What could someone like me possibly want for Christmas every year, besides underwear and socks? CONCERT TICKETS. Last Friday, I got to attend 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball Presented by Capital One at The Forum in Los Angeles. Jingle Ball has turned into my favorite holiday tradition. I’ve been attending Jingle Ball for the last 3 years, and it’s literally all I’ve wanted for Christmas. This year’s star-studded event featured performances from Cardi B, Dua Lipa, Khalid featuring special guest Normani, G-Eazy, Shawn Mendes, Bebe Rexha, Monsta X, Bazzi, Alessia Cara, and Camila Cabello.
Every year, iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball tour visits the largest radio markets, and features artists who have had some of the biggest radio hits all year long. The shows are all over social media, the radio, and hey – it’s JINGLE BALL. You never know who will show up or who you’ll bump into!
The Village
My night started off at the pre-show Jingle Ball Village Presented by Fujifilm Instax. The Jingle Ball Village is always free and open to the public, and features performances, meet and greets, plenty of sponsor activations, and opportunities for fans to win tickets to the main show at The Forum. Madison Beer, Heffron Drive and Monsta X performed at the Village stage this year.
My first stop was the Fujifilm Instax activation, where I got to check out the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6, have pictures taken on Instax film, and receive some cool Instax swag!
PERFECTING THE LOOK
Before we go any further… we need to talk about what I was wearing! Choosing a concert outfit can be either the easiest thing ever or the hardest thing ever for me. For Jingle Ball this year, I wanted to wear something that would make me look like I’m a Y list celebrity – one step up from where I’m at now! It was also important to find something warm since it can get chilly at night, but not too hot when I’m dancing.
And THIS is what I came up with!
Dress – Sequin Mock Neck Bodycon Dress from Charlotte Russe
Vest – Shaggy Faux Fur Longline Vest from Charlotte Russe
This fun winter outfit wouldn’t be complete without some hoop earrings! This was actually the first time I ever wore hoops.
MONSTA X
Monsta X were the first performers on the Village stage, and they definitely stole the show! Being the first K-Pop group to EVER perform at Jingle Ball, these guys definitely set the bar high. I’m very happy for them and their fans.
MEETING HEFFRON DRIVE
One of my goals of the day was to meet Heffron Drive. I met Dustin back in June, and I had yet to meet Kendall. I was a huge fan of Big Time Rush back in the day, so it was very important for me to meet the other half! In order to get a photo experience certificate (aka a ticket for the meet and greet) you have to really get the attention of the djs on the stage when they announce that they’ll be throwing out certificates. Many people will make posters, so I decided to make a poster that said “help me meet Heffron Drive and I’ll be your designated driver”. Designated drivers are important, because what are you gonna do… drive drunk? My friend Michelle and I lined up at the photo experience stage. It took a while for Kendall and Dustin to come out, but when it was our turn… you can imagine just how excited we were!
Our “Photo Experience Certificate” for the Heffron Drive meet and greet.
Our meet and greet photo with Heffron Drive. Pictures are always taken on Instax film, which makes for a great keepsake!
THE MAIN EVENT
My seats were in the first row above the floor seats. I had a clear view of the stage and the sound booth/production area was to my bottom left. When I turned around, there were three rows of photographers stationed with huge lenses. It was very cool to be surrounded by all of this and see a ton of hard working people come together to put on the event. I can only hope to join them someday.
Bebe Rexha was the first act, and I thought her dress was really pretty!
Shawn Mendes always puts on great performances. His music can truly appeal to a wide range of age groups, and hearing hits such as “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back”, “In My Blood”, “Stitches”, “Treat You Better”, and his latest single “Lost In Japan” was a very fun experience! Shawn was also joined by fellow powerhouse vocalist Khalid to perform “Youth”.
A very high point in the show for me was getting to see G-Eazy. I had been wanting to see him for a while, and he was one of the main reasons why I wanted to go to Jingle Ball in the first place. It was a goal of mine to be able to see him before the year ended, and I wasn’t disappointed! I mean it.
But without a doubt, the main star of the night was Cardi B. The moment she hit the stage, the energy level in the building went from 100 to 1,000,000+. Cardi has experienced unprecedented success this year, and her songs are quite hard to escape. Come on, even though we’ve all heard “I Like It” on the radio WAY too often, it’s almost impossible to not go crazy when the song comes on at a party.
I really appreciated hearing Bickenhead live, because I wasn’t expecting it to be on the setlist. What really set the bar was the fact that Cardi brought her husband Offset on stage. No one saw that coming!
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The giant crowd sing along to “All I Want For Christmas Is You” when the show concludes every year is a very strong ending to the night, and makes me feel like wow, all my Christmas wishes DID come true. It was especially meaningful to me this year because… well…
This story is to be continued.
Thank you so much to 102.7 KIIS FM, Capital One, and iHeartRadio for a night beyond my dreams.
This is only the beginning. Stay tuned.
