Billie Eilish on mobile hover stage at Life Is Beautiful 2021
Life Is Beautiful music and art festival returns to downtown Las Vegas each year to connect the community through culture. In 2021, stand-out performances from Billie Eilish and Willow Smith left quite the impression. In 2022, music acts from Gorillaz, Jack Harlow, Jungle and others had the crowds going!
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Here is a recap of some of the most impressive performances from the art and music festivals past. Read on to see who else made a splash with stage presence and performances to remember.
At Life Is Beautiful 2021, Billie Eilish captivated the crowd as she danced and serenaded the crowd with her angelic voice and sassy lyrics. Fans were amused with the light shows and the mobile stage that hovered and glided the starlet over the audience.
Willow Smith performing at Life Is Beautiful 2021
Willow Smith shook the audience with her energetic performance, original vocals and wild dance moves. A rendition of her initial single hit, "Whip My Hair," was saved for the very last number of her set. She also performed "Meet Me at Our Spot" with Tyler Cole. Willow shared her newer music and earlier tracks with the crowd during her 2021 performance at Life Is Beautiful.
Jungle performs and dances with the crowd.
On September 16, 2022, Jungle performed classic crowd favorites, including "Casio" and "Busy Earnin'" along with newer tunes from the music group. Jungle put the fun in funk with their electro-pop dance numbers on the first day of Life Is Beautiful 2022.
Gorillaz at the downtown stage
Gorillaz brought the songs that gained them fame, including "Feel Good Inc." and "Last Living Souls." Damon Albarn led on the mic while the band jammed out and entertained the crowd on day two. With the identity of each band member remaining concealed for over a decade in the earlier stages of their music career in the late 90s and early 2000s, matching the physical artists with their virtual animations was quite a treat for longtime supporters.
Lorde and her entirely pink set design
Lorde pleased viewers with her pretty pink wardrobe and stage design. The songstress and her stage performers interacted with an artistic installation that was part of the set design. Her act combined the two pivotal elements of Life Is Beautiful: installation art and live music.
Big Boi with the mic during his performance
Big Boi stayed on top of his vocals during his performance while pumping up the crowd on day three during the sunset at the downtown stage. "I Like the Way You Move," "Kryptonite (I'm On It)" remix and other hits had festival goers dancing and singing along.
Jack Harlow and pyrotechnics bring the heat.
On September 18, Jack Harlow played his set at the downtown stage. Hits like "First Class" and "What's Poppin" boosted the crowd. Harlow maintained high energy and sincere connection with his audience through every number. He expressed gratitude and appreciation for hip-hop culture in between songs and even performed in the crowd to further integrate with his fans.
Kygo took the Bacardi stage and audience by storm with his lively and energetic performance during Life Is Beautiful 2022. For his closing number, Justin Jesso appeared to perform the vocals for "Firestone," and a violin sextet performed live strings for a beautiful and powerful closing number.
Calvin Harris moves the crowd with his tracks.
Following the Jack Harlow set, Calvin Harris took the stage to give a grand finale performance, which concluded the 2022 art and music festival. Harris took the crowd through his most famous mainstream songs and hidden gems. With his mindfully curated track selection, the electro-pop DJ and producer guided the energy by undulating from bangers to more chill beats.
The Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium hosted the 2023 Pro-Bowl weekend on Sunday, February 5 for the first time. Hit rappers 2 Chainz, Lil Baby and Roddy Ricch took over the Drai's Nightclub stage in a series of performances for a crowd of A-listers throughout the weekend. The energy was high as a star-studded cast of NFL players and musicians partied at the exclusive rooftop hotspot.
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Drai’s Beachclub • Nightclub is a hub for celebrities, athletes and musicians alike with their Drai’s LIVE concert series, presenting crowds with an elite set of full-length performances from today’s most culturally relevant hip-hop artists. The event attracted an abundance of NFL pros and top athletes to the city. Amidst the big game, three all-star performances brought unbeatable celebrations to the venue.
Kicking off the weekend on Friday February 3, Roddy Ricch packed a punch with his iconic hit songs “The Box,” “Rockstar” and “Ballin.” The rapper has received widespread acclaim through his quick rise to fame, sporting Grammy, BET and Billboard Awards among others for his sonically fresh records.
Speaking of “Ballin,” the weekend guest list was composed of a compelling NFL-player lineup including members of the Bengals including B.J. Hill and Joe Burrow, the 49-ers including Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, the Cowboys, the Ravens, the Jaguars, the Bills, the Dolphins and the Seahawks. Also in attendance were famed boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pro Bowl halftime-headliner duo Rae Sremmurd.
The celebrations continued on Saturday February 4 with a featured performance from legendary rapper 2 Chainz. Delivering a set of bangers to the crowd, 2 Chainz showcased his multi-platinum discography including hits “Big Bank,” “Different,” “Birthday” and “2 Step.”
Closing out the weekend on Sunday February 5, Lil Baby carried out a highly-anticipated performance. The RIAA Diamond-certified figure capped off the impressive string of sets with hits “Drip Too Hard,” “My Dawg” and “Yes Indeed.” The rapper’s signature snappy melodies and explosive Grammy-nominated lyricism set the mood amongst the Vegas Strip skyline and LED-lit ambience.
Drai’s Nightclub is centrally located 11-stories up on the rooftop of The Cromwell on the corner of Flamingo Boulevard and Las Vegas Boulevard. The multi-level oasis offers 30,000 square feet of luxurious excitement and almost guaranteed celebrity sightings. The destination for musical immersion boasts a premiere array of artist performances with past shows including the likes of Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa and Gucci Mane.
