I was home in Chicago last week for spring break and as luck would have it, none of my friends were home (thank you quarter system). It was a Thursday, I was in my PJs, scrolling through Instagram on the couch wondering which show I should binge watch that day. It was nothing short of fate when I realized that one of my favorite artists, Lennon Stella, was in Chicago that very night on her Love, Me tour. So because I decided to venture out and buy a ticket for on. I put on a cute outfit, did my hair and makeup, and took myself on a night on the town!
Best decision I had made in a long time.
Lennon was performing at The Metro, a cozy little venue in the heart of my old neighborhood in Wrigleyville. Seeing a tour bus and a line of people outside, I immediately knew this show was going to be special. There were people of all ages all over, some from right around the corner, others who just hopped off the “L,” and even those who drove five hours from Detroit that morning.
Many of those people (like myself) had been waiting for this concert for over five years. For the majority of Lennon’s teen years, she was on CMT’s hit show Nashville, singing country music alongside her real-life sister Maisy. After the show’s finale in 2018, Lennon turned 18 and signed with Columbia Records and started stylizing and exploring her sound with music she has kept to herself during the time of her show. The 19-year-old released her debut EP called Love, Me which musically captures the self-discovery era she is currently in. Her Indie-Pop rhythms and her once-in-a-lifetime vocals and harmonies that she is most known for managed to transport us all to Cloud 9.
In a way, many of Stella’s fans have grown up alongside her, watched her grow into a young adult on TV and kept up with her random singing videos she posts on Instagram. Given the unique history between her and the fans, the music hits close to home. Many of the fans last night were anxiously waiting to just see her, hear her and be captivated by the angelic voice of Lennon Stella.
The second Lennon walked on that stage, the room lights up with an immense amount of love. Her presence was celestial yet comforting as if we’ve all known each other for years. Her shock at the screaming crowd turns into a heart-warming smile, she walks up to the microphone and does her thing.
She opens with her first ever release, “Like Everybody Else,” a piano ballad which she remastered into an invigorating dance tune that gets everybody moving. A coming of age tune about growing up today and finding it hard to see yourself as someone who is unique. The chilling hook,“ been drilled in my head forever, be better, turns out I’m like everybody else,” paints a raw portrayal of Lennon comparing herself to the people around her in the music business and the pressure to be something special. Her open-book kind of energy with this tune gives hope to the fans (and hopefully herself) that she is one to watch and worth hearing.
There’s something magical about the relationship between an artist and a fan. Lennon had a way of using that magic as a catalyst for invigorating energy that shook the whole city. As if she was born to be on stage, Lennon’s “come as you are” energy swept the room off their feet as she sang hit “Feelings” and “Fortress,” personal anthems about setting boundaries and protecting and “building a fortress” around your heart to protect you from heartbreak.
Halfway through, her band left the stage and left Lennon alone with a piano. The rest of the world disappeared for the few short minutes when she played a chilling rendition of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” taking the classic Cyndi Lauper song and making it…Lennon. Her velveteen vocals whispered every word and combined with the echo of every fan singing the 80s hit, was as if we were hearing it for the first time. The connection between past and present gave hope to all young artists like Lennon are keeping the legacy of music legends from 30 years ago alive in their sound today.
Lennon’s performance was meant to leave the audience wanting more. She sang fan-favorites like “Bad” and “BITCH (Takes One To Know One)” but also new songs like “Myself” about self-empowerment and reclaiming one’s self in the hard work they do. Lennon’s an open book, a new name in the music business but her old soul is familiar and welcoming, making the night open for anyone and everyone who loves music.
I left the venue that night feeling reborn as if someone had finally heard what my heart had been trying to say for so long. It’s very rare to find a young artist who is able to communicate to generations of music lovers and Lennon gave everyone a place in that room to celebrate what music is truly about ––– human connection and reconnection.