POP PRINCESS IN THE MAKING: FREYA SKYE LIGHTS UP TORONTO’S MASSEY HALL

March 3, 2026

5–7 minutes

Freya Skye | Massey Hall | Toronto, ON

February 25, 2026

Photographed by Jess Lee

Freya Skye took the stage in Toronto’s Massey Hall with Adrian Lyles as the perfect accompanying opener. As I walked to Massey Hall from the packed Eaton Centre parking lot, I could already feel the energy of the crowd just in the line alone. With their cowboy hats, star hairclips and arms stacked with friendship bracelets, these fans were prepared to have one of the best nights of their life. Walking the block to get to the entrance of the venue, I saw just how diverse Skye’s crowd was. From kids as young as eight-years-old with their parents to older teens coming with their childhood best friends, they bonded over their love for her art. You could just tell with this crowd that it would be a “remember when” kind of night for everyone.

Adrian Lyles and his guitarist, Declan O’Raidy, started the night with a mix of alt-pop, indie and R&B. Lyles’ beautiful vocals, reminiscent of Daniel Ceaser, took over the venue. There’s something special about how young this crowd was; they were able to get hyped so easily. They jumped when asked, and they sang along shamelessly. Excited fans were screaming and waving, looking to get Lyles’ attention for most of the set, which only fueled the joy in the room.

He introduced songs to the crowd from his newest album, these are my favorite songs I’ve made so far, as well as played a few singles and a cover of “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish, which ignited screams of excitement from the crowd. Before his last song of the night, “It Isn’t Over Until You Die” off his EP Horizons: Dawn, he sealed a deal with the crowd: when he returns to Toronto, they will show up jumping for him. The song started with an acoustic tease, building up to a wall of sound which got everyone in the venue off their feet. By the time he was walking off stage, he had clearly won over the room and had perfectly prepared them for Freya Skye’s set.

GRAPHIC BY ROSI MARTENS | IMAGE VIA JESS LEE FOR CRAVE MUSIC MAGAZINE

Before Skye took the stage, an announcement was broadcast at the venue, urging everyone to be safe and to take care of each other, something rarely seen before a show. This little tidbit is so important, as it shows that the next generation of avid concert-goers has a great example to follow.

Disney’s ZOMBIES 4 actress Freya Skye, at 16 years old, opened the set with “Can’t Fake It.” With David Cola (drums), Donnie Laudicina (guitarist) and Anna Bettendorf (keyboard and bass), they instantly mesmerized the crowd as every lyric was echoed back to them. She performed with the poise of an upcoming pop superstar, marking her as the next big voice for the new generation of girls.

Bangers like “Petty,” with its catchy chorus, and “Walk Over,” with a chorus reminiscent of the late 2000s, lock in her pop sound. “Walk Over” stood out for its empowering chorus, urging her audience to take the leap and, if they want something done, to put in the work. It is such a great message of resilience and makes such a powerful anthem for everyone of all ages in the crowd. Seeing the love for Skye from the crowd in this moment cemented what a great role model she is.

Her theatrics really peaked during the introduction of her unreleased song “Bad Taste,” when her band began playing it, acting as if it wasn’t set in stone on her setlist. She fake-taunted the crowd, claiming they weren’t excited enough, hyping them up for what you would think would have been an unheard-of song. As “Bad Taste” started and all the instruments kicked in, you could tell the fans had already found this song and learned all the lyrics through past concert videos. This shows just how dedicated these fans are to her, securing her a fan base that will likely last her decades.

There was a rather special part of her show where Skye and her band tucked into the corner of the stage and pivoted to the “campfire” section of her set. She brought us ballads such as “Who I Thought I Knew” and “Maybe Tomorrow,” and introduced another unreleased song, “London.” A fan’s stuffed dog was thrown to her, sparking a sense of home in Skye as it reminded her of her own dog in London. This little portion of the set could very well be a fan favourite. Although there were fewer theatrics, it brought a comforting warmth to the theatre, making use of their space to create a more intimate set.

Skye’s final few songs gave way to a costume change into a beautiful iridescent dress, placing her on a podium, coming back a million times harder after her campfire set. Her gratitude was not to be missed as she thanked all the outfits, signs, and effort that must have gone into coming out to a night like this, in awe that she could dance with people she loves every night. She brought the crowd an extra little bit of hype by playing one of her songs off Zombies 4, “My Own Way.” Lastly, her song “Silent Treatment” (a personal favourite and certified banger) paved the way for her “silent challenge,” in which she got the entire room to go silent for a couple of seconds, showcasing her amazing ability to control a crowd. Skye’s trajectory towards superstardom shown in this set was spectacular, commanding a sold-out Massey Hall show at 16 years old with vulnerability, theatrics and professionalism that screams future arena shows.

As the chants for an encore came and the lights went up again, Skye returned in a gold dress and cowboy hat, finishing her set with “Gold’s Gone.” As she waved to every corner of the crowd, shouting out her band, she struck a pose, blew a kiss, and ended her set.

The Stardust Tour is only the beginning for Freya Skye. She will continue to be a great inspiration to many girls trying to make their way through life, and many of these kids I met in the crowd this night will be able to say they were there from the beginning, growing up with her.