Under the soft golden glow of City Winery’s candles, Jonah Marais opened his “Hearts Back Home Tour” with a night that felt less like a concert and more like a family reunion. The night unfolded as a journey of heartwarming melodies paired with genuine artist-fan interactions, with support from his talented girlfriend, Zia Victoria, and friend, Blake Proehl.
This tour demonstrates Marais’s exploration of genre shift from mainstream pop to an Americana/folk-pop sound. The tour is named after his most recent single, “Hearts Back Home,” which reflects on the childhood he had missed while on his journey in the tough music industry. Still, he said he remains deeply grateful to fans who made this new chapter possible and encouraged listeners to tap into the nostalgia of what they each call home. The concert embodied this message of gratitude to the loyal fans who have stuck around and continue to support his dreams as he experiments with a sound that feels authentic.
City Winery offered gorgeous scenery: deep crimson curtains juxtaposing rustic wooden seating, tied together by the yellow glow of candle centerpieces. The unique location offered a “dinner and a show” experience, as waiters tentatively served the eager audience. Victoria started off the night strong in a gorgeous, long, red dress and red lip — on theme with the vibrant stage backdrop. Immediately, the sitting fans stood up to dance along to her upbeat and energetic intro with songs like “DOMINOES.”
However, she quickly shifted gears to play acoustic, unreleased songs. As she was setting up her red guitar, she answered a fan’s question about which blush she used, demonstrating just how attentive she was to each fan. She performed a touching song about her loss in the California fires, followed by a cover of Gracie Abram’s iconic “That’s So True.” Upon finishing her set, Victoria joined fans in the merch line, allowing time for individual conversations, during which she even remembered previous encounters with returning fans.
The second treat of the night was Blake Proehl’s playful and dynamic performance. His swagger and impressive dance moves energized the crowd to dance and clap along. Similar to Victoria, Proehl demonstrated careful attention to fans when asking them to rate their food and share their opinions on the new Taylor Swift album. Proehl then shared an intimate story about moving to Nashville from North Carolina after getting broken up with to introduce two catchy songs: “Miss Carolina” and the unreleased song “Flinch.” His final word to the audience was an encouragement always to take a shot in the dark, considering he never would have imagined making it where he is if he hadn’t tried.
And finally, the headliner of the night, Marais, took the stage to a roar of excitement from the crowd; the strong drumbeat cued his entrance as he slid into view, singing “Slow Motion.” Marais joked with the audience that this was surely the biggest dinner he had ever hosted, commenting on the nature of the venue’s set-up. The mood softened as he played an angelic cover of “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls, his second-ever release, “War Paint,” and the single “HEAVEN” — a song about how he would feel upon meeting his wife, something he no longer wonders after meeting Victoria. Naturally, an affectionate murmur rippled through the audience.
Marais transitioned from singing with his guitarist and drummer to a solo keyboard performance, as he established that this fragment of the show was an opportunity to experiment with different songs. On this first night of the tour, he chose to bless his fans with special throwbacks to his prior pop boyband, Why Don’t We. Fans belted every note, recited every lyric and waved every shining flashlight to “8 Letters,” “Grey” and an acoustic rendition of “Trust Fund Baby.” Each lyric dripped with nostalgia.
Nearing the end of his set, Marais warmly invited Victoria back on stage to sing a beautiful duet. Staying on theme, Victoria appeared in another flowy red dress and immediately radiated the giddiest love-struck energy when looking into Marais’ eyes. The crowd melted into their seats as they watched the endearing couple embody a picture-perfect fairytale romance of every Disney princess duet. And finally, Marais ended his set with a strong message encouraging people to pursue ways to constantly make our world a “Better Place.”
The night was not over; Marais hosted the most unique fan experience I have ever witnessed, in which VIP audience members, including myself, were welcomed to have an intimate listening party for Marais’ unreleased tracks. They were guided into a seating area with dim ambient lighting. Marais greeted his special guests and presented his inspiration for this idea: as an independent and starting artist, fan feedback is absolutely paramount for his progress.
He played seven demos off his phone and asked fans to fill out a Google form with opinions and rankings. Amid giggles and passionate song requests from the group, the intimacy in the room was palpable; I felt incredibly fortunate to witness such a rare moment — an artist openly inviting fans into the creative process and shaping future releases in real time. Marais truly embodied the meaning of fan-to-artist connection, serving as a true testament to the authenticity of his career.
As Marias continues his fall American tour, our Nashville community sits tight while we anticipate his return in November. This dynamic triad filled City Winery with light and love, and I recommend each to be your next favorite artist.
