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Jensen McRae In Toronto: Folk's Modern Muse
In support of her sophomore album, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me!, which was released this April 2025, American singer-songwriter Jensen McRae brought her sharp storytelling and folk-pop warmth to Toronto’s Axis Club on May 13, 2025, as part of her The Praying For Your Downfall tour. The venue buzzed with anticipation as fans gathered to check out folk’s modern muse and how her artistry is evolving.
Lauren Juzang
Lauren Juzang from Los Angeles opened the night and took the stage with her orange Stratocaster. Without any backing tracks, her clean guitar intertwined beautifully with her soothing vocals, accompanied by flowing chord progressions. Many of her songs focused on her past love life and heartbreak, making her relatable to the audience. She also delighted fans with a rendition of Fireflies by Owl City and closed her set with her most-streamed song on Spotify, It’ll Be.
Jensen McRae
After a brief wait filled with excitement, an intro voice-over played as Jensen McRae walked to center stage and waved to the crowd while performing her first song, The Rearranger. As her set continued, the audience was thrilled when she performed Savannah. Jensen’s emotional delivery resonated deeply, prompting many fans to sing along word for word. She then covered The Script‘s Breakeven, making it her own with a powerful rendition, especially from the bridge to the song’s end.
Halfway through her set, she mellowed down with the track Tuesday and highlighted her vocal and breathing control. She then jokingly explained that her next song, I Can Change Him, was written before Taylor Swift‘s I Can Fix Him, though she clarified that she’s a Swifty. Just before performing Dead Girl Walking, there was a medical pause. Jensen signalled for the band to stop and ensured medics attended to the fan.
She then transitioned into an acoustic set, mentioning that she’d been using the same guitar since she was 19 and had been travelling with it. She wanted the segment to be intimate, similar to her TikToks. She started with a cover of Taylor Swift‘s Guilty As Sin? and performed an unreleased song titled Good Theatre. She brought the band back right after. Coming close to the end, she performed Novelty. Yet another medical emergency at the front row halted the performance before she could get to Let Me Be Wrong and Praying for Your Downfall, and capped the night off with an encore to some fan favourites.
In Closing
Jensen McRae showcased authenticity, conveying her feelings through relatable topics to connect with her fans easily. Do not fret if you missed this stop. The tour will return to the city at The Danforth Music Hall in October.
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