KIIS-FM 102.7 and iHeartRadio’s annual Jingle Ball extravaganza is always a bit of chaos mixed with holiday cheer.
The fast-moving, yet hourslong, concert features a variety of artists that are in current rotation on the airwaves. They’re paraded out in rapid-fire fashion onto a rotating stage, playing anywhere from 3-minute to 25-minute sets with a lot of pace-slowing banter (and strategic ad placement) in between delivered by celebrities and on-air personalities.
This has been the format all along. But stomaching a few of these awkward pauses is usually worth the discovery of up-and-coming acts and getting to hear the biggest songs on the planet from pop, R&B and hip-hop superstars.
ALSO SEE: KIIS-FM 102.7’s annual Jingle Ball kicks off with free and festive fun in Inglewood
Though Murrieta native and fast-rising talent Olivia Rodrigo was the star atop Jingle Ball’s Christmas tree at Kia Forum in Inglewood on Friday night, I need to start with Teddy Swims. The 31-year-old Atlanta, Georgia native — who seamlessly blends R&B and soul music with a tinge of pop and a country twang — was an absolute show stealer and he hit the main stage first.
Fans who showed up early to the free Jingle Ball Village in the parking lot got a taste of what Swims had to offer, but kicking off the official show inside, he was a beast. With a vocal and vibe reminiscent of Chris Stapleton and Nathaniel Rateliff, Swims and his powerhouse band were mighty impressive as fans trickled into the arena and he belted out “Goodbye’s Been Good to You.” He wrapped up his far too short set with “Lose Control,” the radio single that caught more ears in the crowd and had people singing along.
Though Rodrigo, One Direction’s Niall Horan and actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter were the more recognizable names on this year’s lineup, the biggest moments came from some of the very early acts. All-female K-pop group (G)I-dle was so much fun with a mix of pop and hip-hop,…
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