Carly Rae Jepsen – Phoebe Ryan // Houston, TX 8.02.2019

No other musician is doing what Carly Rae Jepsen is doing. The queen, the meme, the legend graced Houston, Texas last Friday on the Dedicated tour. Fans decked out in glitter and neon colors waited outside the Houston House of Blues for the night of their lives. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Canadian pop princess before in 2016 during the tour supporting her sophomore album E.MOT.ION. The crowd was enthusiastic back then, but there is no doubting that her popularity has grown since then. There is also no doubt that her performance game has been stepped up completely.

 

Phoebe Ryan was brought alone to support Jepsen on this tour. Although the set was fairly short Ryan in her own right is a star in the making. She’s just a girl with a guitar on a giant stage. Intense blue and red lights dancing over her as she sang about with such a strong voice. There’s something lovely and empowering about Ryan. She’s one girl against the world and is exploring her life and heartache through music. Jepsen and Ryan’s music feels life worlds apart, but they come together in being strong women making personal and emotional music. Ryan was a treat I was really happy she was invited on this tour. The crowd was warmed up after Phoebe Ryan, but for those crowd was getting larger and antsy for Jepsen. As the night went on the crowd only got bigger. The stage was transformed right before the audience’s eyes.

 

As the music started as a hero Jepsen rises from steps in a lovely beige and tan jumpsuit piece. She walks down as sing her latest single “No Drug Like Me”. Complete with her amazing in synch dance moves with her back up singers. This was a wonderful start to the twenty-two-song setlist that we would get the chance to experience that night. Jepsen has grown so much since that last time I was able to see her perform. Previously there was tons of talking and witty banter from Jepsen, but this time with so many tracks to get through complete with choreography and beautiful stage production she kept it fun and fast pace. Midway through the set, she changed into a bright pink romper, which fit the singer’s bubbly personality. Every single Carly Rae Jepsen song is a hit. Arrange a setlist any of her tours feel like a tough choice. I felt lucky getting to see her on tour for E.MO.TION because she didn’t have time to perform many songs from that album and still give Dedicated what it deserves. I felt like the setlist was perfect, sure did I have to compromise some of my favorite tracks for other? Yet, but the only solution to that is to see Carly Rae Jepsen as much a possible for the rest of my life until I hear every song live once!

 

I have nothing, but respect for Jepsen and the happiness that she brings to the world just by making good music. I’ve looked to her during my darkest time and I’ll keep looking to her when I need to feel anything. For times where I’m happy (“Fever”), to times when I’m sad (“Not Your Type”), to whenever I just need a pick me up (“Party For One”) she has something for all those moments. Besides being a wonderful perform Jepsen embraces her camp factor and seems to only become more exciting as time goes on. An example of this is her recognizing her meme-able nature so much that she brought out a sword with her during the encore “Cut to the Feel” to wiled as confetti shot through the air. Be like me, listen to CRJ and see her live, because the world is too dark right now and we all need the sax solo in “Run Away with Me”.

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