Kygo
Ismael Quintanilla III
Kygo‘s impact on the dance scene is inarguable — and the hitmaker let fans in on his extensive discography, playing hits from past and present as part of his performance at Samsung Galaxy + Billboard Present THE STAGE at SXSW.
To-date, the Norwegian hitmaker boasts a total of 55 songs on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and a handful of those hits, including opener “Stole the Show” featuring Parson James, “Lose Somebody” with OneRepublic and his remix of Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” were performed during his Friday night (Mar. 18) performance at the newly opened Moody Amphitheater at Austin’s Waterloo Park. The show was hosted by the Samsung Galaxy S22, along with the forthcoming Shawn Mendes and Sebastian Yatra set on Saturday.
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For Kygo fans, the hitmaker went way back, jumping in and around his lengthy discography during the 75-minute set under a bright full moon. Aside from playing familiar hits by the likes of Ed Sheeran, RÜFÜS DU SOL and the Eurythmics, the super-producer stood tall on an LED-stage behind his turntables to churn out staples from his catalog, offering Selena Gomez team-up, “It Ain’t Me,” his posthumous Whitney Houston smash, “Higher Love,” his latest single, “Dancing Feet” featuring DNCE and more.
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While the stage lit up with flashing visuals, colored lights and smoke from the floor, close-up views of Kygo weren’t hard to come by. In fact, fans took the opportunity to partake in front-row VIP experiences via the Best View in the Housing viewing platform. Reminiscent of a classic coin-operated telescope, the activation allowed attendees to zoom into a surreal view of the DJ using the Samsung Galaxy S22. At one point in the set, Kygo turned the attention to the sea of fans in the audience as his manager, Myles Shear, took a photo onstage with crowd using the device.
Elsewhere in the set, the hitmaker welcomed special guest Justin Jeseo for a live rendition of “Star Gazing,” the title track from his 2017 EP of the same name. The showcase was a benefit to Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that aims to create an urban park system in affiliation with the city of Austin.
Beyond the covers and collaboration, Kygo and Shear have been steadily focused on building Palm Tree Crew, the musical collective and lifestyle brand, and the initiative has also opened doors for additional talent. Ahead of his set, the producer shined a light on his Palm Tree Crew label acts, Frank Walker and Forester, who opened the show. The two join Haywood, Petey Martin, Sam Felt and Yoste as the signees to his joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment.
Billboard is reporting live throughout 2022 SXSW, which will take place from March 11-20, so make sure you check back for more details on the exciting Austin takeover.
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