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102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball
Lights Up the Holiday Season
December 16, 2024 Review by Kai Dek
KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball lit up the Intuit Dome with an exceptional night of holiday spirit and live performances, kicking off the season in style.
Some of radio’s biggest stars, including SZA, Tate McRae, and T-Pain, contributed to an incredible night of music for radio fans. The unique lineup allowed fans to see many of their favorite artists at once in a concise, four-hour show.
From start to finish, holiday themes were present throughout the whole night. Concertgoers were adorned in festive attire, and the Intuit Dome was full of matching decorations. Stage lighting and practical effects assisted the winter atmosphere as fans of all ages gathered to celebrate the season through music.
As the audience flocked in, hip-hop country artist Shaboozey began the night with an energetic opening performance. Starting with the fan-favorite “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” his setlist included “Good News,” “Let It Burn,” and “Highway,” which had fans enjoying every moment.
Photo by Emma McIntyre / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Shaboozey’s slick vocals and engaging stage presence made him the perfect artist to kick off the evening.
American pop celebrity Paris Hilton stunned the crowd as she took the stage in a sparkling silver, disco ball-like dress. Matching her attire was her six-person dance troupe and the grand reflective stage set piece. She closed off her set with her iconic 2000s hit, “Stars Are Blind,” leaving to the sound of applause and a wave of shimmery, falling confetti.
Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for iHeart Radio
Country music singer-songwriter Kane Brown brought back the energy from earlier in the night as he sang his largest country hits to an excited crowd.
His EDM and country crossovers with producer Marshmello, “One Thing Right” and “Miles on It,” had the audience dancing and singing along to the upbeat performance.
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Next up, Madison Beer delivered a thrilling, holiday-themed performance, surrounded by Christmas decorations and cheering fans.
By this point, the dome was nearly full, with fans running to their seats to watch Beer.
Photo by Skylar Barberio for iHeartRadio
Her set was the first truly festive of the night, performing holiday-themed songs like a cover of Charles Brown’s “Please Come Home for Christmas.” Beer thanked the radio station for their longtime support and highlighted the importance to her of performing, emotionally stating, “Six years ago, I played the pre-show, so to be on the main stage is a huge honor.” She concluded her five-song set with her recent viral hit, “Make You Mine.”
Switching up the night’s atmosphere, K-pop boy band NCT Dream began their high-energy show.
Photo by Anna Lee / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
The seven members, adorned in suits, put on an impressively choreographed, constantly moving performance. Super fans yelled in awe at their every move as the group delivered hard-hitting melodies and harmonies.
The most high-energy performance of the night came as T-Pain stepped on the stage. The whole arena sang along to his lively 2000s hits.
Photo by Emma McEntyre / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
His stage presence and performance set him apart from many of the night’s other performances, along with his ability to fully engage the audience.
Fans of all ages enjoyed his chart-topping anthems like “Buy You a Drank” and “Low,” and T-Pain concluded his set with his triumphant “All I Do Is Win” single.
Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for iHeart Radio
Bringing back the holiday spirits, Meghan Trainor began her pop star snow performance.
She and her fur-clothed ensemble delivered a mix of playful hits and heartfelt moments.
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer for iHeartRadio
Songs like “Made You Look” and “Dear Future Husband” had the crowd on their feet singing along, while a surprise duet with T-Pain on “Been Like This” added a fun twist to her set.
Trainor’s ability to balance nostalgia with new energy made her performance thoroughly intriguing.
Photo by Skylar Barberio for iHeartRadio
Benson Boone stepped onto the stage dressed in an outfit that many might describe as inspired by Harry Styles, yet with a festive twist that perfectly suited the occasion.
His performance was packed full of lively entertainment through his impressive vocals and dramatic stunts. Boone was constantly moving around, jumping high in the air and performing backflips. His live band assisted his energy, smiling and moving around in their colorful attire. He slowed down his set towards the end on the piano, before concluding with a grand performance of his mega hit, “Beautiful Things.”
Photo by Anna Lee / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae opened her set with a red-silhouetted dance to “Jingle Bell Rock,” before dramatically transitioning into her hit song, “exes.”
Throughout her performance, she drew onto her extensive background in dance, with it at times feeling equally like a dance show and concert. Fans sang along to her powerful vocals on favorites like “You Broke Me First” and “greedy.” McRae’s whole performance felt unique and authentic to her and her talent, becoming a fan favorite set for many.
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for iHeart Radio
Grammy-winning artist SZA headlined Jingle Ball with some of her most successful songs and albums. Most of her performance focused on songs off her “Crtl” album, with fans expressing their excitement by singing, cheering, and dancing along. With the stage set as a garden featuring a giant ant and tree, she started off with a strong, analgesic vocal performance that had hit after hit, “The Weekend,” “Kiss Me More,” and “Kill Bill.” The crowd thoroughly enjoyed her performance, and I saw tears moving down some of the audience member’s faces.
SZA climbed stairs onto a tree stage as the lighting dimmed into dark blues, perfectly aligning with the transition to songs off her “SOS” album. As her performance came to an end, the crowd’s applause and cheers reached an all-time high, happy with the performance but sad to see her go.
As the Jingle Bell came to an end, fans exited with satisfied smiles in the sea of Christmas attire, carrying the holiday spirit from the show home with them.
For those who were unable to attend, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour will air as a special event on ABC on December 18th and be available on Hulu the following day.
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SID 241222 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR
