If you weren’t there, you missed a night you would want to relive. If you were, you know the energy can’t be bottled. The I Wish Tour kicked off in early September, and on September 13, Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre hosted a lineup that raised the bar for what a midweek show could feel like. The venue, a long favorite for intimate performances, hummed with anticipation as fans of all ages lined up, phones ready, tickets in hand. The night blended pop appeal with heartfelt storytelling, turning a routine concert into a memory many will carry for years. The mood was electric from the moment doors opened, and as the lights finally settled, the crowd realized they were about to witness more than a simple set list — they were part of a live moment that would be talked about long after the final encore.
Opening act Zara Larsson arrived with poise and a pop savvy beyond her years. She delivered a dynamic set that paired her own infectious material with bold covers that felt fresh in this context. The performance of Uncover, a certified triple platinum staple in Sweden, set a confident pace, followed by When Worlds Collide from her Introducing EP. Fans sang along to Wild Ones, a Flo Rida track featuring Sia, and to I Love It by Icona Pop, letting her stage presence sell every note. The audience responded with cheers that carried into the next acts, a sign that Larsson had established a strong connection before the main event even began.
Jackson Guthy was the lone male voice on stage that night, stepping forward with six songs that showcased his range and ease with a live crowd. He performed everything you can name as a modern young artist staple, including Everything You Do and Forever Tonight, and his energy never dipped. Midway through his set, he slid toward the edge and walked the orchestra pit of fans, greeting them with broad smiles and a few high fives as the roar rose in response. The intimacy of the moment highlighted the tour’s focus on personal contact with fans, a theme that resonated across the whole show.
Fifth Harmony took the stage with the kind of confidence you only see when a group has earned it through years of television exposure and relentless touring. They opened with a high octane mash up of Miss Movin On and I Knew You Were Trouble, letting the crowd ride the wave of the most recognizable hooks from their early catalog. As the set progressed, they rolled out tracks from their debut Better Together that felt polished and ready for radio, and they offered bold covers of Royals by Lorde and Teenage Dream by Katy Perry that allowed them to demonstrate range beyond their original material. The energy stayed elevated through the closing moments of their segment, ending with Me and My Girls and a tease about returning to Toronto on November 5, which sent the audience into a second wave of excitement.
From the UK X Factor universe came Cher Lloyd, the show’s charismatic headliner. She started with Swagger Jagger off her debut album and followed with a string of new material teased for an upcoming release, including a collaboration with T I on a track titled I Wish. Lloyd brought a fearless stage persona that kept the audience hooked, using every inch of the stage to tell stories through movement and emotion. Her performance wove between crowd-pleasing hits and previews of what fans could expect from her next chapter, sustaining a momentum that kept the room in a shared orbit.
An intimate acoustic segment offered a different lens on Cher Lloyd. She reimagined a couple of well known songs with stark clarity, letting subtle guitar work and her vocal nuance carry the arrangements. In the stretch that followed, she performed In for the Kill by La Roux and OMG by Usher, then closed the portion with a track called Goodnight, a personal piece written to honor her father. The stripped down moment shifted the mood from party energy to reflective storytelling, giving fans an opportunity to hear a storyteller at work rather than a pure pop star.
Between numbers she spoke about the ideas behind her songs, sharing insights that connected the music to real life. Superhero explored the moment of falling for someone and realizing the person you adore might not be the hero imagined, while Bind Your Love offered a candid glimpse into the emotions she feels for someone special. Those reflections gave the night a sense of honesty that complemented the glossy pop moments and added texture to the performance.
Fans could feel the artist’s investment in the moment and in their experience. Cher talked warmly about the forthcoming album and what it means to her, signaling that the best material lay ahead. She described Sweet Despair as a revelation of a deeply personal side she rarely speaks about yet finds meaningful to sing, underscoring the emotional layer she wove into the set that night.
After twelve songs, Cher returned for an encore that left the room buzzing. She closed with two of her most successful numbers, With Ur Love and Want U Back, delivering a finale that felt both triumphant and intimate at the same time. Attendees described the closing moments as fiercely confident and unforgettable, a reminder of what a truly magnetic live artist can share with a responsive crowd.
Although that Toronto stop signaled the Canadian leg of the tour winding down, a handful of U.S. appearances remained before the run reached its Los Angeles finale. The North American leg appeared poised to extend the momentum into fall, and fans across both countries waited to see if more dates would be announced as the new album approached. The I Wish tour thus stood as a reminder of Cher Lloyd power live energy and the ongoing appeal of shows that blend fierce performances with personal storytelling.