The Monarch Tavern sits on a typically quiet corner near College and Clinton but late last month it was descended on by a growing line of fans in prairie dresses and corset tops. This meant only one thing: Liana Flores was in town.

The UK-based, Brazilian folk singer has emerged as one of 2024's newest talents after the release of her debut album Flower of the soul. The singer's first release is on the Verve Records label, known for its affiliation with the legendary, Lou Reed led band The Velvet Underground. 

"Every song felt like it was a flower coming out from my soul," the singer says, discussing her reasoning for the album's whimsical name. 

Flores' beginnings come from a small English town outside of Norridge, far outside the reaches of London’s grasp. With a childhood filled with Brazilian music and lots of Stevie Wonder, Flores felt herself drawn to jazz stylings, writing, and singing. The culmination of this eventually led the young creative to establish a YouTube channel. 

"I've been putting my work online since around 2018," the young talent said, speaking about her first interactions with fan support for her craft. The channel blossomed, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers, and the release of her second EP the following year titled recently furthered her online status. 

"Someone from the label's A&R reached out to me out of nowhere," says Flores, discussing the beginning of her relationship with Verve Records. With the new label backing, the anticipation for Flores' debut amplified and fans, myself included, were not left disappointed with its release. 

"The break between works was five years, but the entire process of writing, recording, and editing took about three years," says the singer, speaking on the lengthy process of producing her first major, full-length project. "It took a longtime, but it was definitely worth it."

With coverage from major publications like Interview and NME, word of the album and Flores' notable musicianship spread throughout the Internet. With the newfound buzz surrounding her debut and a label support, Flores was set for a world tour to bring it to the people.

"The album is a lot of solo acoustic work, so I love playing the songs with the whole live band," says Flores. 

While Flores has noted differences between North American and UK crowds, she anticipated Toronto would bring the enthusiasm she has come to love.

"The fans here are more vocal," she says about her experience so far on tour. "In the UK, people are enjoying it, but they don’t always show it as much." 

For Flores and the rest of her band, playing cities like Toronto offer an engaging experience for both the audience and the singer. 

"Toronto is really cute from what I've seen. Definitely need to go exploring when I'm back here," remarks the songstress. 

While on the road, Flores and the rest of her crew are sequestered to the confines of a small van, transporting them across North America. 

"I've been listening to a lot of Chaka Khan and Donna Summers in the van," remarks Flores, noting that she prefers listening to old dance classics rather than anything within the sonic range of her own work. "I love that Chaka [Khan] album I Feel for You and the song 'Through the Fire' is amazing. I've listened to that song like a hundred times."

To prepare herself for a packed crowd in Toronto who know every word to all of her songs, Flores says at one time this may have scared her, but not anymore. 

"The first small tour I went on, my voice was so shaky and I didn't sound good at all. Now, I actually have fun and don't get too hard on myself if I make a mistake."