On a sunny June evening in downtown Toronto, a long line stretched outside the Phoenix Concert Theatre on Sherbourne Street. Filled primarily with, but not limited to, young women in comfortable attire. The large turnout was a testament to the relaxed yet devoted fanbase of Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum, more commonly known by her stage name, Blondshell. While I was waiting in line, a man passing by in his car shouted  “F**k” to the mostly-female crowd. This is not the first time I’d encountered this type of aggression as a concert-going girl. I think some guys are just bothered by the sight of women simply having fun. Still, it couldn’t dampen the spirits of this group of fans who were chilling and minding their own business, waiting to see their indie darling. Blondshell has captivated music fans by combining elements of dream pop with the rough alt-rock sounds of the '90s. Audiences come for the blended sound but stay for the cathartic listening experience.

Toronto served as the 12th stop on the “If You Asked For a Tour” world tour, and was the first stop outside of the USA. The tour supports her latest album, “If You Asked For a Picture (IYAFP),” which explores everyday emotions we dismiss yet still find overwhelming. Delving into messy and defiant young adulthood, the album tackles toxic relationships, adolescent memories, emotional processing, and constant ruminations that wear you out.

Opening act meg elsier, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, delivered grunge-tinged melodic rock that evoked the chaotic yet sweet energy of 2000s Girls’ rock and J-Rock. The standout was “baby” from her first album spittake, a powerful outcry of a young woman’s frustration through searing guitar and vocals that balanced skill with rawness. I especially loved her interaction with the audience, which felt authentic and endearing. 

Blondshell opened the night with “23’s a Baby” from IYAFP, immediately establishing the intimate atmosphere that would define the evening. My first impression from listening to her albums on Spotify was that the recording was meant for personal listening in one’s own room, designed to channel intimate emotions within oneself. I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong this perception was—her music translated into live performance so beautifully that I immediately felt connected to both the artist and her audience. It created an imaginary hive of hundreds of bedrooms where vulnerable emotions could be shared.

The evening’s biggest sing-along came during “Sepsis,” the fourth song of the night. Given Teitelbaum’s deeply personal lyrics, witnessing the crowd unite in singing lines like “He's gonna start infecting my life/It will hit all at once like sepsis/What if I'm down to let this kill me?” felt transcendent. 

“Arms,” which Teitelbaum first aired on the Australian podcast “This Song Is Yours” was her most anticipated live performance. The song was absolutely captivating—instantly painting the air in sepia tones, it brought raw emotion to every corner of the room. What made the show compelling was the complete absence of stage banter until this sixth song, “Arms.” She had played six consecutive tracks without interruption, creating an unusually dense musical experience building intensity through pure momentum. When she finally addressed the crowd, a few audience members spontaneously shouted “We love you!”

The show built toward its climax with the artist’s biggest hit, “Olympus,” and a sensual cover of Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi.” Fans clearly adored this poignant new cover—first recorded at SiriusXM Live, Blondshell's rendition of the pop hit is now available for streaming on various platforms

“Kiss City” was truly the peak of the night. When Teitelbaum invited the audience to sing along, the response was overwhelming—voices filling the theatre in musical communion and the energy reaching its highest point of the evening. Watching the slow ballad transform into a live anthem was something to behold. While the setlist remained consistent with previous tour stops, Toronto received a special encore: “What’s Fair,” a rare treat that had the crowd absolutely ecstatic.

After the show ended, I thought back on the random guy who shouted profanity at the girls standing outside the theatre earlier. It felt like the irony of hostility itself—that it confronts us sometimes for no good reason. But by simply recording our intense emotions and singing them away, we find strength to live through and carry on. The night was a great opportunity for me to revisit some of these feelings within the context of Blondshell's music, and I feel very grateful for it.