Days after landmark Coachella Set, Energy remained high

New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Stella Bennet, who goes by her stage name Benee, has had quite a successful couple of years leading up to 2023. She gained a large following after her breakout hit “Supalonely,” which was made in collaboration with Gus Dapperton. The song was a surprise smash as it ended up becoming an international hit five months after its release due to a viral TikTok dance that was made in tandem. Benee also just played Coachella for the first time where she brought out Gus Dapperton to perform their song which set the Mojave tent on fire. The duo wasn’t done yet as they are set to release a song this coming Friday that is supposed to follow up Benee’s recent single “Green Honda.” As Benee begins to gear up for a new release cycle, I was excited to see what she was going to bring to the table for her LA show.

I arrived at the venue around the time the doors opened and there was already a line of excited fans lined down the block. There isn’t a designated photo pit for the Roxy so as soon as I got into the venue I went straight for the stage to make sure I could get the photos needed. The Roxy has this curtain that stays down in between sets and then comes up for the performers which gave quite the element of surprise for the attendees. The first opener of the night was Tiffany Day who is known for their successful YouTube career with one of their top videos spanning over 20 million views. Day was accompanied by just her drummer but it felt like she had a whole stage production; her energy cut through the whole room. It almost felt like she was headlining the show. The curtain soon came down and as we all prepared for the next opener Superfan, the venue actually played Benee’s song “Glimmer” which prompted a sing-along with the crowd. The curtain came back up and to my surprise, the se-tup on stage was just a simple stool and a mic stand. Superfan came out promptly with just an acoustic guitar explaining how this is their second show under their new name, fka KALI. They played an entire acoustic set which provided a very intimate setting to move into Benee’s performance. I ended up posting about Superfan during their performance and I had a handful of people respond to my story about how much they love their music. The audience even gifted them a bracelet after the show which gave me so much joy to see such support for the smaller artists present. 

Then it was time for Benee to come out which everyone (including me) was eager for because this was my first time seeing her after being a fan for so long. While the curtain was down, Benee’s high-energy anthem “Make You Sick” started to play as the roars of the audience started to build. The song continued to play with the curtain down building up all of our anticipation. The song ended and there was a moment of silence before “Tough Guy” started to play with the curtain coming up to reveal Benee and her band. I was immediately so impressed by not only her vocal abilities but the connection she had with her fans. I have been to a lot of shows this past year and I have yet to see an artist who is as invested in her fans as much as her. Benee made her way around the stage and said hello to everyone she could reach with the enthusiasm of seeing a friend you haven’t seen in a while. By the time she made it to the Kenny Beats produced “Night Garden,” the crowd was absolutely in tune with her. She even gave the mic to an audience member for Bakaar’s verse of the song where they rapped every line. She then kicked all her male band members off the stage except for her guitarist who picked up a turntable and began to DJ some of her tracks with flawless transitions. Benee stated that it was “Girl Time,” creating a moment of excitement as they sped through some of her most exciting tracks. Before we knew it, it was time for the moment we were all waiting for as the guitars of “Supa Lonely” started to fade in. With a song that big, everyone and their parents were singing along including the dads who brought their kids to the show. As she ended her set I was waiting for her to go off into the back for an encore but that was not the case at all. Benee instead stayed around after her last song and signed posters for all the fans, maintaining that close bond with her fans. 

Benee was such a blessing to see live, one of my favorite parts about live music is the connection you get to see between the artist and their fans. If I had never heard of Benee before this show I would walk away a fan as her talent and spirit are undeniable.