Z100 Jingle Ball — Watch the Top Performances

The year’s top singers jammed at the Z100 Jingle Ball, and the annual music event is worth watching. Enjoy some videos below, along with my take on each act. You can catch the full show on The CW Network Thursday, December 18, at 8 p.m. EST/PST.

IGGY AZALEA

From her hair-poof to her baseball jacket, to the jersey-wearing backup dancers, everything about Iggy Azalea’s aesthetic is dated. While she’s certainly a compelling act, it’s time to chuck her creative team in favor of folks with innovative ideas.

ONE REPUBLIC

Ryan Tedder could have spent his entire career writing hits for other artists, and he’s instead expanded his impressive resume with One Republic, where’s he equally compelling. Though he sounded slightly flat at the Jingle Ball, I’ll chalk it up to the overall sound of the venue, given that he’s always on his game.

ARIANA GRANDE & JESSIE J

Speaking of dated, can someone tell Ariana Grande that Mariah Carey circa 1999 is out of style? White pumps are not her friend. Plus, if those two tarts are going to perform beside each other, can’t they match their style scheme? To be fair, I prefer Jessie J.’s personality and Ariana Grande’s voice, so perhaps this is the perfect fit. Watch below.

SAM SMITH

Though my music manager friend calls Sam Smith boring, I’ll never get tired of his voice.

PHARRELL & GWEN STEFANI

Pharrell is the industry’s most consistent force, writing for every top name in the business, including Gwen Stefani who joined him onstage for an errrrrrr . . . interesting song. It was . . . colorful.

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