jxdn
Article by Brittany Ormiston
“Nobody needs to know your demons but you.” Pop-punk icon jxdn took to the House of Blues stage in Chicago, and embodied one of the best performances of his entire career. Chicago has always had a special place in jxdn’s heart, and he stated without hesitation it is his “favorite fucking city.” His first festival appearance was at Lollapalooza last summer, and this tour stop made for another career milestone with a nearly sold-out crowd. The energy from the crowd soared through the roof the second jxdn appeared on stage, and he felt every ounce of it. He jumped and spun around on stage with a smile so big you know his cheeks hurt at the end of the night. jxdn was truly present in the moment, and there was nowhere else he would rather be.
jxdn treasures life’s moments, and appreciates the journey he is on as an artist. At every show, he makes sure to credit the person who influenced him to become a musician: the late Juice WRLD. Years ago, jxdn attended a Juice WRLD arena show and was overwhelmed with inspiration and motivation to pursue a career as an artist. He has not stopped chasing his dream since then, and always reflects back to that moment. jxdn wore a Juice WRLD jersey on stage, and delivered a memorable cover of ‘Armed And Dangerous.’ A black-and-white 3D visual of Juice WRLD was projected on the screen behind jxdn to make for an eerie yet brilliant performance. The show in its entirety felt straight out of a movie with the lighting illuminating the enthusiastic crowd with their hands in the air, and the epic visuals bringing each song to life.
The visuals were mindblowing and personified the setlist in such an exquisite way. During ‘BRAINDEAD,’ the screen displayed green swirls with a twist of rollercoaster. To the viewer, this created a dizzy sensation similar to vertigo. These visuals perfectly illustrated how one may feel after a breakup: confused, unsteady, and discombobulated. ‘BRAINDEAD’ exemplifies these emotions with the lyrics “now I feel half alive” and “I open my eyes and I’m feelin’ like death.” jxdn blessed the crowd’s ears with an unreleased track of ‘WHAT THE HELL,’ and displayed effortless baritone vocals. The lyrics were shown in horror-inspired font on the screen, and was accompanied by red and white fast-paced lighting to give a mysterious feel. Despite the crowd hearing this track for the very first time, they could sense uncertainty, doubt, and confusion arising from the lyricism. The rhetorical questions throughout the song exhibit insecurity and regret from past decisions and relationships.
From the visuals to the vocals, jxdn was invested in giving the fans a performance of a lifetime from beginning to end. His engagement with the crowd was special, and he made everyone in the room feel loved. “I appreciate every single one of you,” said jxdn wholeheartedly. He went out of his way to thank everyone for listening to his recent album, Tell Me About Tomorrow. The body of work has changed his life, and it focuses on navigating mental health and self-reflection.
The fans held up hand hearts as jxdn gave his speech before performing the title track ‘TELL ME ABOUT TOMORROW.’ “I want to hear about how this song is special to you…Tell somebody you love ‘em. You never know how much that would make their day,” jxdn said sincerely. The crowd showed endless love to jxdn throughout his entire set, and as the show came to a close he mentioned it was one of the loudest crowds of his entire life. jxdn is determined to always “make music for the soul not the sound,” which shows true with his ability to genre-defy and create art amidst different subcultures. jxdn’s impressive artistry and undeniable stage presence is giving pop punk a new look, and instantly classifies him as the rockstar many know and love.
House of Blues in Chicago, IL on May 12, 2022
Photos by Everly Ormiston
