By: Kelly Chia, Staff Writer
Let me take a deep breath . . . Where do I start? Carly Rae Jepsen recently performed in Vancouver to promote her newest album Dedicated on August 28 and 29. I had the pleasure of going to her concert one fine Wednesday night, and I am now a changed woman.
I’ve been upfront about my feelings towards Jepsen before, culminating into one overarching sentiment: I just had to see this goddess in person. And so, on the evening of August 28, I went to the Commodore Ballroom where the concert was held. I haven’t been to many concerts, much less a concert venue that included a floor where people could stand. My friends and I got seats, but as soon as Jepsen showed up, those seats became null. We knew that all we were going to be doing for the rest of the night was belting out lyrics and dancing.
Starting off the night was the opening act, RALPH. RALPH, also known as Raffaela Weyman, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Her music tends to be in the synth-pop/disco genre, similar to Jepsen’s music. I had never listened to her music before, but it was evident why she was on this tour with Jepsen. Ralph’s voice is silky smooth, the vocal equivalent of buttery-sweet candy. Of the songs that she performed, I loved “Gimme” the most. It’s playful, incredibly catchy, and has that soft disco sound reminiscent of Jepsen’s Emotion album. RALPH was a lovely performer, and a pleasant musical surprise.
After RALPH geared the audience up for a party, Jepsen took the stage in a sparkly getup and I was absolutely floored. She started the night out with my personal favourite song from her Dedicated album, “No Drug Like Me,” and she was immediately everything that I had expected. The sultry bass line came in, and all 4’11 of me reveled in the glances I managed to steal of her performance. Jepsen’s characteristically raspy, fluid voice rang in my ears like a siren’s. I’d never been happier to be swelteringly hot and sweaty with a group of people. Jepsen had great chemistry with the audience, constantly interacting with us and giving us opportunities to scream the lyrics.
Next, she performed “Emotion,” which was an expected crowd pleaser. The 80s vibes of the single sent people (read: me) into hysterics on the dance floor. For about an hour and a half, the show went on like this, with Jepsen switching between numbers from her Emotion and Dedicated albums. She also performed the song that propelled her to pop princess status, “Call Me Maybe.”
Toward the end of the concert, I was definitely tired from screaming, but to my continual astonishment with live performers, Jepsen did not slow down for a beat. Her vocals remained consistent for the night, and when she performed her final song of the night, “Cut to the Feeling,” I definitely felt my soul transcend outside of my exhausted body. No other pop song has had quite that evocative a feeling for me — “Cut to the Feeling” goes so hard and is incredibly contagious. Watching Jepsen perform it live was, in short, euphoric, and I am so grateful for the experience. At one point in the song, she brought out a sword, and that was an impressive addition to her performance, too.
I had an immeasurably good time at Jepsen’s concert, which felt like a nonstop party. I appreciated how much she connected with the audience, creating a cohesive, crazy energy that was so fun to be a part of.
