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It took about one minute for R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monét to sell out her first-ever headlining concert. In 2016, she served as one of the opening acts for tours by Fifth Harmony and Ariana Grande — the latter of whom she has written a number of hits for, including Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” — and performed her first solo festival gig at Day N Vegas just two years ago. But for about one hour at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre on Friday night (March 31) , Monét took her “motherf—in’ moment” and never let go.
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From the “Moment” the curtains pulled back on the 33-year-old performer, who appeared in a shimmering bronze and green bikini and mesh pants, she instantly blew her fans away. Monét’s windswept, wavy blond hair framed the face of a tried-and-true performer who was somehow just getting her start. The singer’s monumental show kicked off Spotify’s “R&B First Nights” campaign, which aims to amplify the genre’s rising stars by supporting their first live show across select U.S. markets. The campaign, which is financially backed by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, will also support U.K. R&B trio FLO‘s Atlanta show next month as part of their first North American tour. Funny enough, when Billboard asked FLO in a recent interview who they were dying to collaborate with, the girl group named Monét.
And it comes as no surprise, considering Monét bodies being a triple threat. She continuously accentuated her assets during her “Ass Like That” performance, singing about her personal fitness journey and a guy who’s absolutely enamored by her results. The subject matter hits close to home, as her partner and the father of her 2-year-old daughter Hazel, John Gaines, is a personal trainer, who fans were introduced to in the whimsical, breath-taking “Moment” music video from early 2020. Both proudly watched Monét in awe among the evening’s star-studded audience, which included Lauren Jauregui, Ambré, Muni Long, Joyce Wrice, Kelela, Ty Dolla $ign, Ravyn Lenae and more.
She not only earned respect from her industry peers and family, but also her fans, who got audibly excited at the sight of her viral dance routine to Trillville featuring Cutty Cartel’s 2004 hit “Some Cut.” The famed squeaky bed frame sounds provided a seamless transition into her 2020 Jaguar cut “Dive,” but Monét wanted to slow things down even more for “Touch Me.”
Scattering spotlights showered the now-perched singer, who basked in it — a rather rare moment for someone who has spent years behind a pen, tucked away in a studio and nowhere near a stage that would give her her own shine apart from any superstar she’s ever worked with in her storied career.
Monét made sure the crowd never forgot who she is, seducing one of her female backup dancers to flaunt her bisexual identity during “F.—” as glowing pink lights filled the 771-capacity venue with lust. She treated her day one fans with touches of nostalgia, playing songs off her 2018 albums, Life After Love, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. And for one very special fan named Aubrey, Monét brought her up on stage to personally thank her for supporting her all of these years and gifted her a signed vinyl. She later brought up her longtime photographer Alfredo Flores to capture the moment, with the entire audience unpromptedly throwing up a peace sign for the camera, potentially in reference to her upcoming Jaguar II era.
“Take your phones out and light this bi— up, cause you can’t smoke in here!” Monét yelled before diving into her latest, Lucky Daye-assisted single “Smoke.” Once it cleared, she payed homage to her first Jaguar project by giving the audience a truly groovy “Experience” with technicolor lighting that mimicked a disco ball in efforts to transport them straight to the ’70s. But she (literally) snapped everyone back into reality with the same celestial keys that played at the start of the show, but this time, for “Jaguar.” If another Austin Powers movie were to be made today, Monét made her case for why she would be his foxy sidekick (the way Beyoncé once played) with her razor sharp, yet incredibly fluid movements and overall awe-inspiring, superstar presence.
Triumphant trumpets blared for her grand finale and later replayed once Monét returned to the stage, with an adorably stunned baby Hazel in her arms, to bask in this moment just once more. “I just wanted to say thank you to my team. Thank you guys all for coming. This is a team effort. I have the name Victoria Monét, but that name is plural. It’s my team that got me here,” she said above bouts of roaring applause, with her team standing all around her, including her manager Rachelle Jean-Louis and producer D’Mile. “And thank you Spotify for believing in me to have this moment and to kick off your ‘[R&B] First Nights.’
