Fall Concert Series: Alessia Cara

I drove four hours through a rainy night to see a pop concert, and it was well worth it.

I wanted to see Alessia Cara in concert as soon as I heard her song, “Here.” I totally related to her experience in the song: being at a party, but wishing she were somewhere else spending quality time with friends. I also fell in love with her song, “Wild Things,” which I used in my short video from Costa Rica. When I saw that she was embarking on her own tour after she finished opening for Coldplay, I knew I had to make it work. I could not make it to her show in NYC, so my other option was to travel to Boston. The show was at the Orpheum Theater, which is a small theater in which any type of show can be performed. I have never been to that small of a venue, and I loved its intimacy and less mainstream vibe.

Alessia Cara performing

Alessia, first of all, is a super talented live performer. She played guitar and piano during her show and teased on a drum. She brought so much energy to her show, the audience couldn’t help but smile and sing along with her. It was an incredibly genuine performance. I also appreciated her positive words of encouragement and self-love she offered her fans throughout the show.

I had no idea who was opening for Alessia and I was shocked to find out she had two openers: Ruth B. and Nathan Sykes. I knew of Nathan Sykes from his boy band days with British group The Wanted. I never paid much attention to him—until now that is. Nathan’s voice, which is much deeper than I expected, is beautiful and passionate. My favorite part of the night was when Nathan came out on stage to sing with Alessia. It was pure magic. Ruth B., famous for her song, “Peter Pan,” gave a strong performance as well.

Additional to when Nathan and Alessia performed together and when Nathan replied to my tweet, my favorite part of the concert was at the end when Alessia took time to grab the hands of all the fans in the front row. This is a small gesture, but it shows how she really wants to connect with her fans and give them a fantastic experience.

My friend Alexa and I at the venue

Alessia seems like such an incredible young woman, as an artist and as a normal girl from Canada. I will definitely support her through her music career and I hope she continues to follow her dreams. Some people said I was crazy for driving to Boston just for a concert, but I would do it all over again for Alessia.