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The games continue this upcoming weekend with a kickoff on Friday from megastar BIA, known for “Whole Lotta Money,” among others. On Saturday, catch DaBaby’s stage takeover. Get in on the action with Drai’s Nightclub VIP table reservations and review the music artist lineup here.
Chef Lorena Garcia
Las Vegas is home to the Latin Grammys and Chef Lorena Garcia hosts an upscale dinner party in partnership with Rémy Martin each year for her closest friends within the latin music industry. This year Garcia's event Sabor de Sobremesa included CEO of Saban Music Group Gustavo Lopez and was located at her restaurant Chica Las Vegas located inside of The Venetian Las Vegas on the night of the Latin Grammys, November 17.
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The evening began with flutes of champagne and short glasses of Rémy Martin sangria for guests to sip while listening to the DJ play. Chef Lorena Garcia mingled with her guests, took photos with friends and then took over the DJ booth to give a speech.
Garcia expressed to her guests from the DJ booth, "I want you to enjoy tonight the beautiful menu that I have prepared for this exclusively for this wonderful night.” She continued, “Sobremesa is the beautiful connection that we have in the Latin culture that actually ties so much to the music to the biggest night in Latin music tonight which we are celebrating the Latin Grammys." Lopez followed Garcia’s words with his comments of gratitude to those he has worked with in the music industry and his appreciation for Latin culture as a whole.
CEO of Saban Music Group Gustavo Lopez
Chef Garcia then prompted guests to find their seats in the dining room which was decorated with fresh flowers, name cards for each guest, tailored menus to the special meal of the night and polaroid cameras scattered about the dining tables for guests to take photos with. Notable guests in attendance of the exclusive and intimate dining experience included pop singer Manu Manzo and R&B singer Jean Rodriguez and his Coast City duo counterpart Danny Flores.
Coast City music artists duo
The intimate dinner included savory and sweet Latin American-inspired dishes like Wagyu quesa-birria empanadas, arepas, Peruvian ceviche, cauliflower and additional savory main dishes, each introduced to the exclusive group of diners by Garcia herself. During dinner Rémy Martin specialty cocktails were served including the fruity and baking spice-forward tercet tropical and the citrust, sweet and sour Rémy uptown. To finish the meal, the toffee-flavored, creamy and silky Rémy coquito was served alongside the tres leches dessert.
Tres leches dessert
Deep-rooted connections were then made following dessert in true Sobremesa fashion, which is the tradition of conversing over the table once dinner has commenced and spending time with the hosts as well as fellow dinner guests following a delicious meal. Rémy Martin and celebrity chef Garcia plan to bring the music industry together again at the next Latin Grammys to honor the hard work of music industry professionals and to foster meaningful connections.
Las Vegas Nevada – Art collector Christian Carbone made some noise at the 2020 MAD Ball (which took place across the country virtually via ZOOM), October 15th. Setting a new price record for artist Ryan Wilson / ThankYouX’s 2019 work, titled “Meet Me In The Mystery.” The 36x60-inch work is painted in oil, spray paint, and acrylic on canvas. Carbone joins a host of other prominent collectors of ThankYouX; including celebrities like The Chainsmokers, Billie and Finneas Eilish, and Evan Spiegel. ThankYouX has exhibited at Art Basel Miami, as well as in London, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles, and has been featured by the Museum of Art and Design's Luminaries program. All proceeds from the sale benefited The Museum of Art and Design, Columbus Circle, NY.
With art pieces donated by Christian Dior, and set in an opulent home in Las Vegas's billionaire's "Enclave," the 2020 MAD Ball and charity auction consisted of various works by emerging and established artists; including ThankYouX, Kevin HEES, and MAD Ball honoree Judy Chicago. The event coupled as the launch party for AKTION ART, a boutique high-end contemporary art gallery and advisory, founded by Nick Hissom and Kameron Ramirez. AKTION ART represents both Kevin HEES and ThankYouX.
The curated guest list included a mix of international collectors, art and fashion connoisseurs, celebrities, and entrepreneurs. British socialite Lady Victoria Hervey posed for photographers, while tech-star Lucy Guo sipped champagne alongside American property developer Christian Carbone. W Magazine's Stacy Engman stunned in a sexy Art Capsul look. DJ 3LAU chatted with music executives Dana Biondi and Kyle Leunissen, while artistic laser projections curated by 3LAU x SSX3LAU danced across the venues Cyprus trees. The AKTION really heated up as the MAD Ball benefit auction began, with Carbone's bid on ThankYouX's "Meet Me In The Mystery" being the star sale of the evening. Kevin HEES and Judy Chicago’s works also achieved high prices benefitting the Museum of Art and Design.
In true "Viva Las Vegas" style, the event featured Cirque du Soleil aerialists, fire dancers, and show girls; while the ornate menu consisted of wagyu sliders, lobster rolls, and black truffle hors d'oeuvres. Guests were greeted with glasses of champagne upon arrival. Lady Victoria Hervey snapped Instagram stories aboard Carbone's Learjet—which ferried guests in for the occasion, as a fleet of Rolls Royces provided by Towbin MotorCars lined the entrances to the outdoor soirée, where socially distanced guests remained until the early hours of the morning.
Carbone spoke to Vegas Magazine in summation of the evening, saying: “Nick and Kameron throw the best events hands down. Congratulations to them on the launch of their new company AKTION ART. I had a great time, and I am thrilled to support the Museum of Art and Design, and be the buyer of “Meet Me In The Mystery”, by ThankYouX. I am passionate about art, and when I see great art, I have to have it.”
