A Heartfelt Night With Victoria Canal and Friends

BY KATHERINE CHUNG

National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week occurred during the week of March 18-22, 2024, but for multifaceted industry professionals like singer, songwriter, producer, and activist Victoria Canal, advocacy for LGBTQ health extends beyond this designated week. On March 25, 2024, at Songbyrd Music House in D.C., Victoria Canal and her best friend Lucy Clearwater performed on stage.

The concert dress code theme black swan chic, added a unique touch of dark beauty. The stage set up represented a lush garden symbolizing self-growth, with Victoria wearing a black swan costume to match with fans. Together, Vic and Lucy bravely shared their narratives, offering solace and companionship to those who may feel isolated.

Some fans may know Victoria from her recent EP, Well, Well, but not everyone is aware of her diverse talents as a singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and activist. Throughout, Victoria’s  GAY TIMES feature titled, “I’m Owning Who I am in My Own Terms” Victoria emphasizes the significance of being the narrator of her narrative, expressing her reluctance to be defined solely by her disability and pondering the potential for queerness to exist in platonic relationships.

VICTORIA CANAL | COURTESY OF MAX WANGER

At the start of her set, she mentioned having been born without her right forearm due to amniotic band syndrome, which was evident. Despite this, she has embraced her body shape, learning to love herself regardless. She wrote a poignant song called “Shape” about having body dysmorphia, advocating for embracing rather than hating our bodies. Before performing the song on stage, she delivered a message to fans struggling with their self-image: "You can be disabled, trans, straight, or fat and still be hot. Do not be afraid to be yourself." Victoria instilled a sense of belonging in each audience member, embracing them for their true selves and forging new connections that evening. She filled each person in the audience with a sense of belonging, embracing them for their true selves, and created new connections that evening. Before each performance, she imparted uplifting sentiments, reminding the audience that embracing our authentic selves is paramount in nurturing self-love.

Vic also performed a significant song from Well, Well called "Company,”  expanding on it further in her GAY TIMES feature. “This song is about that grey area that a lot of us gays experience: ‘We are best friends, but we also could maybe be life partners, and we could definitely get married, but we are just hanging out and it’s beautiful – we don’t have to label it, we just love each other’s company and that’s enough.”  At the mention of the company, this night was extra special for Victoria because her two best friends whom she met in Spain were in the audience. She briefly told the audience the story of how the three met; the rest is history from there.  

At a pivotal moment towards the end of her set, Victoria urged everyone to embrace each other by wrapping their arms around one another and sharing a hug with a stranger. Witnessing this gesture was truly heartening, as it sparked a beautiful chain reaction among the audience. Such acts are meaningful at concerts, where many attendees often come alone. “In the last few years, I have struggled with anxiety and depression. And it is easy to feel like a burden in these moments but the people who love you do not see it as a burden. That’s why it’s important to remember that you are allowed to be sad. Yeah, so this is “Chamomile” [dedicated to my best friend, Lucy Clearwater].

“CHAMOMILE” COVER ART | COURTESY OF ELEKTRA/PARLOPHONE RECORDS

In addition to her witty remarks, sentimental stories, musical compositions, and captivating stage presence, Victoria humorously showcased her collection of gay, straight, and bisexual merch. “Haha just, kidding. It is just normal merch.” Additionally, she proudly showcased origami mementos alongside items crafted by both Lucy and herself. For fans unable to purchase merchandise, Victoria ensured they could still partake in a special bond of self-love through her meet and greet at the merch table and the "VC FAN CLUB BOOK," a scrapbook adorned with polaroids from fans, messages written in rainbow pens adorned with glitter stickers, and cherished memories, serving as a timeless keepsake for her during moments of tour nostalgia.

Victoria Canal fulfills the roles of a friend, mentor, and showstopper. She declared that this is her album era; signaling a new chapter in her career. With numerous accolades and successes, including winning Attitude’s PRIDE ICON Award in 2023, being featured in The New Yorker, and making her acting debut in an episode titled “Indoor Arm” from Little America on Apple TV, Victoria's trajectory in the music and entertainment industry is on the rise.