Crowds of passionate fans and families gather together at the largest music festival of the Christmas season featuring the biggest acts of the music world.
As the holidays inch closer and closer, 102.7 KIIS FM kicks it off with their 2021 Jingle Ball at The Forum on Dec. 3. Featuring performances from world-famous artists such as BTS, Doja Cat and Ed Sheeran, these global superstars successfully included the holiday spirit and festivities into their performances.
While the festival possessed a star-studded lineup, much was left to be desired from the performances.
For starters, the unequal amount of slot time for each artist was a disappointment for many fans. The festival opened with South Korean pop (K-pop) group, BTS. They performed two songs out of a four-hour show, while other artists like Ed Sheeran and Doja Cat performed way more than two songs on the setlist. Many of their fans purchased tickets solely to see them, making the show feel deceptive to those that paid hundreds of dollars for a brief appearance.
Speaking of drama, TikTok stars Dixie D’Amelio and Charli D’Amelio received much hate and criticism online due to their performances. In context, Charli D’Amelio is currently the most followed person on Tiktok with her sister Dixie D’Amelio making strides in the music scene by releasing a few singles, which were widely criticized. Many attendees of the Jingle Ball claimed that their performance was “painful” to watch. From fan-taken videos of their stage posted online, barely anyone in the crowd sang along with Dixie. People used her show as a bathroom break, and the crowd was not energized. Nonetheless, the Jingle Ball was still a festive event regardless of Dixie’s performance.
Besides, the other performers at the festival made outstanding impressions on the crowd. The headlining acts of the day, including Doja Cat and Lil Nas X, performed never-before-seen stages of some of their most famous songs. The show’s smaller acts, such as The Kid Laroi and Saweetie kept the Jingle Ball’s vivacity with the deafening crowd chanting lyrics and dancing along.
Overall, the majority of the performances at the Jingle Ball fit the theme of cheerful holiday spirit. The performers at the show successfully incorporated Christmas cheer into their performances and set designs.
The general public is now looking forward to the next Jingle Ball festival on Dec. 10th at Madison Square Garden in New York. There will be more shows in cities such as Miami, Florida and Washington D.C in the next few weeks to come.
