Charlotte Day Wilson brings the audience to its feet Red Bull Symphonic

Charlotte Day Wilson first caught our eye at the Red Bull Sound Select showcase in 2015. Her vocals left an immediate impression on the audience and the Red Bull team who have since given Charlotte opportunities to showcase her undeniable talent multiple times. This week, a decade after that first showcase, as if closing the loop, Charlotte Day Wilson shared the stage with a 39-piece Symphonic Orchestra in one of Toronto’s most legendary music venues, Roy Thompson Hall, for Canada’s first-ever Red Bull Symphonic.

Dressed in a loose white pantsuit she stepped out on stage to a room vibrating with audience applause. Not wasting a second she opened the evening with “I Can Only Whisper” seamlessly followed by “In Your Eyes”. The orchestra, outfitted with a harp and an impressive vocal group, worked beautifully with Day Wilson’s originals, allowing the musical instruments to shine collectively and individually and occasionally quieting to give space to the vocals.

Image by Anthony Tuccitto, Red Bull Content Pool. Cover image by Cover by Jenna Hum, Red Bull Content Pool.

Having greeted the room Charlotte reflected on her career and spoke to how amazing this opportunity is – to be performing in Roy Thompson Hall with one of the world’s best orchestras. “I feel like all my work is finally paying off but today I’d like to bring it to the beginning,” she slowed. “I’ve always had such a deep love of music, and this night feels like a huge arrival for me in so many ways,” said Day Wilson speaking about the songs that she listened to in her bedroom growing up.

“I’ve always felt this deep sense of gratitude for the songs that have defined my life, tonight I’d like to pay homage to some of those songs” she concluded taking the audience into Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted”. Among other throwbacks she performed were songs by Joni Mitchell and Carole King but the most impactful rendition tonight was her cover of Portishead’s “Glory Box”.

Even with a complete orchestra behind her Charlotte took to her own instruments – guitar, saxophone, grand piano. Day Wilson’s love for piano is rooted deep in her childhood, tied to a piano her mother gave her. “I still play it every day,” she shared inviting on stage Sampha to perform “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”, one of her favourite songs. Constantly giving credit to the orchestra and other musicians she also shared the stage with a Canadian artist Saya Gray for a duet of Gray’s “Lie Down”.

Charlotte Day Wilson and Saya Gray. Image by Anthony Tuccitto, Red Bull Content Pool.

After multiple standing ovations as her second last song Charlotte Day Wilson performed “Work,” a song that put her on the scene many years ago. Just as the audience thought the show was coming to an end Day Wilson reappeared above the orchestra playing the venue’s pipe organ and causing an uproar of whistles in the Hall.

“We’re almost at the end of this evening,” she pointed out a bit earlier to a collective sigh of disappointment, “I know, I know, I want more too,” she commented. “Tonight I wanted to enjoy the show as much as I wanted to perform it. I just wanted to enjoy the amazing music, the musicians on stage with me, and I wanted to celebrate the music that defined my life and enjoy the evening. Ultimately, I did that.” The final round of standing ovations proved she certainly did.

As a special treat concert attendees got to hear Day Wilson’s unreleased track “Good Morning My Love” before heading out into the night.