By keith valfreya | april 7, 2025
As I stood waiting for the show to begin, I felt a bit like I had stepped into a world drifting just outside my own. The venue, Annabel’s Music Hall, is one I’ve been to before; however, the humming anticipation that typically accompanies this moment is now mostly in a language I don’t understand. The center of this new world is the evening’s headliner, Zaho de Sagazan.
Zaho de Sagazan has quickly become one of the most compelling voices in France’s new wave of electro. Born in Saint-Nazaire, she’s known for her evocative lyrics and deep, expressive vocals, blending synth-driven electronica with confessional storytelling. Her debut album La Symphonie des Éclairs from 2023 received widespread acclaim, earning nominations at the Victoires de la Musique and glowing coverage in major European press. She’s currently touring internationally, and the current leg of the tour brings her tonight to Toronto.
The night began with a dreamlike set from Montreal’s Christian Sean, setting an introspective tone for the night’s journey, a thoughtful preparation. Zaho de Sagazan’s performance began on the keys, with a minimal and tender rendition of “La fontaine de sang.” From there, the night unfolded slowly, inviting the audience deeper and deeper into a dream narrated by an impressive array of synths, with Doepfer A-100 analog modular system sitting in the heart at center stage.
She spoke between songs, switching between French and English, with a candid mix of humor and sincerity, describing herself as a “very drama, dreamy girl” and sharing stories of imagined love affairs, her childhood, and her discovery of the piano and how it changed her relationship with herself and her sensitivity.
Eventually, Zaho stripped off her overshirt and dramatically proclaimed that it was time to dance. The next 20 minutes would be strictly electronic music, and she urged the crowd to forget about being sexy, or cool, or stylish, and just be in the moment. Forget everything else and move, because your body needs to move. And move they did.
A cover of Brigitte Fontaine’s “Ah que la vie est belle” concluded the encore where she ended the night by walking through the audience, touching hands, smiling, singing with fans and thanking the production crew.
The night lingered in my body as exited the venue, the urge to move and dance was impossible to leave behind. Zaho’s ability to lay herself bare on stage with thoughtfulness and vulnerability provided the audience tonight with not just a invitation into another world, her world, but also a reminder to live more freely in ours. To let go of appearances and expectations, and lean into something more honest. And just as importantly, to move.
Keith Valfreya is a freelance photojournalist for Majestic Music Magazine. See more of his work here
