The annual Jingle Ball tour is one of the most highly anticipated musical events of the year. The event, held this past Sunday, Dec. 10 at TD Garden, has always boasted a star-studded lineup of artists that leave the event sold out within minutes. Here’s a run-down of some of the most popular artists that performed.
SZA is a highly recognized name among the pop and R&B music scene. She is known for her unique style of music that she prefers to keep unlabeled, creating an amalgamation of genres that all come together to create that special SZA sound. She mixes pop, rap, R&B and alternative elements, a move that welcomes a wide range of fans.
Many fans discovered SZA through her collaborations with Doja Cat, Kendrick Lamar and Drake, though her solo career has taken her even further. Her 2022 album “SOS” soared high on the Billboard charts, and she earned a number-one Billboard single with her song “Kill Bill.” She scored a Grammy Award in 2022 for her duet with Doja Cat, among many other awards and nominations.
Melanie Martinez has surely come far in the years she’s been performing. The young artist got her start as a contestant on “The Voice” in 2012, when she was only in high school. She advanced far in the competition thanks to her coach, Adam Levine, and even after her elimination, she was able to sign with a record label and release her debut album “Cry Baby” in 2015.
Martinez is most known for her unique aesthetic, a baby-doll style that involves a mixture of pink frilly dresses and heavy eyeliner. She embraces that little-kid style with her music, as well, creating dark pop that often utilizes childlike sound effects. She sings about her emotional struggles as a child, crafting a narrative that spans across her first two albums. This story is so lore-heavy that she even released a feature film based on her second album “K-12.”
Martinez is taking a new approach to that story in her newest album “Portals,” the most unique aspect being her new costume. She’s taking on a more fairy-tale style, dressed as a nymph and hiding her face with an off-putting mask.
OneRepublic is the longest-running band on this list, forming back in 2002. They got their start on MySpace, achieving wide success on the website with their first album and earning the attention of multiple record labels. Their MySpace popularity continued even after being signed, as their singles continued to top the site’s charts.
The band has released five albums since their creation, but none have garnered the attention that 2013’s “Native” did. Their single “Counting Stars” is their biggest hit, gaining billions of views on YouTube and many more streams across other platforms. While many may reduce the band down to a one-hit wonder, they’ve been cruising through their career for a long time since then, with a respectable following. Their music is a mixture of pop and rock, with roots similar to U2. They’ve been nominated for over thirty awards, including a Grammy.
In addition to these bands, Jingle Ball also welcomed artists and performers Sabrina Carpenter, Flo Rida, G-IDLE, David Kushner and NCT Dream. Jingle Ball is a yearly event hosted across the country, so if anyone is interested in buying tickets for next year’s event, they should keep an eye out on iHeart Radio’s social media. Tickets do sell fast, so have those fingers and credit cards ready!