Z100's Jingle Ball 2014 in NYC: Top 5 Performances You Shouldn't Miss
Z100's annual Jingle Ball held at Madison Square Garden in New York City not only featured prominent faces in the pop music industry, it also showcased new talents such as Shawn Mendes, Meaghan Trainor, and British singer Rixton. Gwen Stefani and Adam Levine also displayed their vocals for the crowd.
Some of the best acts, however, came from hitmakers of the year, which included Ariana Grande, Sam Smith, and Taylor Swift. Take a look below at some of the highlights of this year's four-hour event dedicated to pop music.
1. Ariana Grande's Performance of Smash Hits "Love Me Harder," "Break Free," and "Problem"
Grande undeniably soared in the music industry this year. The 21-year-old, who recently had a gig at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show held in London, sang her hit songs "Love Me Harder," "Break Free," and "Problem." Unfortunately, the singer had a slight stage mishap while performing at the Jingle Ball. According to Huffington Post, Grande tripped as she made her way across the stage. However, the young artist poked fun and laughed at her stumble, and then carried on with her act.
Watch Grande's performance below, which Yahoo News dubbed as "reminiscent of a young Christina Aguilera."
2. Sam Smith's Captivating and Heartfelt Music
Smith proved that he is one of the best newcomers in the music scene when he powered through "I'm Not the Only One," "Latch," and his breakthrough hit "Stay With Me." The British singer gave the audience goosebumps and left the crowd a little teary-eyed, according to Huffington Post. Smith is also known to setting himself apart from his pop music counterparts through singing "traditional, downtempo soul songs and doesn't dance; his signature look is a drab suit and his wide, doleful eyes," Yahoo News reports.
3. Nick Jonas Stands Out With "Jealous"
The former Jonas Brothers member is willfully making a name for himself in the music industry. His performance of his comeback single "Jealous," accompanied by a Gospel choir, put the Jingle Ball crowd on its feet. Huffington Post reports that that was the only track Jonas sang, but "it was a major takeaway from the event."
4. Ariana Grande and Jessie J's "Bang Bang" Face-Off
Nicki Minaj may not have been there to rap her parts, but Grande and Jessie J's performance of "Bang Bang" still made waves among the Jingle Ball audience. NY Daily News reports that "J's vibrato remains a wonder, with a resonance and timbre like no other." Grande, as usual, delivered with her powerful vocals.
Watch their duet below.
5. Taylor Swift's Exclusive Pop Set
The former country singer turned pop songstress, the last performer of the night, was the fan favorite in the event. According to Huffington Post, the singer performed her hit songs "Welcome To New York," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "Blank Space," "I Knew You Were Trouble," and "Shake It Off." As the clock neared midnight during her set, Swift declared to the crowd that she was about to turn 25.
"I am the only person who asks you to scream loudly tonight who is about to turn 25 in 10 minutes," Swift said, as quoted by Yahoo News.
However, even though her closing act captured the hearts and approval of her fans, NY Daily News adds that there were issues during Swift's performance. "While her musicians rendered them faithfully, she sounded particularly shrill and chipmunk-like, despite being supported by scores of back-up singers and apparent vocal tapes."