Ryn Weaver with HOLYCHILD at the Mod Club

Photographs by Sarah Rix.

Ryn Weaver became an internet sensation thanks to her sweeping pop single “Octahate,” seemingly overnight. Roughly a year later Weaver followed-up her left-of-centre pop oddity with her full length debut, The Fool, and her first major tour making a stop in Toronto, Monday night. Weaver anchored a night of pop misfits, with NYC alt-pop duo ASTR and bratty pop of HOLYCHILD opening the night. 

The 23 year-old’s music, emersed in a quirky folk anguish and shimmering beats on “Pierre,” and “Here Is Home” showcased Weaver’s quivering vocals and eclectic sensibilities. Throughout the night Ryn’s vocals were eclipsed by her bands instrumentals on the bouncier “Sail On” and white noise of “Octahate,” she came a frustrating second to the warped, twinkling tunes. 

Weaver’s nervous energy and quick-paced banter signaled an artist uneasy in the spotlight, often times giggling in awkward fashion. Yet her most earnest moments came out her manic Courtney Love-esque movements and anecdotes with the audience, including the story of her grandfather’s death and the inspiration for “Travelling Song” the standout song of the night.

The “Octahate” singer is a curiosity worth exploring, though none of the songs performed from The Fool, quite matched the uber-catchy pop gem.  Weaver all too often transcended her songs with her genuine, immediate presence and unfiltered train-of-thought. Perhaps the most compelling were the bare bones of her less boisterous pop tunes, a young pop-singer with more than meets the eye.

Thanks to Embrace Presents for media access.