girli: A Gospel to the Matriarchy
Photos and Review by Peyton Mott
We all have our ins & outs for the year, but Girls has solidified that the patriarchy is out and the matriarchy is IN. In a room full of brightly dyed heads, you’ll find what Girli calls, “people who have been oppressed by the patriarchy, who are pissed OFF!” She jumps onto the stage in a haze of pink hair, opening the show with the club-pop hit, Nothing Hurts Like A Girl, and a cheeky grin. One theme of the night is the stereotype of Canadian kindness, as the English singer continuously states after each complimentary shout from the audience. This was her first time in Toronto since she debuted in 2015, and the city did not disappoint.
I have been a huge fan of Girli since high school; hearing the classics like, “Girl I Met On The Internet” live was what many original Girli fans should look forward to in her set. For Girli’s 2019 hit, Hot Mess, she was joined by backup to do choreographed chanting into each other's faces, “I don't know who you think I am / But your bitch is not one.” Girli’s new songs off her upcoming albums, fittingly titled “Matriarchy,” are not unknown to the room as they join in with fake British accents (to fit the singer's notable accent) full of expressive anger. Girli, known for her infectious beats and unfiltered lyrics, is more than just an artist – she's a movement.
There’s an obvious shift in the crowd when Girli returns for her encore, couples in the crowd grab each other to dance and sing in each other's faces to the soundtrack of More Than A Friend. “You know when you’re just absolutely obsessed with someone you’re dating? You just keep checking their stories...then checking them again with your finsta...?” is the mentality Girli attaches to the song, about her girlfriend. The anthemic chorus of the title track of Girli’s upcoming album, “You and I make our own matriarchy / We fuck to fuck the patriarchy” is the loudest moment in the room; a room full of queer joy contrasted with the expressive anger against the patriarchal systems. This tour leaves conformity in the dust while authenticity takes a physical form in the activist artist.
The tour runs until June 20, ending in London, England. I cannot recommend this gig enough for those desperate to scream their systemic anger and dance their joy into the air. Find a date near you to join in a space where self-expression reigns supreme
