Big Ideas, Big Feelings: Remi Wolf's Genre-Bending Performance

With a night of unfiltered energy, Remi Wolf brought electrifying chaos and heart to Mtelus on Wednesday, April 23rd. Having loved Remi since before the release of her latest album, Big Ideas, I had been counting down the days until her Montreal stop on the spring leg of her tour. 

Although I sadly missed openers Dana and Alden, the energy they left behind was contagious— the crowd was buzzing with anticipation - a little too much of this excitement in some cases. Just minutes before Remi’s set, someone threw up in the pit, a couple of feet from where I stood. A grim start to the evening, and while it was cleaned up, the smell lingered. Still, it was long forgotten when Remi finally took to the stage. Opening with “Cherries & Cream” “Cinderella” and “Pitiful” all from her album Big Ideas, bringing the crowd, me included, into a fever dream. 

She welcomed us to the party and asked us to bring our energy, as she would be bouncing off of us, and we would bounce off of her. “And together we’re gonna create this cycle of magic, energetic, magnetic beauty, and we’re all going to elevate to the sky in euphoria; together, tonight.” She even led us through warmups like “stretch your arms, your hips, and your groins!” (her words, not mine) to prepare for the wild ride ahead. 

What really sets Remi apart from other performers is her fearless approach to genre-bending. It wasn’t just listening to the live versions of music from my Spotify playlist. No, It was watching Remi Wolf perform her artistry. While her music has a distinct electronic, alternative-pop sound, she took her music and transformed it. Songs like “Alone in Miami” unexpectedly became a rock-metal breakdown; “Sexy Villain” was reimagined into a sultrier jazz ballad. Each track felt new and unpredictable. Having been so used to her distinct and unique sound, transforming into synth-punk, indie rock, jazz, and beyond, wasn’t as disorientating as I would’ve expected. As much as I love her original tracks, it was nice to listen to her music in a different light, especially as it is a twist that only us in the room will ever fully experience.

Overall, the night was a peek into the wonderfully chaotic brain of Remi Wolf. From a wild improv segment where she sang using an audience-suggested phrase on the spot. Transitioning into a hilariously wholesome, animal-themed Macarena intro for “TORO” performed by her band as Remi went crazy on the drums. She even tossed drumsticks into the crowd after the solo. She shared the inspiration behind Big Ideas, explaining how the album was born from journaling her thoughts and feelings as she toured for her album Juno. She urged us to let out our own “big feelings” too. Her vulnerability and authenticity made the show feel less like a polished pop concert and more like an emotional purge, one fueled by laughter, tears, and a lot of weird dancing. After briefly leaving the stage, Remi returned for an encore, closing with a fan favourite “Photo ID”, sending the crowd into one last frenzy. 

As a favourite artist of mine, I noticed her vocals were particularly striking live: raw, raspy, even more so with the strain of touring, but her voice was also incredibly powerful. It was especially impressive the way she maintained vocal control while constantly jumping, dancing and high kicking across the stage as though letting the music take control. Executed beautifully as her band matched her dynamic stage presence. You could tell the performance wasn’t overly choreographed, as it wasn’t about giving the audience a good show, but about being present and sharing her art, which made her show a great one.

Remi Wolf’s performance was a cathartic, hilarious, very sweaty, genre-defying experience full of heart, celebrating everything messy and wonderful about being alive.