Ariana Grande. It's safe to say that in 2019, Ariana Grande is killing it. On the heels of the success of Sweetener, the pop star released her fifth studio album, Thank U, Next, full of bold, unapologetic tracks such as “7 Rings,” “Bloodline,” and “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored.” She became the first artist since the Beatles to hold all three of the top spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously. When a beef with the show’s producer prompted her to cancel her appearance at the Grammys, she stayed home, Instagrammed herself lounging in a custom Zac Posen gown, and won best pop vocal album for Sweetener. Grande is taking charge, and we’re happy she’s inviting us along for the ride. Joining her on the Sweetener World Tour are pop duo Social House, which coproduced Grande’s song “Thank U, Next,” and
Florence + the Machine. "Want me to love you in moderation/Do I look moderate to you?" Florence Welch sings in one of two new songs released in January by the English indie-rock band Florence + the Machine. In interviews and in her music, Welch has addressed topics such as her experiences quitting drinking and dealing with heartbreak, but last year’s High as Hope, the band’s fourth studio album, found her even more open, raw, and vulnerable. In one song, she alludes to the eating disorder she struggled with as a teen; another track acts as a confession to Patti Smith, one of Welch's idols. It’s been a few years since Florence + the Machine performed in Miami, but they'll stop in the Magic City in June on the High as Hope Tour. If their last visit is any indication, expect them to hold nothing back. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 9, at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-777-1000; aaarena.com. Tickets start at $35.50 via ticketmaster.com. — Suzannah Friscia
Twenty One Pilots. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Twenty One Pilots became a household name in 2015 when they released
Young the Giant and Fitz and the Tantrums. When "My Body" took over the airwaves in 2011, you might have dismissed Young the Giant as a not terribly formidable presence in the alternative scene. You might have made the same mistake when Fitz and the Tantrums' "Moneygrabber" made the rounds around the same time. But eight years later, both bands are still commanding plenty of attention. in March, Fitz and the Tantrums teased their upcoming album with the single "123456," and Young the Giant's latest album, Mirror Master, dropped late last year. 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at Bayfront Park Amphitheater, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; bayfrontpark.amphitheatermiami.com. Tickets cost $29.50 to $174.25 via livenation.com. — Ciara LaVelle
Jennifer Lopez. Jenny has come a long way since, uh, the block. She's judging and producing for the reality dance competition TV show World of Dance. She's starring in the film Hustlers alongside Cardi B and Constance Wu this fall. She made things engagement-ring official with former Yankees shortstop Alex Rodriguez. And, oh yeah, she's also embarked on a two-month tour that closes out with three back-to-back shows in Miami. Lopez's camp describes the It's My Party Tour as "a nonstop party mix of new and classic J.Lo anthems," bolstered by spectacles of choreogrpahy and set design. Plus, stars from World of Dance will make appearances. Whatever you thought about Lopez's Motown tribute at the Grammys earlier this year, you've gotta admit this show sounds like a fun time. Thursday, July 25, Friday July 26, and Saturday, July 27, at the American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; aaarena.com. Tickets cost $55.95 to $710 via ticketmaster.com. — Ciara LaVelle
Carly Rae Jepsen. If you still think of Carly Rae Jepsen as the "Call Me Maybe" girl, you haven't been paying attention. (Also, you're probably not queer.) Since that song went viral in 2012 — and became a bona fide hit in the process — Jepsen has become something like pop music royalty to her growing and feverishly dedicated base of fans. Jepsies, as they're known, may have initially stood up for their queen as a backlash to the sexist way "Call Me Maybe" was dismissed by many critics. But they stayed for the music, because damn if it's not catchy. This month, Jepsen released her fourth studio album, Dedicated, and you can expect to see the Carly Army out in full force when she brings it to South Beach. Friday, June 26, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; fillmoremb.com. Tickets cost $36.50 to $127.50 via livenation.com. — Ciara LaVelle
Khalid. If MTV's Video Music Award for best new artist comes with a curse, it hasn't yet struck Khalid. The singer and songwriter, who won that award in 2017, has only turned up his talents in the years since. His song "The Ways," featuring rapper Swae Lee, appeared on the Black Panther soundtrack. He reached Billboard's Top 10 with "Love Lies," his duet with Normani. And he's collaborated with everyone from Shawn Mendes to Billie Ellish to Lorde and beyond. Now he's reportedly the second most streamed artist on Spotify. Not bad for a kid who got his start uploading songs to SoundCloud. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 17, at the American Airlines Arena, 610 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; aaarena.com. Tickets cost $35.95 to $259 via ticketmaster.com. — Ciara LaVelle
Vampire Weekend. When Vampire Weekend lead singer and guitarist Ezra Koenig met his bandmates at Columbia University in New York City, they gravitated toward one another due to their affinity for punk and African music. Those beginnings somehow led Vampire Weekend to become its generation's representative of preppy, if discontented, suburbia. Koenig and company have headlined festivals, topped the charts, and even earned an endorsement from President Obama. The band's latest, Father of the Bride, is the first Vampire Weekend album since 2013's Modern Vampires of the City and comes after a years-long break during which its members worked on side projects and through changes in their personal lives. (Koenig became a parent.) But now the band is back together and likely to pack the James L. Knight Center when its passes through Miami. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 24, at the James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; jlkc.com. Tickets cost $57.50 to $119 via ticketmaster.com. — Ciara LaVelle
Beck. Here's the bad news: Beck canceled his performance in Miami earlier this year. But the good news is you can drive a couple hours north to catch him in action. Beck, with supporting act Cage the Elephant, will take over Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach this summer. Beck's career trajectory has touched on about as many genres as there are obscure references in the lyrics to "Loser," and if last year's shows are any indication, he may offer fans a retrospective of his diverse three-decade career. 6 p.m. Friday, August 30, at Coral Sky Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach; westpalmbeachamphitheatre.com. Tickets cost $29.50 to $245 via livenation.com. — Ciara LaVelle
Rolling Stones. The Stones originally planned to launch their 2019 No Filter Tour in Miami at the end of this month. But fans were left hanging when the band was forced to postpone that launch so frontman Mick Jagger could undergo heart surgery. Everything went well, apparently, because Jagger and the crew are set to return to the road in July and will make it up to South Florida fans August 31 at Hard Rock Stadium. If this show is anything like the last time the legendary rockers rolled through town, expect to see a whole bunch of boomers lighting up and swaying to "Honky Tonk Woman" and "Sympathy for the Devil." Hey, whenever the Rolling Stones come to town, you've gotta make the most of it. You never know if it could be your final chance. 8 p.m. Saturday, August 31, at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens; hardrockstadium.com. Tickets cost $242.92 to $4,047 via ticketmaster.com. — Ciara LaVelle
