FORT WORTH, Texas — The 2023 Jingle Ball in Fort Worth was living proof that no matter where you come from, there's nothing that can bring people together like music.
Dickies Arena was full of fans and performers from a variety of genres, from country to pop to reggae to K-pop to hip-hop and R&B.
Before the artists performed, most of them spoke to WFAA reporter Sydney Persing and digital producer Briahn Hawkins. As we learned about their excitement for the Jingle Ball, many of them just so happened to mention that they have ties to North Texas that made performing in Fort Worth even more special.
Here are the DFW connections that surprised us the most:
AleXa
K-pop star AleXa was the first to take the stage at Dickies Arena with her hit singles like "Wonderland" and "Sick."
Beforehand, AleXa told WFAA that she was excited to perform in front of her family who currently lives in the Dallas area. Since she lives on the other side of the world, she was looking forward to seeing them and their reactions to her new songs.
"Originally, we're from Tulsa, Oklahoma. But when I moved to Korea back in 2018, they moved to Dallas for my dad's work," AleXa said.
AleXa's performance makes Jingle Ball history as its first ever solo Korean performer. AleXa gave major props to other K-pop artists that have been a part of the tour and said being the first solo Korean act is honor.
"I remember watching Jingle Ball when I was a kid on the TV with my family," she said. "And actually being here in this position to perform, it's very fun and I hope it opens doorways for other female soloists to perform in the future."
Big Time Rush
Big Time Rush brought a feeling of revamped childhood nostalgia for the fans that have supported them since their Nickelodeon era in the 2010s. After 10 years apart (technically eight, but they'll claim 10), the group got back together with a new album and a tour.
While they spoke with WFAA Tuesday night, we learned that BTR member Logan Henderson is from North Texas, so he got to perform in front of family and friends.
"It feels good to be home," Henderson said. "This is the official spot to where everything feels like it's holiday time, so that's just the coolest thing."
The pop group jumped into their second Dickies show with classics like "Boyfriend" and "Music Sounds Better" along with new hits "Weekend" and "Learn to Love," topped off with a backflip by bandmate James Maslow to close them out.
"It's so cool to have fans that grew up on us that are back and enjoying it so much yet again. [It's been] some of the best times of our lives then and now and we just want to keep the good times going," said Maslow.
"I mean the fact that we're still doing it is pretty freaking awesome," chimed Carlos PenaVega.
Paul Russell
Paul Russell made a cold night in DFW feel like a summertime hangout with a friend we secretly have a crush on. He got the Jingle Ball crowd moving with his TikTok hit, "Lil Boo Thang," along with other singles "Ms. Poli Sci" and "Be That Too."
Before his overnight success, Russell spent most of his childhood in Allen and graduated from Allen High School. He told WFAA he would go to shows in Dallas as a kid and the folk music he heard influenced the early stages of his music career.
"The sort of stuff that I would write would be very much in that lane. Then I kind of expanded into hip-hop and pop stuff from there, but I think that at least got me got my footing and kind of figuring out what I was interested in," Russell said.
For anyone else in DFW that's looking to follow a path like Russell, his main message is to be patient and to keep working for want you want.
"I was working a day job literally two months ago," Russell said. "You never know when stuff can work out, so just keep at whatever you're passionate about and see where it goes."
Jelly Roll
As the newly-awarded CMA New Artist of the Year and now Grammy-nominated, Jelly Roll was the perfect fit for keeping the country in Cowtown! He brought fan favorites such as "Halfway to Hell" and "Son of a Sinner."
The singer is a Nashville native, but he considers North Texas a second home. He said a lot of special moments in his career happened in the DFW music scene.
"The first time my daughter ever got on stage was at Trees in Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas. The first time I ever sold out an amphitheater was in [Irving], Texas at the Toyota Pavilion. I flew my whole family in; I never knew if I'd sell that many tickets again anywhere in my life. Even I think my last tour, one of the biggest shows at the tour was at Dos Equis right here in Dallas," said Jelly Roll.
He also gave a shout-out to Billy Bob's in Fort Worth, saying it was his "favorite honkytonk in America."
"If I'd just get to go hang out somewhere on a Friday night anywhere on Earth, that's where I'd be," he told WFAA.