CMAGIC5 headlines the Next Up Toronto: Artist Showcase and releases third single of 2025, “Monster”

CMAGIC5 headlines the “Next Up Toronto: Artist Showcase” at the Adelaide Hall in downtown Toronto on April 17, 2025. Giving Toronto-based artists a night to shine as they put themselves and their music in the spotlight.

CMAGIC5 (C), kicked off her set with her song “Lego,” as it immediately got the crowd and fans dancing and singing along with C all night. Dressed in black boots, skull tights, a black metallic-like mini-skirt, and a black leather jacket, she brought her signature pop-rock look onto the stage in full-effect. Continuing the night with “Happy Never After,” and a cover song of “Sk8r Boi” originally by Avril Lavigne, she kept the crowd loud for the entire time she was onset.

C took a moment, after a few songs, to have a small conversation with the crowd about her new single, “Monster,” which had just been released on streaming platforms on April 18, 2025. Ecstatic to share the song to the world, she made sure to perform the song in the middle of her set, as an early release to everyone who made it out to the concert. “Monster” represents a huge milestone in C’s new era of music. Making this EP with Juno award-winning producers and songwriters, they’re set to be releasing brand new singles every month.

“Monster” is a modern pop-rock anthem, which includes raw emotion, unbelievable melodies, and has an intense electric sound, making it a fan favourite at live shows. C is leaning more into the pop sound for the upcoming EP, Happy Never After, but a little bit of rock will still always shine through within her music.  ‘Monster’ is a song about toxic relationships and the factors that won’t go away, almost like a nightmare you can’t escape. Exploring the side effects of addictions, no matter what it is: a person, habit or a feeling that you just can’t get out of your head—that feeling like you’re trapped in an endless cycle. The song’s bridge digs deeper into vulnerability and inner conflict, acknowledging that even when someone is “bad in every way,” the connection remains.

C is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who started releasing music in 2020 with her very first single, “Ready to Run.” She followed along with releasing eight more singles before releasing a full-length album in 2021, Ready to Run. C has been consistently releasing single after single since her debut in the pop-rock music industry, and she’s still just getting started. Introducing herself as “a rock chick in a pop world,” she is just that, and nothing is going to stop her from being herself. She features a variety of different artists on her songs which makes it a great collaboration experience for herself and other artists.

About halfway through C’s setlist, she stopped for a brief moment again and gave everyone in the crowd a quiz about her. As a reward to the first right answer, she gave out a t-shirt. C included another cover of “You Belong With Me,” originally sung by Taylor Swift, as well as “Bad Romance,” originally sung by Lady Gaga. C is purely passionate about her music and sharing it with the world, but she also loves covering a couple songs from artists who have inspired her to do what she loves.

C invited some fans up to the stage to serenade them with a “happy birthday”—one’s birthday was the night of the show and the others were this month. Sharing this moment on stage with fans was truly incredible as it made everyone’s night. 

Ending the set with one final song, “Game Boy,” C was giving the performance everything she has in her. At one point, she got down on her knees and belted the song out, enthralling the audience as the last notes rang out. When the night ended, C made sure to stick around the merchandise table to meet every single fan after the show, no matter how long it would take.

CMAGIC5 SETLIST:

  1. LEGO
  2. Happy Never After
  3. Sk8r Boi – Avril Lavigne Cover
  4. Monster
  5. Passenger Princess
  6. Delirious
  7. You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift Cover
  8. Like a Dream
  9. RPS
  10. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga Cover
  11. Game Boy

CMAGIC5 | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | X | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY 

PHOTO GALLERY – Photos By Courtney Page

Leave a Reply