You might pass this young woman on the street, her hair pulled back in a scrunchie, and not know she is an award-winning pianist, composer and singer from Poland. Hania Rani was back in Toronto on November 22nd performing at the TD Music Hall to a sold out crowd for one of Wavelength Music’s concert series events.
People travelled as far as Edmonton and Ohio just to see Hania Rani perform. From talking to people in the audience, Rani’s attraction seems to be how easily she blends ambient and ethereal electronica with classical music. It also seems like most people discover Rani by accident, having one of her music videos pop-up on YouTube or Instagram. Once Hania Rani’s music finds your ears, it’s hard not to be captivated, especially if your musical preferences encompass a mash-up of classic tones and entrancing electronic melodies.
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When Rani took a break to speak to the Toronto audience, she spoke about how the last time she was in the city her luggage got lost, so things were going much better this time around. Lucky for us to have Hania Rani return to Toronto, as she is currently on tour promoting her recently released 3rd solo album “Ghosts” on Gondwana Records, an independent record label based in Manchester, UK.
Rani explains the essence of her new album Ghosts as, “a story about life and death, light and darkness, real and unreal. An attempt to touch ultimate qualities and craft my own mythologies; to face fears, take a deep dive into things that scare me but also seduce me subconsciously.”
For Rani’s Wavelength Music gig she clearly seduced the Toronto audience, as scarcely anyone moved, or let out a cough. The crowd seemed to be in awe during Rani’s performance as she moved with ease from her electronic keyboards to the grand and upright pianos supplied by Wavelength with the support of Steinway & Sons in Toronto. Rani performed mostly with her back to the audience, doused in a dramatic red spotlight, all the better to keep the focus on her music. Her hair scrunchie letting us know it’s all about the music for Hania Rani.
Rani is currently on tour until April 2024. When not touring, Rani divides her time between Warsaw, Zurich, and Berlin.
Keep a lookout for Wavelength Music’s next big event: Wavelength Winter Festival 2024.
Wavelength is a non-profit arts platform championing independent music in Toronto with a concert series, festivals and talks for 20+ years.
Sonja Andic is a Toronto-based reviewer with a focus on arts & culture, as well as travel, fashion & beauty.