Lil Nas X brings sparkle to an otherwise hit-or-miss KDWB Jingle Ball at Xcel Energy Center

Dec. 7—After taking a year off due to the pandemic, KDWB's Jingle Ball came bouncing back to life Monday night at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center.

While the lineup lost one act — Australian rapper/singer the Kid Laroi — due to an unspecified illness, the evening ran relatively smoothly in front of a crowd of about 9,400. And, as usual, the show featured short sets from current hitmakers (Tate McRae, Saweetie), legacy acts (Pitbull, Black Eyed Peas) and newcomers (Tai Verdes, Dixie D'Amelio).

How new is new? Verdes, who turned in one of the better performances of the night, was still sleeping on a friend's couch and working at a Verizon store when the country locked down due to the pandemic. D'Amelio — the third highest-earning TikTok star who pulled in $2.9 million in a single year — launched her music career in the summer of 2020.

The big winner of the show was Lil Nas X, whose rapid ascent from a seeming one-hit wonder to a worldwide star has been both impressive and breathtaking. The kid — at 22, he's still a kid — brought the same clever, naughty wit to the stage that permeates everything from his music to his videos to his public appearances.

In keeping with the abbreviated nature of the evening, here's a quick review of each artist, haiku-style:

Dixie D'Amelio

In her third concert

TikTok star has decent voice

Not much stage presence

Tai Verdes

With a huge smile and

A Bruno Mars-like swagger

Tai was a delight

Bazzi

Baby-faced crooner

Had the kids screaming in lust

With slick, sexy songs

Tate McRae

Found fame through dancing

Now trying same in music

She should try harder

Pitbull

Campy party songs

Performed by Mr. Worldwide

Voice too low in mix

Saweetie

Scantily dressed star

Shook her booty, talked dirty

Felt a bit detached

Black Eyed Peas

A loud, boorish show

From group that hasn't scored hit

In a full decade

Lil Nas X

Clad in a crop top

And a gladiator skirt

Totally conquered