'A beacon in the darkness': Paul Simon returns to Canada after seven years, defying hearing loss with grace and music

Paul Simon, at 83, returned to the Canadian stage after seven years, performing at Toronto's Massey Hall as part of his "A Quiet Celebration" tour. He delivered his 2023 album "Seven Psalms" and reimagined classics, with Edie Brickell joining him. Simon, who addressed hearing loss challenges, concluded the night with a moving rendition of "The Sound of Silence."
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Who is Paul Simon?
In a return to live performance in Canada after 7 years, Paul Simon graced Toronto's Massey Hall on May 27. The 83-year-old singer-songwriter, renowned for his evocative storytelling and musical innovation, is embarking on his "A Quiet Celebration" tour, a series of intimate performances across North America.Dressed casually in jeans, a ball cap, and a purple jacket, Simon opened his second set with the 1968 classic "America." Before starting his song, he reflected on its themes of division and the search for identity, drawing parallels to contemporary times. "I wrote that song many years ago," he shared, noting its relevance today. He then offered a poignant observation: "I'm happy to report that I've found it. It's here in Canada. You really are a beacon in the darkness at this point."The evening commenced with a full performance of his 2023 album, "Seven Psalms," a contemplative piece exploring spirituality and human connection.Accompanied by a chamber ensemble featuring harmonium, flute, strings, and intricate percussion, Simon delivered the seven-movement composition with a blend of spoken word and song. His wife, singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, joined him for "The Sacred Harp," adding depth to the introspective set.The second half of the concert celebrated Simon's extensive catalog, offering reimagined versions of beloved tracks. Highlights included "Graceland," "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War," and "The Late Great Johnny Ace," the latter accompanied by visuals of John Lennon, John F. Kennedy, and Johnny Ace. Brickell returned for a whistling solo on "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," adding a playful touch to the evening.The encore featured fan favorites "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" and "The Boxer ," culminating in a solo performance of " The Sound of Silence ." The audience was visibly moved as Simon softly sang, "Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again," bringing the night to a poignant close.Simon, who had previously retired from touring in 2018 due to hearing loss, collaborated with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss to adapt his performances for optimal acoustics.The "A Quiet Celebration" tour continues with additional dates in Toronto on May 29 and 30, followed by performances in Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, and other cities.Paul Simon is an iconic American singer-songwriter known for his poetic lyrics, innovative music, and enduring hits both as a solo artist and as half of the legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel. With classics like 'The Sound of Silence,' 'Graceland,' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water,' he has shaped popular music for over six decades.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

2 hours ago

• Time of India

Indian-origin Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis faces backlash for dressing as Goddess Kali: 'Deliberately chose to mock Hinduism'

Indian-origin Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis slammed for mocking Hinduism and Christianity in her latest album. Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis's Indian-origin was dragged as she received a massive backlash for her music video True Blue in which she dressed as Goddess Kali. Both Hindus and Christians slammed the music video as dressed as Goddess Kali, the singer provocatively posed with a Christian cross. Indian rapper Raftaar publicly condemned the video on Instagram, calling it a 'mockery of my religion' and urging fans to report it on YouTube. Tommy Genesis, also known as Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, was born in Canada to a Malayali-Tamil-Swedish family. Her father, Mohanraj, is a Tamil-Malayali Christian who emigrated from India to Canada when he was young. His parents, Tommy Genesis's grandparents, were a scientist and a nurse who moved to Canada in response to a newspaper ad seeking professionals in their fields. Tommy Genesis' mother is of Swedish descent. Tommy is known for her provocative, genre-defying music that explores themes of gender, identity, and sexuality, often describing herself as a 'fetish rapper.' She gained prominence in the underground rap scene, with Dazed magazine labeling her 'the internet's most rebellious underground rap queen' in 2016 "Tommy Genesis, from a Tamil-Malayali Christian background, mocks Hindu symbols in her 'True Blue' video for shock value. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Run Your Business Like a Pro - Top Trending Accounting Software (Check Now) Accounting ERP Click Here Undo This isn't art, it's cultural insult, plain and shameless," a social media comment said. "bro i'm not even a hindu or a christian but this was so uncomfortable to watch like it just feels so off. what's with the mindset of mocking other religions culture and beliefs for clout? the insane part is that tommy genesis is an indian plus the song and music is just AWFUL," another wrote. "Her character in the latest track TRUE BLUE is described as 'Freak Of India' on the posters as you can see on the top of the poster below. Her ancestors were priests. Her father is a converted Christian. So she is apparently angry on hindus for the way they treated her father and then she is also angry on christians as they did not allower her in the church because she is a queer. And she made this video mocking both the religion," one wrote.

