story by editor-in-chief: Ashly Nicole

Benee is one of those artists you genuinely never get tired of, and that’s exactly why we found ourselves right back in the crowd for the final stop of her “Ur an Angel, I’m Just Particles” tour at the legendary Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. Because once is simply not enough when it comes to Benee. Not even close. If you’ve spent even a second listening to her music or stumbled across a clip of her online, then you already know: she has it.
That magnetic, can’t-look-away charm that pulls you in instantly. She’s effortlessly captivating, wildly entertaining, and so undeniably talented that it almost feels unfair. And when I say her discography has no skips, I mean that with my entire chest. That’s exactly what makes a Benee show so special. You’re not just waiting for that one song, you’re screaming every lyric the entire show.

Before you even step into the full experience, she’s already finding ways to connect with fans. The merch table at a Benee show is never just a merch table, it’s truly a moment. From signed posters at her album release show to hand-decorated, one-of-a-kind hair clips on this tour, only about 15 per show! She’s constantly adding those small, thoughtful touches that make fans feel seen. Each clip had its own little personality, complete with a signature and a doodle on the bottom of its box, and obviously…one of them had to come home with us. When an artist says to stop at the merch table, I think you should definitely always make a little stop at the merch table, especially at a Benee show, because there’s always a fun little surprise waiting for a handful of lucky fans.

Setting the tone for the night was none other than the princess herself, Bayli, and let me tell you, she understood the assignment. Her sparkly, high-energy dance-pop set was the perfect way to kick things off, instantly pulling the crowd in and getting everyone moving. There’s something so special about catching an opener before they fully blow up, and Bayli absolutely has that star power. I always say: get there early for the opener, because you never know when you’re about to discover your next favorite artist. Case in point: I first saw Benee opening for Conan Gray in 2019, and look where we are now!!
From hyping up the crowd to handing a tiara to the tiniest and cutest fan in the front row, Bayli brought the energy, the charm, and the vibes we needed to launch into the night.

Now Benee, taking the stage in her now-iconic bedazzled padded vest; a true staple of the Particles era, she opened with “Sad Boii,”, immediately pulling us into the moodiness of the song before sweetening things up with “Cinnamon”. After the first few songs in the set, Benee settled into some older tracks like, “Wishful Thinking”, and “Soaked”, telling us that this was the last time she was ever playing these OG long time favorites live. We of course made sure to hit record for safe keeping, and if she was completely serious in never playing them again, I’m so happy I got to experience them in real time one final time. She floated through the 20 song set like the Glitter…y fairy she is, performing songs almost exclusively from her most recent album, and we were absolutely living for it. Her energy is unmatched, always, and the way she interacts with the audience makes it feel so personal, but so fun at the same time!

We thought at a couple of points in the set, some surprise guests might’ve been in store for us; Benee played her new hit, “Princess”, featuring the ever so iconic, Pink Panthress, and also surprised us with her cut of “Afterthought” that she features on with Joji. And while neither PinkPantheress nor Joji appeared, Benee held it DOWN, duh. Hearing her take on “Afterthought” live was such a moment. I genuinely never thought I’d experience that one in real time, and it was everything. But hey… next tour? I’m manifesting at least one surprise appearance.
As everyone knows, no Benee show would be complete without her viral hit, “Supalonely”, which is always the vibe, and something I think all of her fans look forward to at every stop. But as all things do, the show was coming to a close, Benee made an announcement claiming, “I don’t really have any good reason for it, but there’s no encore, I’m so sorry!!” and encouraged fans to boo here, right before playing her last song of the night, and the tour, a fan favorite, “Green Honda”. The audience went completely feral for the last song, just about matching Benee’s energy, but I think, somehow, Benee still managed to shine even brighter, feeding off the crowd while giving it right back tenfold.

We truly, truly love Benee and the light, the chaos, and the magic she brings into every space she touches. And while the Particles tour may have come to an end, we’re already counting down the seconds, anticipating whatever she is planning next.
If you haven’t seen Benee live yet… what are you doing?? Seriously. Fix that. Because if this era taught us anything, it’s that her shows are only getting bigger, better, and way harder to get into.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you.