Z100’s All Access Lounge was the official pre-show celebration for iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Presented by Capital One at Madison Square Garden on December 13. The annual holiday event marked the 28th year the show was held at the iconic arena, and Jingle Ball has since grown into a multi-city tour that features some of the year’s biggest artists. The 2024 tour visited nine major cities across North America during the holiday season, concluding with a final show on December 21. The lineup varied by location, but some artists scheduled to perform at the New York stop included Katy Perry, Tate McRae, twenty one pilots, Teddy Swims, Meghan Trainor, The Kid LAROI, Madison Beer, Benson Boone, Gracie Abrams, Shaboozey, and K-Pop sensation NCT Dream.
Located in the heart of New York City just a few blocks from Times Square, the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center once again hosted the Z100 All Access Lounge event. Daytime performances featured artists Alex Warren, Dasha, Isabel LaRosa, Mark Ambor, McKenna Grace, Myles Smith, POW, and WONHO. Attendees arrived early in the morning to enjoy interactive displays and brand activations from COVERGIRL, Boost Mobile, M&M’s, Smashburger, Coca-Cola, Dunkin’, Scünci by Conair, Hell’s Kitchen on Broadway, Broadway musical & Juliet, Lincoln Tech, Berkeley College, SPLAT Hair Color, and NJ TRANSIT.
Throughout the venue, brands and sponsors handed out fun freebies such as keychains, reusable shopping totes, t-shirts, donuts, candy, and beverages. Beauty vendors offered makeup and hair demonstrations while distributing small swag bags containing cosmetics and accessories. Other vendors featured games with prizes, friendship bracelet workshops, and even a unique charity opportunity where attendees could choose and wrap small toys to send to children in need.
The entire ballroom was adorned with festive décor, and both brand and holiday photo stations were set up throughout the venue, allowing attendees to snap social media selfies and card-worthy pictures all day long. In addition to the scheduled exciting performances, Z100 hosts offered numerous opportunities for fans to win tickets to the official Jingle Ball show later that night and exclusive meet-and-greet tickets for the artists performing at the All Access Lounge.
Festively dressed fans filled the floor as soon as doors opened, eager to secure their spots across the barricade for the upcoming performances of POW and WONHO. Many attendees brought posters, flags, and light sticks to support both K-Pop acts featured in the day’s lineup. Ahead of the performance, POW fans, affectionately known as POWER, distributed small paper banners for the crowd to wave in celebration of POW’s first-ever performance in New York City—an exciting milestone for the group.
POW
At noon the Z100 hosts welcomed POW to the stage, kicking off the event. This global K-Pop group consists of members Jungbin, Yorch, Hyunbin, Dongyeon, and Hong, and they officially debuted with their first EP, Favorite, in October 2023. This past year they’ve been busy, releasing three singles, one more EP titled Boyfriend, and made an exciting appearance at KCON LA 2024 over the summer. Wearing stylishly cozy outfits, POW enthusiastically performed their first song, “Favorite.” The eager crowd screamed in excitement over impressive choreography, dynamic vocals, and the charming personalities of each member. After the first track, the group paused and collectively greeted the audience.
“Hey everyone, we are POW! We’re so happy to be here in New York. This place is amazing—we can really feel the energy. Christmas time here is really romantic and magical. So, for our next song, we have something perfect for the season!” Before starting the next track, “Slow Dancing,” POW took a moment to teach the audience the chorus, dancing together to emphasize the lyrics. Their antics elicited more screams from the crowd before fans dutifully sang along as requested.
Next, “Dazzling” provided each member a moment in the spotlight, allowing them to step forward and showcase their vocal talents during the slower track. Fans bounced and waved their arms side to side in tempo with the happy song. Approaching the end of their set, they teased the crowd with a snippet of the chorus for the next song and encouraged everyone to sing along if they knew the lyrics. The track was POW’s “Boyfriend,” the group’s rendition of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend.” The audience immediately erupted with excitement when they heard the familiar tune. It was so catchy that even those unfamiliar with the group joined in, screaming along to the infectious lyrics. As they concluded their mini set, POW took a moment to express their gratitude before posing for a group photo and saying their goodbyes.
WONHO
After rousing performances from both McKenna Grace and Isabel LaRosa, multi-talented artist WONHO—a former member of Monsta X who made his solo debut in 2020—was set to perform next. He arrived on stage wearing a blue fitted split-neck top, leather pants, fingerless gloves, and combat boots. Performing at Racket NYC the night before for his 2024 WONHO USA FAN MEETUP <WELCOME BACK WENEE> tour, WONHO thrilled his fans— known as WENEE — with this bonus performance at Z100’s All Access Lounge. Many attended both events with very little sleep in between, but their energy remained high and their screams were deafening the moment he appeared.
Supported by a few backup dancers, WONHO performed three popular songs, starting with the rhythmic track “Lose.” He dominated the spotlight, effortlessly showcasing sultry dance moves and moody vocals against the pulsating beats of the song. Bringing the heat down a little, he then proceeded to serenade the audience with his latest release, an R&B-inspired ballad titled “What Would You Do.” The new song was well received by the audience, and at its conclusion he took a moment to thank everyone for supporting him and talked about how much fun he was having in New York City. Fans responded with chants and playful barks, prompting him to jokingly ask them to relax so he could continue.
WONHO then prepared to close out his set with the electro-funk sound of “Open Mind,” ending his stage on a fun, groovy high note. As the song wrapped up, he smiled brightly, reciprocating finger hearts to WENEE. “Thank you! I love you guys, please get home safely!” he commented before departing the stage.
Following their performances, a few lucky POWER and WENEE won VIP experiences to go backstage, meet POW and WONHO, and take a few photos together.
The Jingle Ball series concluded with a final show in Miami. For more information about Jingle Ball, check out their official website. Additionally, some of the iHeartRadio stops were part of an exclusive ABC network special that aired on December 18, with a replay now available on Hulu.