Ravyn Lenae's latest tour brought a taste of art-school whimsy to Manchester, with the Chicago-born singer delivering an effortless set that showcased both vulnerability and unbridled charm. The crowd, comprised mostly of young fans clad in trendy attire, hung on every word as Lenae navigated her 2024 album Bird's Eye, oscillating between sweet melancholy and sharp, pop-infused hooks.
As she took the stage with guitarist and drummer in tow, supported by a backing track, Ravyn Lenae embodied her on-stage persona – quirky, carefree, and utterly captivating. Her windblown curls danced to the beat of Sticky, a groove-heavy tune that set the tone for an evening of catchy, upbeat numbers.
The new material, including the tender ballad Love Is Blind, showcased Lenae's growth as an artist, with her plaintive pleas about ruptured love and longing resonating deeply. However, some tracks from Bird's Eye struggled to maintain momentum, their melancholy lingering just long enough before moving on. Lenae's introspective lyrics offered valuable lessons in resilience and self-acceptance – "Stay the course. Time is a gift" – but the show felt incomplete, as if she was holding back her full potential.
The setlist did, however, give fans a taste of what makes Ravyn Lenae so compelling: infectious hooks like the country-inflected Love Me Not, and timeless jams like Free Room, which still drew huge cheers. But despite her undeniable talent, there's an unmistakable air of underdevelopment – perhaps a heavier band setup or more live instrumentation would amplify her unique voice.
For now, fans are content to bask in Lenae's effervescent personality, witty banter, and genre-bending sound, which has already earned her a devoted following. With Bird's Eye's catchy hooks lingering long after the show ended, there's no doubt that Ravyn Lenae will continue to captivate audiences with her art-school charm – but it remains to be seen if she'll take full control of her artistic vision in the process.
As she took the stage with guitarist and drummer in tow, supported by a backing track, Ravyn Lenae embodied her on-stage persona – quirky, carefree, and utterly captivating. Her windblown curls danced to the beat of Sticky, a groove-heavy tune that set the tone for an evening of catchy, upbeat numbers.
The new material, including the tender ballad Love Is Blind, showcased Lenae's growth as an artist, with her plaintive pleas about ruptured love and longing resonating deeply. However, some tracks from Bird's Eye struggled to maintain momentum, their melancholy lingering just long enough before moving on. Lenae's introspective lyrics offered valuable lessons in resilience and self-acceptance – "Stay the course. Time is a gift" – but the show felt incomplete, as if she was holding back her full potential.
The setlist did, however, give fans a taste of what makes Ravyn Lenae so compelling: infectious hooks like the country-inflected Love Me Not, and timeless jams like Free Room, which still drew huge cheers. But despite her undeniable talent, there's an unmistakable air of underdevelopment – perhaps a heavier band setup or more live instrumentation would amplify her unique voice.
For now, fans are content to bask in Lenae's effervescent personality, witty banter, and genre-bending sound, which has already earned her a devoted following. With Bird's Eye's catchy hooks lingering long after the show ended, there's no doubt that Ravyn Lenae will continue to captivate audiences with her art-school charm – but it remains to be seen if she'll take full control of her artistic vision in the process.
She has this effortless charm that just draws you in, you know? 
But at the same time, I felt like she was holding back a bit - like, she had some amazing songs but they kinda felt a little... incomplete. 
Maybe it's because I'm used to live bands where you can feel the energy of the performance more?
I do wish she'd explore some heavier instrumentation or a full band setup though - it felt like there was something missing. But for now, I'm still super stoked about her music and can't wait to see what she does next! 
I felt like Lenae was holding back a bit too much on stage, you know? She's got this super catchy sound and an energy that just pulls you in, but some parts of the setlist did feel kinda incomplete. Like, you can tell she's still figuring out her own voice, which is cool to see, but also a bit frustrating when you're like "yaaas, let's go!" 
but then she moves on to something else and it's not quite there yet. Still, I'm all about giving her the benefit of the doubt – she's got this amazing vibe going on and those hooks are just infectious! 
and those hooks tho!! i loved sticky & love is blind but idk if she's ready 2 take over the world with her sound yet 
maybe she just needs 2 beef up her live setup?
I mean, I gotta say, Lenae's live energy is infectious 
. Still, Ravyn's got that undeniable charm & charisma that just draws you in 
anyway, can't wait for her next show! 
. Don't get me wrong, I love her quirky vibe and all, but I wish she'd take more risks and push the limits of her sound a bit more 
! The girl's got some serious pipes on her, but I feel like we barely scratched the surface of what she can do with a live set 
! But yeah, the setlist did kinda drag at times - felt like she was holding back, ya know? Like, we got snippets of 'Love Is Blind', but it could've been so much more 
! But at the same time, there's this sense that she's holding back on some tracks... like, I get it, she's still figuring herself out, but can't we just give her a full-band setup already?! 
!
But you know what? I think that's part of the magic. We get to see a glimmer of who she really is, even if it's not yet fully formed. It's all about embracing those imperfections and being okay with the journey, rather than trying to create some perfect polished product all the time. 
. Ravyn Lenae's set was super charming, don't get me wrong, but I need to hear the full instrumentation behind those catchy hooks! A heavier band setup or live instrumentation would take her sound to the next level 