“I wanted to make this night extra special for you guys, too. I know you guys have been waiting for Jaguar II for a really long time,” she teased. “And because you guys sold this show out in one minute, I just wanted to give you a little sneak peek.” While taking a hefty sip from a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle (if you know, you know), Monét played a snippet of a new slinky, hip-hop-leaning track that featured her signature funky trumpets signaling her victory lap.
Victoria Monét’s El Rey setlist:
“Moment”
“Big Boss (Interlude)”
“Ass Like That”
“Dive”
“Touch Me”
“F.U.C.K.”
“We Might Even Be Falling in Love (Interlude)”
“Do You Like It”
“New Love”
“Freak”
“Monopoly”
“Smoke”
“Coastin’”
“Experience”
“Jaguar”
With one of the most eclectic albums in reggaeton-pop, filled with ‘1980s and ‘1990s freestyle, house, and Miami bass, Rauw Alejandro delivered an electrifying performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Friday (March 24).
The concert, part of his Saturno World Tour, began with hype from the get-go. Earlier in the day, the Puerto Rican hitmaker dropped his joint EP, RR, with new fiance Rosalía. Friday’s show marked the first time fans would see another shade of the performer rock out jams from his experimental reggaeton-pop 2022 album, Saturno.
At 9:00 p.m. ET, a woman’s voice on the speakers queued the audience to prepare for take-off, and the arena began bumping ’90s golden era of dance music like “Pump Up the Jam” by Technotronic and “Rhythm Is a Passion” by SNAP! They also embraced old school reggaeton from legends like Wisin y Yandel’s “Rakatá” and Daddy Yankee’s “Machete,” including “P FNK R” by Bad Bunny — giving concert-goers a taste of the vibe of what was to come.
Alejandro’s space odyssey opened up with none other than “Saturno,” the freestyle-driven party jam that instantly invigorated the scene with acrobatic dancers flipping across the stage. Then, from the center view, all lights focused on our dance-reggaeton voyager Alejandro, as he elevated slowly to meet his thousands of screaming fans surrounding the stage.
Rocking a silver metallic trench coat and pants combo, with alien-like sunglasses that held over his head, the song transitioned to the hard-hitting “Punto 40,” where the superstar showcased moves for days, joining his dance crew with fancy footwork, bumpin’ and grinding and plenty of throwback styles. A bevy of attendees also set the intergalactic vibe, donning Matrix-like costumes, alien-antenna headbands, and some in full-blown extraterrestrial costumes. This was his eleventh gig which kicked off earlier this month in Tampa, Fla.
Amid neon pink lights decorating the stage à la Black Mirror’s San Junipero, he proceeded to belt out the sweltering, R&B-laden “Nostálgico,” which usually features Rvssian and Chris Brown. He also performed his latest cut which originally features Dominican upstart Ángel Dior. The space cadent then introduced urbano singer/rapper Chris Palace to the stage to sing the upbeat “Gatas.” The rising star sported a colorful set of hair designed like flames, and the crowd welcomed him with a roar of excitement.
“It’s my time in New York City,” he exclaimed. Meanwhile, a gigantic screen hovered over the stage showing an array of retro-styled images like planets, palm trees, and binary numbers.
Hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez, who never missed a beat, provided plenty of thrills and chills with their b-boy style moves that went perfectly with the throwback theme of the night.
Although the performer just announced his engagement with the Spanish superstar, the former reggaeton lothario still flirted with the audience, as hordes of screaming females threw their thongs and bras towards him. He picked them up and swung them around to further arouse them. Never forget “Panties y Brasieres.”
Alejandro spanned through numerous smash hits, including bangers “Te Felicito,” “Desesperados,” “Desenfocao’.” His global breakout “Todo de Ti” was remixed to a slower, more electronic-focused beat. But on “Dime Quien????” El Fókin Zorro continued to bring his insatiable vigor and howling vocals to the spotlight. The high-energy banger got every single person in attendance on their feet instantly, with a rhythm accentuated by analog synth-pop and thumping bass that harkened back to 1984’s Footloose. “Party” by Bad Bunny featuring Rauw also built for a triumphant moment, and the romantic and simmering “Museo” revealed one of the most beautiful choreography with statuesque poses — there was even a scene where the Puerto Rican and his backup dancers pulled off a seemingly impossible lean à la Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.”
