With performances from an impressive roster including Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, Sabrina Carpenter, Cher, and more, iHeartRadio’s Z100 Jingle Ball was one for the books.
Jingle Ball consisted of outstanding performances and pop-up presenters such as Jared Leto, Andy Cohen, Tate McRae, and more!
Fans were thrilled to see the final performer Olivia Rodrigo live, as her sophomore album GUTS has reached the highest of heights on the charts this year. Rodrigo performed her global hits, including “vampire,” and “get him back!” as well as “Can’t Catch Me Now,” featured on the new soundtrack of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
A few standout performances from the night also included Paul Russell, rising rapper and songwriter known for his iconic hit single “Lil Boo Thang,” who performed the track alongside the Knicks City Dancers. The energy in the room was undeniable, and Russell carried a strong stage presence to light up Madison Square Garden. Earlier that day, Russell had also performed the smash hit single at Z100’s All Access Lounge, which featured performances from Gayle, (G)I-DLE, Owenn, and more.
Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter performed her beloved tracks, including “because i liked a boy”, “feather”, “Nonsense” (as well as “A Nonsense Christmas”), and merried up her performance with songs from her holiday EP, “fruitcake,” including single “santa doesn’t know you like i do“.
Without a doubt, a standout performance that evening came from One Republic, introduced by Tate McRae via a cameo on the big screen, where they performed their standout hits, including “Apologize,” “Secrets,” “Counting Stars,” and more. The audience was blown away by lead singer Ryan Tedder as we learned how Tedder is responsible for some of the most iconic pop songs in history. His writing and producing credits range from Adele’s “Rumour Has It” to Taylor Swift’s “Welcome To New York.” Ryan Tedder has also written for iconic artists, including One Direction, Ariana Grande, Jonas Brothers, and more.
If you missed out on the live show, no need to worry! ABC and iHeartMedia have announced the lineup for the annual holiday special, featuring performances from the infamous nationwide holiday tour.
The holiday special will mainly consist of select performances from the year’s most prominent artists, including but not limited to Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, Niall Horan, OneRepublic, Sabrina Carpenter, Jelly Roll, Doechii, Paul Russell, Melanie Martinez, David Kushner, AJR, Pentatonix, Big Time Rush and of course, a lively and holiday-infused exceptional performance from Cher, including her smash hit “Believe” which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The special television broadcast will be exclusively shown on Thursday, December 21, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. EST on ABC. It will also be accessible on Hulu the day after. OBB Live, the live entertainment and specials division of OBB Media, is responsible for producing the program.
The special is executive produced by iHeartMedia’s John Sykes, Tom Poleman, and Bart Peters, as well as OBB Media’s Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Kfir Goldberg, and Glenn Stickley, with co-executive producers Simone Spira and Lauren Mandel. Directed by Sam Wrench, renowned for “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” it’s part of OBB Live’s upcoming projects in collaboration with Disney and other partners.
In a nutshell, iHeartRadio’s Z100 Jingle Ball offered a fantastic night of music and entertainment. The show featured a mix of both new and well-known artists, from rising stars like Paul Russell to established icons like Cher. Not only did it showcase performances from popular artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and OneRepublic, but it also gave a platform for up-and-coming talents to shine.
