Lexa Gates Opens Her ‘I Am’ Tour in Santa Ana

Glenalyn Ann
2 days ago
3 min read

Santa Ana was the place to be this past Thursday night, and the line wrapping around the block well before doors opened made that abundantly clear. Fans had been waiting hours, determined to claim their spot, and every minute of that wait proved to be worth it.

Lexa Gates is a Queens-bred rapper, singer, and producer who built her name entirely from the ground up. What started as music made in her basement and uploaded to SoundCloud eventually found its way to TikTok, where her viral single "Angel" caught fire and introduced her to a whole new world of listeners. Her 2024 major-label debut, Elite Vessel, earned critical praise from Rolling Stone and Complex, landed on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and brought in co-signs from SZA, Isaiah Rashad, and Aminé. Her latest album, I Am, is a raw, 18-track declaration rooted in honesty, self-discovery, and the kind of unfiltered storytelling that has made her one of New York's most compelling new voices.

Before Lexa took the stage, the night was in good hands. ZAYALLCAPS opened things up with a high-energy set that had the crowd on their feet from the jump, followed by the DJ duo 2DOGS, who turned the venue into a full-on party. By the time their sets wrapped, the room was buzzing, ready for whatever came next. The openers did exactly what great openers do: set the table perfectly.

Photo Cr.: Glenalyn Ann

As the lights dimmed and the opening notes of "It Goes On" began to fill the room, the crowd erupted, not just in cheers but in song. Practically everyone in the building knew every word, and Lexa fed right off that energy. She moved into "I Don't Even Know," "Estranged," and "Past It," and the connection between artist and audience only deepened with each track. You could see it on her face—a smile she couldn't hold back, lit up by a crowd that was giving everything right back to her.

The excitement wasn't just about the music, either. Many fans were seeing Lexa for the first time in months, and she arrived looking and feeling like a new chapter had begun. Some even remarked that this felt like a "completely different Lexa" but in the best possible way. There was a quiet confidence radiating from her that the audience leaned into immediately, making the whole room feel like it was in on something special.

She spoke openly about how much she had missed being on stage and wasted no time channeling that into the performance. "Rest of My Life," "Stupid," "You're Better Off," and "All Work No Play" all landed like anthems, with fans from the barricade all the way to the back of the room singing every word with their full chest. There was a communal joy to it, the kind that doesn't happen by accident, but because an artist has earned that level of trust with their audience.

To close out the night, Lexa brought it home with You Don't Give a Fuck About Me," "Lately, Nothing," and "Serious," three songs that felt like a perfect send-off. The energy never dipped, and Lexa made sure of it. From the first note to the last, this was a night designed for people to just breathe, feel the music, and exist in the moment—and that's exactly what happened. We cannot wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the I Am Tour.

Photo Cr.: Glenalyn Ann

What's your favorite track from Lexa Gates? Let us know by leaving a comment below or by reaching out on Instagram or X!

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Edited: Martina Yee