The night came to an end by Alejandro teasing the arrival of another guest star, and while screaming fans shouted “Rosalía!” none other than Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa arrived. The screams got louder to deafening as the two proceeded to sing the high-energy cut “Bésalo,” which was followed by El Alfa’s own mega hit “Los Aparatos.”
“I don’t know if everyone knows but today I released an EP along with the love of my life,” he said and began to croon the words to “Beso,” taking turns with Rosalía’s which resonated from the speakers. Elated cheers filled the arena throughout the evening at Barclays.
With a wide-ranging mosaic of sounds that span across generations and sonic configurations, Rauw Alejandro is truly a musical omnivore who is unafraid to try something different, and that makes him one of the most exhilarating artists of modern Latin pop.
BLACKPINK will have some serious back-up when they take the stage at the BST Hyde Park concert series in London this summer. The official poster for the K-pop group’s headlining slot on July 2 in London revealed that they’ll share the stage with “Nonsense” singer Sabrina Carpenter, as well as South Korean indie rockers The Rose and up-and-coming English pop singers Caity Baser and Mae Stephens.
The poster for the event revealed on Thursday (March 23) promised “many more” support act to be announced.
The massive summer series has already announced a a special edition of P!nk’s Summer Carnival outing with Gwen Stefani (and more guests to be announced soon) on June 24 and 25, a June 30 show with Guns N’ Roses (and special guests to be announced), beloved British boy band Take That with The Script and Sugarbabes on July 1, Billy Joel and Daryl Hall on July 7 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on July 6 and 8.
BLACKPINK’s members have been making plenty of news outside the group lately, with Jisoo teasing her upcoming solo album, ME, with a second teaser in which the singer poses in a black crop top and billowing skirt and gazes intently at the camera until the title of the album and its release date pop up in red text. Earlier this week, Rosé shared some footage of her and bandmate Jennie enjoying Harry Styles’ Love n Tour stop at Seoul’s KSPO Dome and singing along to Harry’s “As It Was” before grabbing some snaps with Styles backstage after the show.
Check out the poster for BLACKPINK’s BST Hyde Park show below.
By the time SZA reached the last stop on her sensational arena tour — performing two final shows at Los Angeles’ The Forum on March 22 and 23 — most fans in attendance knew what to expect.
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Opener Omar Apollo has been consistently filling venues across the country — proving he’s the kind of act worth showing up on time for by delivering a headline-worthy show himself. Meanwhile, SZA first revealed to Billboard in her Women In Music cover story that she wanted her concert to feel like a Broadway show, saying “I am deeply excited to pop ass and cry and give theater.”
She (almost) did all three.
On Wednesday (March 22), SZA delivered one of the most compelling and detailed live shows in recent memory — and with the energy and conviction of opening night. Plus, she did so with a star-studded crowd watching, which included everyone from Justin and Hailey Bieber to Adele and Kim Kardashian (who earlier in the day revealed a new “SZA for SKIMS” campaign) and many more.
It’s hard to pinpoint what aspect of SZA’s show is most impressive, and that’s likely what makes it so strong. Throughout the near 90-minute set, the chart-topper served a series of looks with the speed of a quick-change artist (the set seemed to shift just as rapidly), performed intricate and interpretative choreography, sailed over the crowd in a lifeboat and all the while perfectly blended her two albums — CTRL and SOS — into one cohesive setlist that guided her introspective story from one act to the next.
From the moment the show began — with SZA recreating the SOS album art — it was clear that water was just as much a main character as she. As such, it became a metaphor throughout, mirroring the rocky waves that too often accompany love or one’s career (particularly in the music industry) but ultimately proving an artist like SZA can survive any storm.
