour’s stripped-down production has also sparked conversation online, but Chxrry says the intimacy is intentional.
Read More
“For the record, it’s not minimalistic,” she said. “Using a veil and mirrors is actually extremely iconic.”
“This isn’t a stadium. There’s not going to be screens and flashing lights and all these crazy things. It’s meant to be intimate.”
As a member of XO, Chxrry is also building alongside fellow Toronto artist The Weeknd, but says everyone within the label has space to carve out their own lane.
Now, Chxrry is preparing to cross the pond for the next leg of her tour in Europe. But before leaving Toronto, she had a message for anyone who needs a little reassurance.
“Everything’s fine. Like, you’re fine the way you are,” she said. “Just wait another day. Just calm down. Just chill.”
“Because it always gets better,” she added. “And then before you know it, you don’t even remember the bad day.”
