What frames “The Growing Pains” tour is 23-year-old Golden Landis Von Jones’ life post-breakout. Introduced to the public with his song “Mood,” which eventually received verses from Justin Bieber, great performances on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and a track on the soundtracks of blockbuster movies followed in his developing career.
With these important recognitions within the music industry, 24kGoldn is more than aware of being at the crossroads of rising public fame and music industry attention. His most recent album, “Growing Pains,” and its accompanying tour assured a peek behind the curtain, a look into the complexities of such crossroads and their role in how he will shape himself.
Albums labeled as honest and vulnerable often get misconstrued as needing a more stripped back production and are met with a new image of a mellow artist. While that category is what 24kGoldn was going for, the image is different. Still in his early 20s, he reaches into a re-visitation of the self, unclouded by not completely positive influences.
Rather than the usual image of an artist filled with a newfound introspective consciousness that’s casted off their past discography, 24kGoldn brings a new honing of the musicality that works for him. Still working within the hip-hop genre, he has drawn on a new songwriting direction, blended with rock and R&B elements. On stage, the respect for his own past meshes with his development as an artist.
Union Stage feels like a small intimate gathering. Purple lights envelop the room, encouraging a laid-back, amiable atmosphere. The audience is full of friend groups, greeting each other as new people walk in. They all sway and vibe to the music playing in preparation for 24kGoldn’s set. A large tapestry hangs on the back wall of the mainly empty stage. Rid of elaborate stage decoration, the room brings attention to the impending performance.
With a blast of music and bright lights, 24kGoldn runs on stage singing “VALENTINO.” There’s an instant energy to his singing, which draws the crowd closer to the front. The stage lights alternate on each beat of the song, heightening the energy of the room. It’s his first time touring in Washington, D.C. and he addresses how amazed he’s felt by the welcome. This brings harmony between himself and the crowd, who are immediately receptive to 24kGoldn’s love for their city.
24kGoldn acknowledged how he may have gained fans through different stages of his career, and he then discussed with his audience the moments that led to the creation of “Growing Pains.” He shared with the audience the impact of fame on his identity. In the same way 24kGoldn faced hurdles on the album, the live performance also addressed these changes of himself and his career.
During “Dog House,” he plays guitar for the entirety of the song. His guitar first made an appearance earlier in the concert during “Good Intentions.” For the last six months he’d been learning guitar to become a better artist. The live guitar added dimension to the performance of 24kGoldn’s favorite song off the record.
Maintaining the interest of the crowd while keeping up your stamina is a crucial balance when performing, especially at smaller venues. But these are two variables 24kGoldn handled well. From the moment he appeared on stage, his vocals were clear and energetic, often keeping a close proximity to the crowd. There was never a point where his passion for performing was doubted. Considering little to no breaks and constant movement across the stage, it was amazing to see the consistency in delivery and performance. If anything, as he slowly reached the end of his set and performed more rap-focused than melodic songs, his vigor seemed to increase.
With the crowd, 24kGoldn signaled to wave along to his performance, which kept them engaged throughout the concert. Even without leading the audience, it found its enjoyment as the concert went on. A small group of hyped-up fans jumped along, couples repeated the lyrics back to each other and concertgoers grooved with different dance moves as the beat changed. Even between songs, no one appeared to be tired or awaiting the end.
The show ended with 24kGoldn’s performance of “Mood,” his breakout hit. The crowd erupted, singing louder than it did throughout the show. “Mood” being saved until the end was like a victory lap for himself and his fans. Throughout the show, he displayed authentic connections with his fans, so a callback to the start of his career feels celebratory.
As he has begun this new tour, 24kGoldn has developed his artistry to convey where he wants to go in his career while still being connected with his past. New lyrical themes combined with playing and production made for an engaging live performance. The crowd left the show with images of 24kGoldn flowing from the past into the present but still dedicated to his audience – while gaining a sense of the artist’s purpose beyond himself.
Suzanne Bagia can be reached at [email protected].