After performing “Broken Clocks” from a makeshift loading dock, SZA boards a weathered boat that reads CTRL FISHING CO for “All the Stars,” her collaboration with former TDE labelmate Kendrick Lamar. It’s smooth sailing on songs like “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” but then, during the assertive “Low,” lightning breaks out as the boat begins to rock, during which SZA falls into an epic split with impressive ease.
The now iconic rescue boat — as seen on social media — is then unveiled as a lighthouse emerges from the center of the arena’s floor, becoming a beacon as SZA sails above the crowd singing “Supermodel” and “Nobody Gets Me.” She introduces the latter as a song about starting her life over, during which Kim K sings along while recording a selfie video with sister Kylie.
A new act is revealed when SZA returns to the stage, and this one takes place underwater, with a giant anchor taking the spotlight. She performs the Grammy-awarded Doja Cat hit “Kiss Me More,” on which she features, and soon after an alarm blares as a strobe flashes — leaving viewers uncertain if she’s being rescued or sinking deeper into trouble.
The next song makes it a bit more clear. The stage is reset yet again as SZA emerges with a deadly flail for “Kill Bill,” which leads into “I Hate U” and “The Weekend” (all of which Hailey Bieber passionately sings along to without missing a word).
SZA pulls off a final quick change for her one-song encore, the melodic “Good Days,” which she performs much like how she started the show, with her feet dangling over a ledge. And just like that, a screen descends that reads “The End” written in stars, followed by rolling credits that begin with, in all caps: CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SOLANA ROWE.
And as fans float to the exits, much like a director would following a screening, Solana herself appears one last time to deliver a humbled message of gratitude. “Genuinely, thank you,” she says so casually it almost goes unnoticed. “I never thought I would be here.”
From the outside looking in, though, the path here has been nothing short of a perfect storm, one that SZA survived by being in the eye of. And as her victorious headlining tour proved, no matter how much time passes, she will forever remain the center of it all.
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On Saturday night (March 18), the New York City stop of Key Glock’s Glockoma 32-city tour celebrated the February release of his highly anticipated Glockcoma 2 album, but it wasn’t without flaws. Pain-staking patience was required to enjoy the show at the the Knockdown Center in Queens as the crew battled massive wait times switching between show openers Tia Corine, Jay Fizzle, Kenny Muney, and the headliner.
However, it wasn’t enough to ruin the overall experience. Each artist dazzled fans with high-energy performances, showcasing why they were handpicked to join the late, great Young Dolph’s independent label Paper Route Empire.
First up to hit the stage was Jay Fizzle, a cousin to the late Dolph, who appeared 40 minutes earlier than expected from the promoted 8:00 pm showtime. Those interested in watching the performance saw the ski-mask-wearing rapper perform “Standin On Top Of Sh*t” and “Hood Rich.”
By this point, plumes of weed smoke filled the air as the crowd waited 30 minutes for Kenny Muney to arrive. Dressed in a purple puffer, the rapper kicked off his set with “Ashtray” before flinging a wad of cash into the air during “Big Muney Sh*t.” He took off his coat to jump in the crowd for a more intimate performance of “Lowkey.”
Tia Corine also performed while fashionably dressed in a gothic outfit with a blonde mullet. Her set started with the hit single “FreakyT,” a fan favorite. Her voice energetically bellowed through the speakers with “FYK” until her DJ ruined her set on “Dipset.” By this time, she was noticeably annoyed but powered through during “Boogie,” “Pancake,” and “Lotto.” The set wrapped with an encore of her opener.
Key Glock’s set was a painful 40-minute wait that involved a complicated stage breakdown as a hypeman repeatedly promised he was “on his way” to the show. Just as the complaints of leg pain echoed across the crowd, the houselights dimmed, and stage lights suddenly turned on, when a focused Glizzock emerged. It was showtime.
His performance formula is simple: don’t talk too much and just let the music do all the work. To say it was a clever strategy is an understatement.
