If you were a college student in Los Angeles, you likely spent date night at the sold-out show of the brother-sister duo Wasia Project, which took place across two nights at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood (Oct. 16-17, 2024).
The Thursday night air was just chilly enough for an occasional pre-autumn breeze as the show started with Nick Leng transporting everyone out of the bustling building to a quiet pub across the pond with each piano key in “Lonely Shade of Blue.”
Love, sorrow, teenage angst, and homeschooled wonderment for tomorrow filled the atmosphere as Sabrina Sterling followed. With a guitar in hand and adolescent cheeks filled with nervousness, she told a funny story about her Uber driver, sharing that he wanted to be like Led Zeppelin. Although she didn’t know who that was, she pretended to as she shifted into her nude block heels and thanked the audience for supporting her set. Sabrina opened with “Love Me That Way. Her voice had the spellbinding vocals of Stevie Nicks, coated in the soft and sincere sparkles found in the girl next door. With only ten songs released, her lyrical and vocal progression through the night shocked the crowd. This is her first tour ever, and I was amazed.
It was finally time for Wasia Project to headline the evening. The British-Asian sibling duo, Olivia Hardy and Will Gao Hardy, wrapped night two of their sold-out run at the Fonda in a beautiful bow of multidisciplinary artistry. Wasia Project are classical and melodic in their approach to music. They are every bit of new-age alternative rock with notes of grunge, pop, and performance art.
As “Is This What Love Is?” came into play, Olivia glided across the stage like water swaying to the beat. The accompaniment of a three-piece band and Will on the keys added a special richness to their already layered lyricism.
I cannot recall seeing many artists get a standing ovation five songs in, but Wasia Project was able to accomplish such a feat even with a limited catalog. But their show wasn’t just woozy and mellow. The crowd jumped and screamed when “Somebody Come Through” and “Petals On The Moon” came on. Everyone swooned when it was Will’s somber and warm vocals, time to shine. The room erupted with a fiery applause as Wasia Project took their final bow.
Similar to the effects of fellow contemporaries November Ultra and Laufey (who Wasia Project supported on her North American tour), the fans in attendance were lovely and spatially aware as they held each other’s hands. Couples shared sweet and quick kisses and hugs while listening to their favorite songs.
Wasia Project will continue their sold-out tour in Europe and the UK through November to celebrate the release of their new EP Isotope. If you didn’t catch them in Los Angeles, either at their debut at the Troubadour last May or their two nights at the Fonda, you’ll probably have to wait a bit. And when that next time does come around, it probably won’t be in an intimate venue because, after this sold-out tour, Wasia Project has solidified their staying power as a group with immense talent and a trajectory that aims for the moon.
Photos & Words by Asha Moné
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