Orion Sun’s set at Union Transfer was the perfect respite needed last week. Her presence was magnetic yet unassuming, drawing the audience in with quiet confidence and radiance. Her songs blended genres seamlessly, weaving lo-fi beats, jazz-inspired melodies, and R&B grooves into a sound that felt both timeless and fresh.
Toward the end of her set, Orion Sun did something unexpected: she walked off the stage and into the crowd. At that moment, the night shifted from a soothing concert to a communal experience. With her microphone in hand, Orion Sun weaved through the crowd, stopping periodically to hug, sway, and dance with her fans. There wasn’t a corner of the room that she didn’t interact with, walking through the crowd during “Sweet,” and again for her last song, “Sailing.” There was a sense of community in the spontaneous cheers and in the collective rhythm of the room as everyone moved together, filling the space with unity and connection.
Orion Sun | photo by Jay Leiby for WXPN
Just an hour earlier, Orion Sun bounded onto the stage, full of smiles and energy. The Philly crowd didn’t need much encouragement to match her energy, and the pit was quickly transformed into a sea of movement. There are energetic performers, and then there’s Orion Sun. Although she was constantly dancing around the stage, it was her genuine energy and connection with the audience that invigorated the crowd.
Large credit needs to be given to her supporting act, Cruza, as well. With hazy vocals and atmospheric melodies, the Orlando-based band set the perfect tone, establishing a laid-back mood that smoothly carried into the rest of the evening.
Cruza | photo by Jay Leiby for WXPN
Orion Sun released her second Mom + Pop Records album Orion back in September; it was her first full-length record in four years. The self-titled project marked a period of growth for the artist as she navigated a move to the West Coast. More than that, the album is a beautiful journey, chronicling love, longing, heartbreak, and the eventual healing of pain. True to her style, it showcases her smooth R&B vocals, with electronic elements adding texture and grooves to the tracks.
Her set started with the album’s opener, “When I Was In Love,” a quiet and intimate track. She worked her way through most of the album, taking detours down memory lane along the way. “I released this song back in 2017,” shared Orion Sun about “Orion,” “It’s a letter to myself that only really makes sense right now, further proof that time isn’t a real thing, but also further proof that if you do something that you love, do it for the archive first, don’t do it for social media or the numbers, just follow your heart and think about what you’re leaving behind for humanity.”
Deeply personal and intimate, her show managed to transport listeners into a bubble where worries and anxieties disappeared, and everyone was brought together by their shared love for music, even if just for an hour.
Orion Sun’s tour continues through the US in November, and she heads to Europe in the new year. More information about her dates here, and check out more photos from Union Transfer below!