Earlier this week, a packed crowd at the Velvet Underground eagerly waited for the lights to dim and singer Dora Jar to deliver a raucous performance of her first full-length album No Way to Relax When You’re on Fire.

The swarm of buzzing fans is nothing new for the performer at this point, who recently opened for The 1975 on their last arena tour.

The New York City born singer was raised amongst the natural offerings of her Northern California environment.

"My Dad would always make me go and find Merlin the Wizard. It kept me attentive to all my surroundings," Dora says, speaking about the whimsical nature of her upbringing.

For the young artist, musical theatre began her love for performing and singing. Bernadette Peters' iconic performance in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, and Sondheim himself, made a lasting impact on her.

"Sondheim is just a genius. He has the most beautiful melodies and his rhymes are so unique. He could have been a rapper but chose Broadway."

In her teen years, she attended a Connecticut boarding school where she began to further explore her interest in all things music. With the support of a few close friends, she began her performance journey.

"I did a few coffee house nights in high school. That's when I realized 'I don’t think I can do this, it's way too scary,'" says Dora, reminiscing on her nerve-wracking experiences.

Of course, this fear would not detract her from making music. After the release of her very first single, the budding performer began to cultivate a strong online presence with fans.

After dropping out of university, Dora was jet-set to Poland to stay with family in order to get more in touch with her father's side of the family. The temporary stay led the recent dropout to venture all over Europe, whilst producing music at the same time.

"My first show was in London at The Waiting Room and it was completely sold out. It must have been like a year after I released the first single."

Dora Jar peforms for a large crowd at The Velvet Underground. Photo by Holly Hamilton.

Soon after this triumph, the singer was now faced with the decision to "shop" for a record label that would let her service her art. Soon enough, Island Records would ink a deal with the rising star in 2021.

With a major label backing supporting her now, Dora embarked on a series of opening slots for major arena tours by performers like Billie Eilish and The 1975.

"It felt like I skipped a lot of steps. It was actually a pleasant surprise that I felt comfortable," says the seasoned performer, shocked by her reaction to playing on some of the world's largest stages.

After many years of touring and building a strong fanbase, the time was right to release her first full-length studio album. This would also mean a headlining tour of her very own. 

"I feel like I'm starting over in a way. Most people have only seen me open for other artists and that's not the full experience," says the entertainer, "I want to create a show that is new and surprising to me every night."

For someone who has ventured all over the world, Toronto is her favourite city, of course.

"I love the food here. I just walked down Queen St. for an hour the other day," says the artist, "I feel like Queen [Street] is like the spine of Toronto."

Bringing the album to her fans after years of anticipation has felt like nothing short of euphoria. Countless songs, demos, and voice memos had finally paid off.

"This album encapsulates this ungrounding I've felt but also feelings of hope and desire," says the artist, reveling in the emotional smorgasbord that is her album. 

"I ask myself who I am a lot, and there’s always no answer but it's fun to ask anyway. I like to see how the answer changes."