Jingle Ball remains one of the few mainstream pop concerts where multiple generations come together with glitter, giggles, and holiday chaos.
The annual 102.7 KIIS FM Jingle Ball returned to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Friday, Dec. 5, transforming the arena into a glittering holiday playground filled with Santa hats, elf ears, faux-fur coats, and matching family pajama sets. The venue itself embraced the Christmas spirit — its exterior lights glowing red and green — while inside, thousands of fans, many of them children and teens, arrived ready to celebrate like a second seasonal gathering.
This year’s crowd skewed younger than ever. Toddlers danced on parents’ laps, groups of high schoolers squealed over their favorite pop stars like Audrey Hobert, and light-up Christmas bulb necklaces blinked across every section of the arena. It created a warm, joy-forward tone that carried through the night.
As always, the format moved fast, with back-to-back mini-sets ranging from one song to five. And despite KIIS FM releasing a run-of-show ahead of time, the night unfolded unpredictably, with artists swapping slots, appearing earlier than expected and keeping the audience guessing. But that spontaneity made it fun: every time the lights dimmed, the arena buzzed, wondering who was coming next.
Here are some of the standout moments from the night.
HUNTR/X: A Historic Live Debut
Before the lights could even dim for HUNTR/X’s entrance, the anticipation in the Intuit Dome was already building as phones were set to capture the first song. The set began with Kevin Woo performing two Saja Boys covers, “Soda Pop” and “Your Idol,” without the group present, a clever warm-up that had fans whispering, filming, and inching forward in their seats. Kids were bouncing. Teens were screaming every time the screen flickered.
Then the opening notes of “Golden” hit, and HUNTR/X finally emerged.
For a group that, until now, only existed in the animated world of Netflix’s “K-pop Demon Hunters,” this moment carried once-in-a-generation energy. Voices EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami stepped out for their first major live performance together, transforming a year of pent-up fandom into a real-world debut that immediately ignited the arena.
Their staging blended glossy K-pop precision with the playful supernatural edge fans know from the series. Dressed in sleek Christmas-red and white outfits to match the night’s theme, the trio delivered synchronized choreography and crisp vocals that matched, and, in some ways, exceeded the expectation built from their animated personas. For many in the crowd, especially the younger fans who discovered them on Netflix, seeing HUNTR/X in the flesh felt pretty surreal.
The reaction was instant. Screams bounced through the dome. Parents lifted kids onto their laps. Fans rushed closer for a better view. And once the chorus kicked in, entire sections were on their feet, singing “Golden” like it was a certified hit.
The group’s social media presence exploded within minutes, with clips flooding TikTok praising the trio’s vocals, charisma, and “unreal” stage chemistry.
Based on the reaction at Jingle Ball, their transition into the live music world is only just beginning.
Feid: Colombian Holiday Heat
Introduced by comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish, Feid brought reggaeton warmth to a winter-themed lineup. Performing with only a DJ, guitarist and one backing vocalist, he didn’t rely on spectacle. Just groove, charisma and rhythm.
“Buenas noches, Los Angeles,” the Colombian singer shouted, immediately earning cheers. “This is my first Jingle Ball. We came straight from Colombia for you guys. Any Latinos here?” The crowd answered loudly.
A few fans were spotted wearing his signature slime-green gear, including several proudly holding up the newly released Salomon XT-Pathway 2 FERXXO shoes. At one point, a fan in the pit waved their pair high above the crowd. Feid caught sight of them mid-song, did a double-take, then broke into a huge grin. “I love the shoes! I see you!” he shouted, pointing directly at them as the audience erupted.
It was one of the warmest artist-fan exchanges of the night, and it solidified just how deep his following runs in Los Angeles.
Before starting his final track, he added, “We want to share some Colombian holiday cheer, so hope you dance to reggaeton with me,” before going into his hit single “Luna.” Many did, including families in Christmas pajamas dancing in the aisles.
Jackson Wang: Humor and Holiday Wisdom
Jackson Wang’s entrance sparked one of the night’s loudest reactions, especially among younger fans. Dressed festively and delivering choreography polished enough to please longtime followers, he owned the moment.
Fresh off his global success and even performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this past year, Wang brought a sleek, high-energy set to the Intuit Dome that felt as theatrical as it was intimate.
He opened with crowd favorites “LMLY” and “100 Ways,” two of his biggest hits that had fans singing along immediately. His choreography was sharp and expressive. The younger audience members went absolutely wild, dancing and singing the hooks word-for-word.
Midway through his set, he paused, looked out at the massive sea of families, and cracked a smile. “I know you probably don’t know who I am, but who cares, have fun!” he laughed, with the signature humility that makes Wang such a cross-genre favorite. Later, he leaned further into the Christmas theme: “Thank you iHeartRadio, thank you Jingle Ball. Tonight, I’m your Asian Santa Claus.” The crowd roared as he flashed his signature grin, clearly enjoying the playful chaos of the night.
Conan Gray: Birthday Boy and Crowd Favorite
Introduced by Dancing with the Stars performers Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, Conan Gray was arguably the most anticipated performer of the night. Tens across the arena screamed, stood, and grabbed their friends’ hands in excitement. Even parents who’d escorted kids in matching pajamas knew: this was pretty much the big moment.
Before launching into his set, Gray smiled and stepped up to the mic. “My name is Conan, and today is actually my birthday, so thank you for spending my birthday with me,” he told the crowd, instantly multiplying the cheers. Several fans hoisted homemade signs reading “HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONAN!” while others waved.
He opened with an extended version of “Maniac,” drawing the whole arena into a cathartic scream-along. From there, he moved into “Actor,” a crowd favorite that had whole rows swaying dramatically, acting out the lyrics with their hands.
But the most poignant moment came when he performed “Heather.” Teens sang the lyrics with trembling voices; some wiped tears from their eyes. Conan performed it gently, as if offering a gift to every young person in the crowd navigating heartbreak for the first time.
He closed with “Vodka Cranberry,” shifting the mood back to celebratory. The flashing red-and-pink lights bounced across the arena as he danced from one end of the stage to the other, blowing kisses and thanking fans between lines. For families and younger fans in the audience, the song’s catchy, rebellious energy was the perfect finale.