A Voyage with the Girlies: Raveena @ Le Studio TD
“If you’re a beautiful lady, I wanna hear you scream!”
Nearly the whole room erupted in cheers. Raveena’s request affirmed that our splendor was irrefutable. Devoid of language, a three-second howl became a new emblem of culture and cheer.
Last Wednesday, a predominantly female audience poured into Le Studio TD, growing hypnotized by Raveena’s silky vocal riffs, smooth choreography, and alluring gaze as the night progressed. I even heard a young man exclaim, “There are so many girlies here! But who’s pulling up to a Raveena show? The girlies.”
Rightfully so, as our ninety-minute journey was infused with feminine imagery. Carefully adorned with docile flowers and soft draperies, Raveena’s stage became ours. Our phone lights shone, our hands swayed, our voices merged into a choir—with simple interaction, we transcended the rules of spectatorship.
Before the main act even took hold of us, young Montréal indie singer Chiara Savasta graced us with playfully provocative tunes, which sported witty names like “Superstar Loser” and “Alex G.” Her voice and vibe – a love child of indie pop girls like Clairo and Liana Flores – grounded us into a space both zany and familiar. Savasta’s style possessed youthful wonder while honoring the heaviness of sexuality, coming-of-age, and healing.
The Montréal-based musician in action!
Soon after, under soft lights and swirly guitars, Raveena emerged. Meshing indie melodies, R&B rhythms, and her Indian heritage, Raveena Aurora wields music to explore themes of nature, spirituality, and intimacy. Her performance of both fan favorites and deep cuts read less like a setlist and more like an elaborately staged musical. Her angelic head voice collided with suave multi-instrumentalist Aaron Liao and dancer-musician fairies Sang Santhebennur and Jada Lucye.
Divine feminine.
As Raveena cruised through songs like “Pluto,” “Too Close to You,” and “Asha’s Kiss,” spectators’ eyes darted across the stage in sheer awe. Between glowing lights, moving set pieces, and multifaceted performance artists, the show extended beyond Raveena’s solo project into a textured collage of diverse cultures and genres. Who knew that modern R&B and traditional Indian beats could merge into one enthralling sway?
Speaking of music’s ebb and flow…one irrefutable climax of Raveena’s set was her gripping performance of “Water.” What began as an unassuming ocean-loving ballad transformed into a tsunami of spiraling electric guitars. Overlapping Raveena’s belt, a wave of cheers crashed over the room.
Sang Santhebennur (left), Raveena Aurora (center), and Jada Lucye (right).
Beyond a vessel for singing magical riffs, the human voice guided us into a placid state. Raveena was unafraid to pause between songs to bond with her crowd, eventually transporting us into a guided meditation. She also expressed gratitude for her fans, handing starstruck girls a bouquet.
Undoubtedly, Raveena’s set offered a suspension of disbelief—the stage became a mountain, the audience a valley, the performers a group of voyagers in a Blockbuster we’re all rooting for. Our feet planted in the ground and our eyes fixed on the stars, we, too, became a shimmering spectacle.
Photography and concert review by Hannah Moghaddar
