Rina Sawayama in Toronto: Hold The Girl Reloaded Tour Review.
Shot and written by Serena Yang
August 9th, 2023
Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
On the evening of August 9th, 2023, Toronto's HISTORY venue was alive with excitement as fans gathered to witness Rina Sawayama's Hold The Girl Reloaded Tour. The air was charged with electricity as the sold-out crowd prepared to hear the British pop-star perform her hits from her newest 2022 record Hold The Girl and throughout her discography.
Rina's commanding presence and powerful vocals filled the room as she kicked off the night in a white Victorian-inspired gown for her title track "Hold The Girl", supported by the intricate choreography of her two backup dancers. Quickly changing into a black leather outfit, reminiscent of her character Akira from John Wick: Chapter 4, she performed “Dynasty” and “STFU”, accompanied by impressive solos from her guitarist Emily Rosenfield.
One of the standout moments of the evening was when Rina slowed down for an intimate acoustic performance of “Send My Love To John”. “I know lots of us know lots of different ways we’ve been saved by live music”, she addressed the audience. “We’ve all put a lot of work into this, I’ve put my soul into this, let’s enjoy the rest of the journey”. The energy was quickly brought back for her Charli XCX collab, “Beg For You” followed by “Lucid”.
As the night came to a close, Rina treated the audience to her biggest hits: “Comme Des Garçons”, “XS”, and “This Hell” whilst donning a red latex cowgirl outfit, her final layer under many costume changes. The fusion of incredible music, meticulous costuming, captivating choreography, and Rina's magnetic stage presence had created an unforgettable experience for those who were lucky enough to get tickets. Hold The Girl Reloaded is a triumph of a tour, and just another step in Rina’s road to solidify her superstar status.
