The annual Jingle Ball concert introduces and hosts several talented artists to play a setlist of about 30 minutes each, most songs being fan favorites and top hits. This year’s Philly Jingle Ball concert saw the artists: Dasha, Jason Derulo, Shaboozey, Gracie Abrams, Meghan Trainor, Teddy Swims, Tate McRae, and Katy Perry. Each set had its own unique vibe, every single one being incredible and a memorable experience.
My favorite performance of the night had to be, without question or any doubt, Gracie Abrams. Her setlist consisted of five songs: “Risk,” “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “Let It Happen,” “That’s So True,” and “Close to You.” The moment she stepped onto the stage, the crowd was deafening, everyone screaming and cheering, and the energy high. Her live singing is incredible, I would even argue it is better than the studio versions, but very similar to them if anything. However, when she began singing “That’s So True,” a recently released song off her The Secret of Us deluxe album, it was the loudest the crowd got that night, the entire arena echoing every lyric back to her. The crowd was insanely loud during the bridge, so I almost couldn’t hear her over everyone. The same energy continued with the crowd jumping and screaming every single word. As a performer, she gave off a charming and appreciative demeanor, recognizing the night’s other performers, as well as expressing her appreciation for all her fans. She also had a prevailing stage presence and confidence that couldn’t prevent you from feeling the high energy in the crowd that I felt had become much more prominent than the last time I saw her opening on the Eras Tour. Although, I wished she had more time on her set to also play “21” or “Free Now”.

Another performance I really enjoyed was Tate McRae and Katy Perry’s. McRae’s performance began with a reenactment of the iconic Mean Girls “Jingle Bell Rock” dance. I loved this performance, McRae not only had an amazing voice but also had talented choreography. My favorite songs from this set had to be “Exes,” “It’s ok I’m ok,” and “Greedy.” The dance breaks during these performances were probably one of my favorite parts with it being a good time to see how talented the dancers were. During Katy Perry’s performance, she played all the 2010s classics, my favorites being “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework.” As the last performance of the night, these throwbacks were a perfect way to get the crowd reenergized, all of which were songs everyone knew the words to, people dancing and screaming along. Overall the night was really fun with every single performance varying in style, each being unique and memorable in its own way with the crowd singing along at all times. I can’t wait to see what next year’s Jingle Ball will bring!