Glockoma 2’s “Chromosomes” opened the show, the first of 20 songs carefully selected from his vast catalog while cleverly themed video graphics flashed in the background. The crowd remained invested as he performed “Work,” “Bottom of the Pot,” and “On My Soul,” but pure fandom erupted when “Jigsaw” dropped. The crowd pushed closer to the stage as a giant white head darted laser beams out of its eyes with smoke. At this point, the audience joined in tandem with Key Glock as both rapped in the chorus for the remainder of his show, including on standouts “I’m Just Sayin,” “Like Key,” “Juicemane,” and “Dough.”
To hear these songs and not see Young Dolph beside him to recite his parts left a void that was felt all night. This cued Glock to take a well-timed break to pay homage to his mentor with “Get Paid,” “Preach” and “Water on Water on Water.” It was the closest anyone could get to experiencing the fallen rapper live on stage again. The crowd celebrated to pay their respects.
Finally, the show was nearing its end as “Mr. Glock” and “White Russian” whiplashed the audience back to high-energy mode, before wrapping with a closer from “Frozone” by the late Big Scarr. The crowd was pleased, proving that Paper Route Empire remains dedicated to upholding Young Dolph’s legacy by delivering high-quality performances. And they did just that.
It’s nearly 9:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas and Kx5 — the electronic dance music supergroup of Kaskade and deadmau5 — quietly take the stage. They hardly go unnoticed, though, as the fans packed on the lawn at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park begin to scream for the legends.
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“Austin!” Kaskade yells into his mic, showing the city some love before returning his full attention back to his deck, as he and deadmau5 perform with precision a steady stream of syrupy and hypnotic hits beginning with set opener “Bright Lights.”
With lyrics like, “There’s a place… we can go… for a feeling…” the pair set the tone for the third and final night (Saturday, March 18) of Billboard’s South By Southwest concert series. And together, the two deliver a much-needed communal dance party to cap off what was, for most, a nonstop week.
The headlining set could not come at a better time for Kaskade and deadmau5, either, as just 24 hours earlier Kx5 released its self-titled debut album — over a decade after the two first partnered up. Rightfully so, the night is a celebratory culmination of all of the above.
Throughout the set — which clocks in at just over an hour long and utilizes over 50 lights and frequent fog blasts — Kaskade and deadmau5 deliver sky-high drops tailor made for roller coaster enthusiasts — especially on new track “Eat Sleep,” which blends into a snippet of an industrial, deconstructed remix of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”
Later, during the atmospheric album cut “When I Talk” deadmau5 lights up — creating his own personal mini fog machine — while “Sacrifice,” which features Sofi Tukker, prompts Kaskade to yell “C’mon!” while reclining his upper body into a small standing backbend.
As the show reaches its halfway point, the soaring drops and bursts of fog seem to occur in more rapid succession as the show builds, The crowd reacts accordingly, with one devoted fan dancing along holding two circular press-down night lights that in this environment more resemble floating orbs.
To prepare for the set’s peak, the pair dive into “Escape,” a melodic daydream off Kx5 on which British singer-songwriter Hayla questions: “What if I escape?” For most in attendance, this show offered just that — even if only for a brief while.
During the song, deadmau5 shows Kaskade something on his phone, to which the two react with wide eyes and jaws dropped before honing in with laser focus for their final minutes on stage. And just then, the Kx5 logo that opened the show reappears onscreen, indicating they are indeed coming full circle.
The ride is ending.
But not before one final hit. The one, of course, that started it all: “I Remember.”
“This song is old enough to vote!” deadmau5 declares with a wide smile. He then hops down from the platform which has housed him and Kaskade for the last 60-plus minutes, bringing his beer with him, to take a well-deserved bow and applaud his partner, who stays glued to his deck until the last resounding note reaches the final row of fans.
And as the two begin to walk off the stage, the anticipated chant for an encore begins. But after a closer like that, Kx5 made sure to give a performance no one will forget.
Even so, one bawling fan could be heard telling friends: “I need to see this again.”
When Jamie Lee Curtis stopped by the Today show on Tuesday morning (March 7), she took a moment to advocate for early-bird concerts.
