Arts

Kygo brought his fiery tropical house sound to the CityStage. Photo: Scott Penner.
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Lennon Stella, Buddy Guy, Sue Foley also perform

Day five of Bluesfest was a treat for a diversity of audiences. With a lineup ranging from the celebrated blues-guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Sue Foley to the legendary EDM artist Kygo, the festival provided a little something and more for everyone.

My favourites of the day were Foley, Buddy Guy, Lennon Stella and Kygo.

Although these acts differ exponentially in their genre, each left a mark on the crowd in their own unique way. They had me scrambling between the Videotron Stage and the CityStage to catch all four in their full glory. 

Nineteen-year-old Ontario native Lennon Stella took on the City Stage at around 7:30 p.m., performing to an immense crowd of listeners. Although incredibly young, Stella has taken the world by storm. She first began her career as YouTube sensation before moving on to act on the ABC series Nashville. Stella released her first EP in November of 2018, Love, me, and has been touring with her catchy music since. 

Stella’s newfound fame was proven on the City Stage, wowing her Canadian fans with hits such as BITCH (takes one to know one), La Di Da, Bad, and more. Her pop sounds and catchy singalongs made for a loud and lively crowd. 

Across the festival, Buddy Guy closed the Videotron Stage for the night with a groovy bang. Considered one of the most celebrated blues guitarists of his generation, the musician helped magnificently bring the blues back to Bluesfest. 

The stage’s blues vibes were already well-established by Foley’s performance at 8 p.m. Foley and Guy gifted their niche audiences with their legendary statuses. Foley’s feminine energy combined with Guy’s Chicago sounds made for the ultimate night of celebrating the blues.

Norwegian electronic producer Kygo closed out the festival for the night, giving the crowd well-deserved headlining performance at the City Stage. The global sensation played a crowd-pleasing series of adored tracks, showcasing his collaborations with artists such as Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding and Imagine Dragons. 

The tropical house artist blew up City Stage by means of not only smoke machines and fireworks but also with the help of his songs themselves, leaving the crowd entranced.

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