Lauren Spencer Smith is a Canadian singer songwriter whose songs “Fingers Crossed” and “Flowers” went viral on TikTok. She was also a contestant on Season 18 of American Idol, finishing in the Top 20. She is known for her emotional pop ballads that have connected with millions of listeners.
The tour brought two additional singer songwriters along as support. Opening the evening for a near sold out venue was Maisy Kay, who brought plenty of energy to the stage with her upbeat pop songs. Performing solo with backing tracks, Maisy delivered a fun set that immediately got the crowd engaged. A standout moment from her performance was the song “Technicolor Honeymoon.”
The second artist of the night was Sadie Jean, performing alongside her band. Another singer songwriter who found early success on TikTok, her breakout song “WYD Now” introduced many fans to her alt pop sound. Sadie’s vocals sounded strong live and the band complemented her performance well. Although she was new to me, I really enjoyed her set. The audience clearly had plenty of fans in attendance. The biggest crowd reactions came during “Locksmith” and of course “WYD Now.”
When it was finally time for Lauren Spencer Smith to take the stage, the excitement in the room was undeniable. A crowd made up largely of young women and teen girls erupted as the lights dropped and the intro music began.
The stage design included a mock bus stop on one side along with an old style pay phone that began ringing as the show started. The answering machine picked up with Lauren’s voice. Throughout the night the phone rang between songs, and Lauren would “answer” it as part of transitions that introduced different songs.
The crowd sang along loudly throughout the night, often word for word. The set opened with “If Karma Doesn’t Get You (I Will).” Lauren performed with constant smiles and enthusiasm that clearly carried into the audience. The setlist included roughly twenty songs from across her catalog.
At one point Lauren introduced what she called her favorite song she had ever written, “Flowers.” Judging by the crowd reaction, it was also a fan favorite.
Before performing “Secret,” Lauren brought a box onto the stage that had been sitting at the merchandise stand earlier in the night. Fans were invited to write down a secret and place it inside. She randomly selected a few to be read into the microphone before explaining that the song itself was about one of her own secrets.
Other songs during the set included “That Part,” “Narcissist,” and many more. The night concluded with an encore featuring “Fingers Crossed” and “Sticks and Stones.”
The Art of Being A Mess tour delivered a full night of strong performances. Even though I had never heard music from any of these artists before the show, I came away impressed by all three sets. Judging by the packed venue and enthusiastic crowd at The Sylvee, the fans clearly loved every minute of it. If you are a fan of pop music or simply looking to check out something new, Lauren Spencer Smith’s current tour is well worth seeing.
