Saturday night in Las Vegas kicked off with one of the most beautiful voices I’ve heard in awhile, Samoht. Pairing his smooth vocal runs with simple yet intricate R&B beats made for a great opening set. He encompassed the bravado needed to captivate an audience as an opener and I can see him gaining traction globally very soon. I would highly recommend you go and check out “BE OK” and “Let You Go”. 
Next up came Lauren Jauregui. You might’ve known about her back when she was part of the group Fifth Harmony, but she is currently making waves on her own as a solo artist, covering genres such as R&B, soul, and Latin music. The set consisted of beautiful choreography to accompany multiple songs, and they truly helped tell a story with each one that was performed. As someone who was a fan of her former group, it was refreshing hearing her step into her own voice and create music that’s true to herself.
Emerging onto the scene in 2014 with her debut full-length Goddess, Banks is one of alt-pop’s most notable names right now. Even before her debut full-length was released, she toured with the likes of The Weeknd, just as her song “Waiting Game” was starting to burn up the charts. Three more full-length albums have followed, and it’s safe to say she’s a star.
As someone who has seen BANKS previously, the Serpentina tour felt like she was exactly where she needs to be at this moment in her career. After dealing with the pandemic interrupting her III album cycle, this tour filled that void of what fans had been missing during that time. Pairing the haunting lyrics with dance choreography gave you the visuals you wish you had while listening to her music at home. In between a few songs, she took moments to share personal notes on her creative process and how when she goes into the studio she visualizes the movement and flow of songs as if she were performing them live which shows in her concerts.
Opening with “Meteorite” and standing atop a pedestal with two dancers by her side, BANKS set the tone for the show, confidence. The fluidity of her dancers felt like extensions of her being with the way they moved in sync throughout the set. The performances of “Better” and “Gimme” were crowd favorites as the rendition of “Better” performed was extended to show off her extensive vocal range. Capping off the set with an encore of “Beggin For Thread”, arguably her best known song, had the crowd only wishing for more. The Serpentina tour served its purpose as an all-encompassing look into the mysterious yet vulnerable mind of BANKS and oozed the confidence she radiated throughout her discography as a whole.
