Words and Photos by Abbie McLaren
As I took a stroll through Wicker Park on the afternoon of Sunday, September 6, fans were already lined up outside Subterranean ahead of Solya’s sold-out show. Her North American tour originally set for June of this year was rescheduled due to medical issues, and after a few months of waiting, Chicago listeners finally got their chance to see their Queen of Texas live.
The night began at 7 p.m. with Tele Novella, who are also from Texas. Two members of the band would go on to share the stage with Solya: Jason Chronis on guitar and Danny Reisch on drums. Reisch produced Solya’s debut album Queen of Texas, released in March of this year, to which Chronis also contributed bass and lead guitar.
These shared band members made for an opening act impeccably well-matched to its headliner. Vocalist Natalie Ribbons set the tone, her mystical melodies with melancholic twists swirling their way through the multi-level venue. The lyrics were nothing less than a fairy tale: one song, “Crystal Witch,” even contained a spell. “When we’re done with this, all of your projects are gonna go smoothly,” Ribbons declared before the tune.
At 8:00, Solya took the stage, clad in a dark shimmering dress, cowboy boots, and her signature oversized gemstone cross necklace, a soft-goth princess. Fans knew the words to nearly every song, and screamed along on tunes like Solya’s 2023 viral hit “Tear Me Apart.” Solya, a multi-instrumentalist, jumped between two synthesizers, a guitar, and an omnichord throughout the night.
At only 20 years old, Solya has a voice on par with those much further along in their careers. Her sumptuous head voice is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, and her restrained, choral tone on lullaby melodies summons Chappell Roan ballads. Instrumentation combines a variety of genre influences–slide guitar blends with twinkly synths for a cinematic sound that felt right at home under Subterranean’s giant chandelier.
Solya’s fans came dressed for the occasion, in cowboy hats and boots, lace and sparkly headbands, and flowy dresses. It was certainly a post-Covid concert audience, I observed, as I watched dozens of phones shoot up to record video during each song. Young fans shouted out a wide variety of messages to Solya during the moments of silence in between songs, from “I love you!” to “Can you pose for my BeReal?”
Solya closed the show with “Is This Love??,” the final track on Queen of Texas. The concert wrapped up right at 9, and she did not perform an encore. Solya will be back on the road to continue her tour throughout the month, culminating at Austin City Limits on October 4th.
If you’re a witchy teen girl looking for a like-minded community, you’re probably already screaming along to the ethereal voice and haunting melodies of this Queen of Texas. If you haven’t yet heard her, Solya’s got the voice to back up her virality. With a distinct style and a mesmerizing tone, she’ll be an artist to keep an eye on.
