FIJM I Hanorah Sets the TD Stage Ablaze with Soulful R&B

Montreal’s own Hanorah delivered a triumphant hometown set at the TD Stage during this year’s Jazz Fest, performing to a steadily swelling crowd that spilled across Place des Arts. Leaning into the rich textures of her new EP Closer Than Hell, she offered up a soulful, R&B-driven performance that showcased her growth as both a songwriter and frontwoman.

Backed by a tight four-piece band and souful backup singers, Hanorah glided through a setlist that balanced velvet-smooth slow burners with infectious, danceable grooves. Tracks like “Matty” and “Barbeb Wire” highlighted her dynamic vocal range—equal parts grit and grace—while the shoegaze-tinged production lent a hazy, dreamlike quality to her more introspective moments. Her stage presence was magnetic: she danced, cracked jokes, and at one point stepped down to the front row, reaching out to the audience like a preacher sharing the gospel of self-love and survival.

By the time she closed the set, the midday concert felt more like a communal release. If there was ever doubt about Hanorah’s place in Canada’s neo-soul canon, this performance erased it.

photo Benoit Rousseau