Alexandra Kay Shines During Sold-Out House of Blues Chicago Concert

Alexandra Kay Performs in Chicago, IL; Photo by Stephanie Siau

Hours before Alexandra Kay was set to take the stage for her debut in Chicago, IL’s iconic venue, House of Blues, fans lined up down the street in their best pink ensembles with glitter, bows and more, excited for the chance to see their favorite rising country star in action.

The Illinois native was proud to return to her home state this weekend to honor her journey as a former independent artist who recently signed a record deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. Over the past six years, she and her small team have worked tirelessly to grow her name and captivate fans with her unparalleled storytelling. The result of that hard work came through clear as day during her stop in the Windy City as part of her Cupid’s A Cowgirl Tour.
Alexandra Kay Performs in Chicago, IL; Photo by Stephanie Siau
It’s not every day you see an artist at Kay’s level pack out a venue with a capacity of up to 1,800 people, but she pulled it off with ease. Even more impressive, her audience, which spans generations from young children to adult country music lovers, all united to sing along to nearly every song on her setlist.

“This is the coolest room I think I’ve ever played. This is so cool. It’s like every time I look up, I just see new people,” she stated to the crowd, while waving to fans down below as well as her family and friends seated in the upper level. “I can’t believe we sold out the House of Blues Chicago. That’s crazy. Thank you so much. It was a dream for me to play this venue. Never did I think the first time we got to play it that you guys would sell it out. Thank you so much.”
Alexandra Kay Performs in Chicago, IL; Photo by Stephanie Siau

Starting the Night Off Strong With ‘Cupid’s A Cowgirl’

Kay kicked off the unforgettable 90-minute set with her latest release, a sassy female empowerment anthem titled “Cupid’s A Cowgirl.” Her positive energy radiated throughout the smoke-filled stage and soft pink lighting that illuminated her look featuring a pink feather-trimmed top, denim shorts with studded hearts embellishments, and dazzling silver cowboy boots.

The show continued with a few fan-favorites like “Backroad Therapy,” “More Than You,” “That’s What Love Is,” “Skip This Part” and her friendship anthem, “She Stayed.” Kay then took a moment to speak to her fans, letting them know that the night ahead would include several new and unreleased songs off her next album, but before diving into those, she wanted to celebrate the chapter that inspired her previous album, All I’ve Ever Known.

This 2023 collection offers a detailed diary of her divorce from a partner she was with for over a decade. As she learned to navigate all the trials and tribulations she went through during that time, there was one constant light guiding her out of the darkness – her fans. It was these listeners that stuck by Kay through what she calls “the hardest year of my entire life.”
Alexandra Kay Performs in Chicago, IL; Photo by Stephanie Siau
“You supported me through writing this album and then putting this album out and my divorce being so public and my life being so public. In the middle of processing, it all, I got to meet a bunch of you guys every night and you guys would hug me, wrap your arms around me, tell me your stories. And I felt so much less alone,” she admitted. “And I just want to say more than anything, just thank you for that. Thank you for being there for me when I really, really needed you guys. And I just promise to always be there for you, even if that’s through my music.”

She went on to promise to continue to write songs that reflect her most honest emotions, just like she did in the project’s title track, which was the next song to unite the crowd in a massive sing-along full of healing and encouragement for the days ahead.

Setting The Tone For A New Project With Unreleased Songs

One of the most remarkable aspects of Alexandra Kay’s career is the way her fans know every word to every songs, even the unreleased ones. So when it came time to debut a few fresh songs like “The Last” and “Tomorrow Problems,” it felt as if they had been in her catalog for years. These songs are just a small look into Kay’s new record, that has found her writing from a much different place than her last album.

“It’s been really cool writing from such a secure, confident, purely joyful place,” she told the audience. “Since I was 12 years old when I started writing songs, I always wrote because I had really bad feelings and now I write songs because I am overwhelmed with happy feelings.”
Alexandra Kay Performs in Chicago, IL; Photo by Stephanie Siau

Stand-Out Moments

In between hearing her signature vocals roar throughout the venue, Kay stopped the show several times to touch base with her fans. At one point, she paused to sign merch, speak directly to her fans and even make sure an emergency in the audience was handled properly.

Another memorable moment involved getting to help announce the gender of her bandmate’s first baby. She welcomed him and his wife to the front of the stage and erupted in screams of joy alongside the audience as bright pink lights shined down on them, indicating that a baby girl was on the way.

“I knew it,” Kay yelled enthusiastically before joking, “Too much pink in this camp not to be a girl. I knew it.”
Alexandra Kay Performs in Chicago, IL; Photo by Stephanie Siau
For the second half of the show, Kay mixed things up with a vibrant cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” as well as her collaboration with Julia Cole, “Best Worst Ex,” both of which ignited the crowd with their infectious energy before slowing down with a deeply personal moment.

Proving she is in her happiest lover girl era, Kay moved over to the piano where her boyfriend and bandmate, Rocko Beall began playing the delicate intro to “Second Wind.” The couple’s undeniable chemistry filled the room as she poured her heart into the lyrics, painting a picture of the newfound joy she feels over getting a second chance at love. Her raw emotion was even more palpable as she seamlessly intertwined a few lines from Elvis Presley’s classic, “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”