The topic came up when the Oscar nominee and noted early riser explained that she was planning to skip an Academy Awards dinner later this week due to it starting at 7:30 p.m. “What time would the dinner have had to have been for you to actually say yes?” anchor Savannah Guthrie asked, to which she confidently replied, “5.”
Eventually, the conversation turned to Curtis’ complaint about the late starting time for concerts and other live music events. “Why are there no matinees? I’m curious,” she said. “I would love to go see Coldplay. I would love it. The problem is, I’m not going to see Coldplay if they start their show at 9 and there’s an opening act. I want to hear Coldplay at 1 p.m.”
Of course, while most of the live-music circuit operates on a nighttime schedule, daytime concerts aren’t entirely unheard of. For example, after announcing their 25th-anniversary reunion tour across the U.K. last month, S Club 7 added a matinee show at London’s O2 arena on Oct. 28 when their back-to-back Friday and Saturday night shows at the famous venue sold out due to demand.
As for Curtis’ favorite band, Coldplay served as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live last month alongside host Pedro Pascal. During the episode, Chris Martin & co. performed “The Astronaut” and a choir-backed rendition of their 2005 song “Fix You,” though it’s safe to say Curtis was probably in bed by the time they took to the stage after midnight ET at Studio 8H.
A planned concert by Roger Waters in Frankfurt, Germany has been canceled after the city council called the former Pink Floyd singer/bassist “one of the world’s most well-known antisemites.” Waters was scheduled to perform at the city’s Festhalle on May 28, on the spot of what was a Jewish detention camp during WWII, where 3,000 Jewish men were held on Kristallnacht (“Night of the Broken Glass”) in Nov. 1938 before being sent to their deaths.
“The background to the cancellation is the persistent anti-Israel behavior of the former Pink Floyd frontman, who is considered one of the most widely spread antisemites in the world,” the council said in a statement according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “He repeatedly called for a cultural boycott of Israel and drew comparisons to the apartheid regime in South Africa and put pressure on artists to cancel events in Israel.”
The JTA reported that the city of Frankfurt made reference to the historic significance of the concert hall — which it partly owns — and said it was cancelling the show over Waters’ support of the controversial BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions). BDS is a Palestinian-led movement that calls for a boycott of Israel to force the nation’s government to change its policies toward Palestinians.
The JFA also noted that past Waters concerts have featured a flying pig balloon emblazoned with a Star of David (as well as a number of other corporate logos and symbols) and that he’s compared the actions of the Israeli government to that of South Africa under apartheid and Nazi Germany and questioned Israel’s right to exist.
At press time a spokesperson for Waters had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment; additionally, at press time the concert was still listed on Waters’ official site. Waters’ This Is Not a Drill tour is still slated to play a number of other gigs in Germany, including Hamburg (May 7), Cologne (May 9), Berlin (May 17) and Munich (May 21).
While Waters does not appear to have issued an official statement on the cancellation, he did retweet messages of support from an author and editor at the Palestine Chronicle who denied that the singer is an antisemite and an editor at the Delhi, India-based Marxist publishing house Leftword Books, who defended Waters’ stance on Israel. “Love you my brother,” Waters tweeted at Vijay Prashad, adding, “shoulder to shoulder. F–k em’!”
In Sept., Waters canceled planned shows in Krakow, Poland amid outrage over his stance on Russia’s unprovoked, yearlong war in Ukraine, which he has said was the fault of Ukraine and NATO. An official with the Tauron Arena in Krakow, where Waters was scheduled to perform two concerts in April, said they would no longer take place; the shows have been scrubbed from Water’s site. “Roger Waters’ manager decided to withdraw … without giving any reason,” Lukasz Pytko from Tauron Arena Krakow said in comments carried by Polish media outlets.
“My photo the Jordan logo of this rap s—,” raps Nas on 2021’s “YKTV” (shortened to say “You Know the Vibes”), from his Grammy-nominated King’s Disease sequel. Of course, that “photo” is none other than his bunker-buster debut Illmatic, which propelled hip-hop into the future upon its arrival in 1994. Off sheer impact alone, that album certainly makes a strong case for being the definitive emblem for the genre. But for now, on a blustery cold Friday night (Feb. 24) in New York City, the vibes were unquestionably certain for another pivotal occasion: Nas’ first headlining show at Madison Square Garden.
