Hours before Kodie Shane was set to hit the stage, Houston’s White Oak Music Hall was filled with dancing fans eagerly anticipating her performance. The Atlanta-based singer and rapper spent a third of her Young, Hot, and Vulnerable Tour in Texas, with Houston being the final Texas show after a stop in Austin and Dallas. It’s no surprise to learn that Kodie spent a life surrounded by music, born into a family full of musicians, as she put on a performance that perfectly showcased her immense talent and undeniable charisma. 

Instead of having a single opening act, Kodie Shane opted to platform a variety of Houston-based rappers who were able to promote their music to a very receptive audience and prompted their new fans to follow them on Instagram to continue supporting them in any future endeavors. Some of the artists even chose to make their performances more interactive by bringing fans on stage to dance along to their music. 

However, the party really started when Kodie went on stage, as she herself noted multiple times throughout the show. Prior to the start of her set, fans were greeted by a recording welcoming them to the show and reminding them of three simple rules: make a friend, dance your heart out, and not forget the love. Fans clearly took those words to heart, singing and dancing along from the minute the first song, “Letting Go,” started playing and hyping each other up at every turn.

Despite Kodie’s laid-back appearance, something that perfectly suited her rap style, her singing voice was more akin to meringue than anything. Her smooth and airy vocals were most prominent in songs like “Party,” “High Speeds,” and “Luv & Champagne.” Rather than being in stark contrast to her more rap heavy songs, they complimented each other, bringing out all of her best musical qualities. 

As amazing as her music might be, it has nothing on her stage presence. Throughout the night, nothing was more on display than the love between Kodie Shane and her fans. Kodie was all too eager to interact with the crowd at any given moment, from passing the mic to a fan who could sing every word without error to singing directly in fans’ faces to filming herself with a fan’s phone. 

The openly queer artist did her best to make the girls swoon all night, teasing fans with smiles and her signature crazy eyes, leaving them all feeling like they got their special moment with the artist they loved. This was especially true when she sang songs that were unambiguously about a woman like “NOLA,” “Too Deep,” and “Test Me.” 

Additionally, Kodie sang the entirety of her new EP, Young, Hot, & Vulnerable. Despite being a perfectionist that restarted multiple songs because she didn’t believe the performance was good enough for her fans, she was even able to include the EP’s bonus track, “Each Day.”

While the show did eventually have to end, her love for Houston and Houston’s love for her never did. Kodie recounted people telling her that it was her duty to turn Houston’s show into a party, but instead, she felt that fans made the show a party long before she stepped on stage. In order to celebrate, she made a toast to the city and took a shot on stage before singing her final song, “Pull The Car Around.”

Have you seen Kodie Shane on tour? What was your highlight of the concert? Let us know by leaving a comment below or by reaching out on Instagram or X (Twitter)!

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Edited by Martina Yee