India Today

6 hours ago

• India Today

Rapper Tommy Genesis faces backlash for dressing as Maa Kali in explicit music video

Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis, born Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, has come under fire for appearing as Maa Kali in a series of explicit music videos. The visuals, shared as part of her latest promotional material, have sparked widespread backlash from those who see the portrayal as a form of cultural appropriation and a blatant disregard for Hindu religious have called on the artiste to stop appropriating Hindu culture and show greater sensitivity toward religious sentiments. The controversy erupted after Tommy Genesis shared visuals promoting her new track 'True Blue', in which she appears in blue body paint, adorned with gold jewellery and a bindi, while holding a Tamil and Swedish descent, Genesis's imagery drew sharp criticism from both Hindu and Christian communities, many of whom found the portrayal deeply offensive. Watch a video here: The videos have sparked widespread disappointment on social media, with many users demanding greater respect for sacred traditions. Several Hindu users criticised the portrayal as deeply disrespectful, calling it 'pathetic' and urging the artist to take down the members of the Christian community also voiced objections, particularly over the use of the crucifix in a provocative another clip: 'True Blue' is a track from the rapper's upcoming album Genesis, with the music video released on Saturday. In the controversial visuals, Tommy Genesis appears in a gold bikini and stilettos, adorned with gold jewellery. At one point, she is seen licking a crucifix and performing a 'namaste' gesture with folded hands - imagery that many found provocative and backlash was swift and vocal. One user wrote, 'Appropriating Hindu culture has become a trend among these so-called Westerners. My culture isn't your aesthetic (sic)." Another wrote bluntly, 'Doing all this just for the music to f***g sk (sic).'A Christian viewer shared their frustration, saying, 'Man, I'm so disappointed with what you did with that cross in the video. That's just straight-up disrespectful - and I'm not only talking about the licking (sic).' Urging the artist to remove the content, another user simply stated, 'Disrespectful AF. Delete this (sic).'Read all the comments here: Photo: Instagram/Tommy Genesis Photo: Instagram/Tommy Genesis Photo: Instagram/Tommy Genesis Photo: Instagram/Tommy Genesis Genesis is yet to respond to the backlash.

NDTV

7 hours ago

• NDTV

The Internet Thrashes Rapper Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj For Dressing As Goddess Kali, Licking Crucifix

New Delhi: Canadian rapper and model Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, popularly known as Tommy Genesis, has drawn criticism for her new music video for the track True Blue, in which she portrays the Hindu goddess Kali. What's Happening In the video, Genesis appears with her body painted blue, wearing a red bindi and traditional gold jewellery including bangles, a maang tikka and a necklace paired with a gold bikini and stilettos. She also performs gestures such as folding her hands in "namaste" and licking a crucifix. Several social media users criticised the video for offending both Hindu and Christian sentiments. "Just listened to Tommy Genesis whose real name is Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj. She is a Canadian artist with an Indian background from Kerala and Tamil side. Her new song openly mocks both Hindu and Christian faiths. This is not creativity this is pure disrespect. Surprised YouTube still has it up," one user wrote. Another commented, "And people will let this shit pass? Like why? Disrespecting 2 religions just like that?! @tommygenesis what happened to cultural appropriation? Wtf is wrong with you? Respectfully delete this mv and apologise! You're disrespecting a religion that is as old as civilization!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tommy Genesis (@tommygenesis) Background Born to Tamil and Swedish parents, 34-year-old Yasmine Mohanraj gained fame as an underground rapper celebrated for themes of rebellion, sexuality, and identity. She began her music career in 2015 with Awful Records, releasing the mixtape World Vision, and later signed with Downtown Records/Universal, releasing her debut album Tommy Genesis in 2018 and Goldilocks X in 2021. An Emily Carr University graduate in film and sculpture, she has worked with brands like Calvin Klein and artists such as Charli XCX and MIA. In A Nutshell Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis, born Genesis Yasmine Mohanraj, sparked controversy with her new music video True Blue, where she appears as a modern depiction of the Hindu goddess Kali. Social media users accused her of disrespecting both Hindu and Christian faiths, calling for the video's removal and an apology.