Never mind how long of a journey it’s been to get to this point — the timing for this night was perfect. Nas is hot off the heels of releasing King’s Disease III, the threequel to his Grammy-winning series with super producer Hit-Boy, the quarterback to his wide receiver, all as hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary. That said, Friday’s show was as much a victory for Nas as it was for hip-hop. It was a proud occasion for the sea of generations-spanning fans, from those who remember the first time they heard “Live at the Barbecue” to those who recently tapped in with his recent work. Overall, the Garden couldn’t have been a more perfect venue to host this celebration.
“Live in Madison Square now, we on fire,” a visibly elated Nas hailed, while fire bolted around him during his fiery performance of “I’m on Fire.”
And on fire he was, launching into standout-after-standout throughout his 34-song set. Sticking to the night’s “King’s Disease Trilogy” bill, the Queens rap icon pulled out gems across the trinity-spanning gem, from storytelling favorites like “Blue Benz” and “Car 85” to party-flavored cuts like “Spicy” and “Get Light.” By the time the latter blared through the arena, MSG had practically turned into a park jam as fans throughout the sold-out arena swayed, bopped, and two-stepped from row to row. Like his output over the last two years suggests, Esco refused to let up on the momentum throughout the night. Between the King’s Disease cuts, he also made room for a few records off his 2021 project, Magic, sprinkling in cult favorites like “Speechless” and “Wave Gods” to much fanfare.
The fact that Nas was performing these relatively fresh cuts to a fully-invested audience inside a sold-out Madison Square Garden was truly a moment to behold — something, even he, at times, seemed to be amazed by, sometimes even taking a brief moment to relish the vibe. At one point, he stopped to recollect and then turned the spotlight onto the other half of his winning formula: Hit-Boy.
“I love this brother for bringing the art out of me again,” Nas acclaimed before tapping the producer to join him onstage for the floor-quaking “Michael & Quincy.” Not a soul remained seated, especially as more surprises trickled in.
After performing “Reminisce,” a song that samples a certain Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Nas brought out — you guessed it — Mary J. Blige, who sent the excitement levels through the roof as she performed “You Remind Me.” After running through King’s Disease, he hopped through hits from the rest of his catalog, including Illmatic. You always have to return to Illmatic. This time dressed in an all-orange jumpsuit with a matching skully, wheat construction Timberland boots, and his signature diamond-covered “QB” chain, he dispatched “N.Y. State of Mind.” Subsequently after, he brought out AZ for “Life’s a Bitch,” and one of “my motherf—ing heroes,” Slick Rick, for “Hey Young World.” Embracing the magnitude and momentous occasion of the night, he kept his foot on the gas, running through a medley of tracks — “The Message,” Street Dreams,” “If I Ruled The World,” “Hate Me Now,” “Made You Look” and “One Mic.”
One of the crowning moments occurred while performing “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park).” He did away with the instrumental for the second verse and delivered a masterclass in mic control, performing the tongue-twisting verse a capella with absolute clarity and supreme breath control. As he took a bow while being showered in the crowd’s adulation, one thing was crystal clear: Nas is still that good.
For the encore, preceded by Nas admitting, “I don’t want to leave yet,” he shifted the energy back to the party spirit that hung high throughout the night. As hands waved and cheers clamored from all corners of the arena, he spun through more hits, including “Hot Boyz (Remix),” “Oochie Wally” and “Owe Me,” before sealing the night with an emotional reminder: “We did it!”
SZA‘s five-year absence certainly made fans’ hearts grow fonder on record, as last December’s SOS album enjoys a nine-week (and counting) residency at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. And that’s translating to the live stage, too.
