At HISTORY in Toronto, King Princess & SASAMI Proved That Confidence Does Not Have To Be Loud to Be Powerful
Written and Captured By | Zach Hood
King Princess is more than an artist. She’s a symbol of a generation trying to find space. In her music, she finds balance between being gentle and defiant, between being humorous and heartbreaking; she takes the contradictions of both worlds and makes them feel like home. Seeing her at History Toronto made me realize that confidence does not always have to be loud to be powerful. Sometimes, it can just be honest.
SASAMI opened the evening at History Toronto, creating a moody, dark atmosphere that fit oddly well with what was to follow. Her unique combination of rock and art-pop created a hazy, drawn-out tension that seemed to pull you into her world rather than demand your attention. There was something magnetic about her stage presence — controlled but unpredictable. At times, her voice cut through the rest of the mix before fading into distortion and heavy rhythm. Overall, it felt like a storm was building.
As soon as King Princess took the stage, I could tell she had the kind of confidence that did not need to be proven. She moved effortlessly from one side of the stage to the other, laughing between verses and seemingly enjoying herself as much as the crowd. Behind her, a large wall covered in her cherry logo and the cities she has visited on the current tour glowed in deep red light. While it appeared simple, it was also meaningful — a love letter to the journey she has been on and to the fans who are accompanying her on that same journey.
She played all the songs that people came to hear, including “Cherry,” “RIP KP,” “Fantastic,” “Girls,” and “1950.” Each of those songs connected emotionally with the audience in ways that felt larger than the room itself. When she played “Cherry,” the lighting turned a solid crimson and enveloped the stage in a haze that synchronized perfectly with the song’s beat. She smiled as she sang, appearing to enjoy herself completely — a testament to her love of her craft and her fans. It felt like she was living every moment and discovering it along with the entire audience.
During the show, a fan near the front yelled that Zohran Mamdani had just been elected Mayor of New York City. She immediately stopped, put her hands over her face in shock, and then cried tears of joy, making the entire room share in the emotional moment. This is precisely what sets her apart — she is a performer who is completely in the moment and not afraid to be human in front of an audience full of people.
Later, she slowed things down. Her band climbed up onto the elevated platform behind her and sat in a circle, as if they were gathered around a campfire rehearsal. Together, they sang softly, trading jokes and glances as she laughed about one band member supposedly deserving a Guinness World Record for the most spliffs smoked. It was a warm, funny, and intimate moment.
It is now evident why King Princess is different. She is a one-in-a-million artist who takes every contradiction she encounters and turns it into a connection with others. She does not perform to impress; she performs to include. By doing so, she makes everyone in the room feel like they belong there too.