The just-launched SOS North American Tour from Billboard‘s Woman of the Year rolled into Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Friday night (Feb. 24) for its third show, a honed and sleek spectacle before a packed house of about 15,000 ecstatic SZA heads who hadn’t seen the star in more than four years. It’s a step up from the theaters the singer (real name: Solana Imani Rowe) was playing last time out, but she came armed with the music and visuals to validate what’s rapidly become a genre-straddling iconic status during the interim.
Best of all, SZA’s new show managed to sidestep the pitfalls that undermine so many other pop diva expositions. She deftly worked a whopping 31 songs — from her two studio albums, with some choice covers and obscure tracks — into the 90-minute set, but they never felt rushed or shoehorned. The costume changes (six total) were nimbly executed without lengthy speed-bump interludes.
The conceptual focus was strong, and SZA and company — three musicians tucked on the stage sides, four dancers and plenty of pre-recorded augmentation (included guest singers) — recreated the tunes with a smooth and convincing precision, rooted primarily in the chill ambience that’s SZA’s stock-in-trade.
The net result was a fat-free concert that maintained momentum and kept the surprises from start to finish. Taking off from the SOS album cover, the show opened with “PSA,” one of 17 of the new set’s tracks on the setlist, as a phalanx of video screens rose to reveal SZA sitting on a diving board above the stage, with an ocean of water projected behind her before she “dove” (via projection) and emerged on floor level with a sinewy “Seek & Destroy.” The singer then took the crowd through a journey, starting with a seaside pier setting for “Notice Me,” “Love Galore,” a short rendition of Erykah Badu‘s “Bag Lady” that segued into “Blind” and more.
After a quick break that included live footage of SZA making a costume change while singing “Smoking on My Ex Pack,” the stage transformed into a full-size fishing trawler that gave the dancers multiple levels to perform their routines. SZA made her way through “All the Stars” (her Kendrick Lamar collaboration from Black Panther: The Album) “Prom” and “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” before seas got rough, with hi-def visual effects, during forceful performances of “F2F” (with guitarist Ari O’ Neal rocking on deck), “Drew Barrymore” and “Doves in the Wind.” A throbbing “Low” then took the Good Ship SZA down to Davey Jones’ Locker with SZA performing an impressive split and full back-bend while O’Neal soloed.
SZA later emerged in outfit number three, singing acoustic renditions of “Supermodel,” Lizzo‘s “Special” and “Nobody Gets me” while riding a life raft above the audience, towards a lighthouse inflated just behind the soundboard. “I’m really, really grateful to be here with y’all to sing these songs about a breakup,” she said in a rare moment of dialogue with the crowd.
“Gone Girl” took her back to the stage, where the SZA crew played a few songs — Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More,” “Love Language” and a particularly soulful “Snooze” — on the ocean “floor,” in front of a giant anchor and images of jellyfish, sharks and other sea creatures streaming by. An assertive “Kill Bill,” meanwhile, was accompanied by silhouetted images of the dancers, swords ‘n’ all, fighting behind the screens.
Rather than close with a bang, SZA finished smooth but with power, particularly on “I Hate U” before a vibey “The Weekend” closed the main show. “Good Days,” with SZA back on the diving board where she started, above now-calm waters, served as the lone encore. She did not have much to say during the night, but the songs and the staging said everything and delivered a message that she’s truly made a next-level step in her career.
The SOS North American Tour visits Toronto on Saturday (Feb. 25) and has 15 more dates slated, wrapping with a pair of shows on March 22-23 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
See SZA’s Detroit setlist below.
“PSA”“Seek & Destroy”“Notice Me”“Love Galore”“Broken Clocks”“Forgiveless”“Used”“Bag Lady” (Erykah Badu cover)“Blind”“Shirt”“Smoking on My Ex Pack”“All the Stars”“Prom”“Garden (Say It Like Dat)”“F2F”“Drew Barrymore”“Doves in the Wind”“Low”“Open Arms”“Supermodel”/”Special”“Nobody Gets Me”“Gone Girl”“SOS”“Kiss Me More” (Doja Cat cover)“Love Language”“Kill Bill”“I Hate U”“The Weekend”
Encore:“Good Days”