Xana came to DC in support of her latest Until It Wasn’t Tour and played 2-sold-out shows this past week in the nation’s capital. I was very excited to see and cover her outstanding show for Parklife DC at DC9.
Humorously, her tour in 2024 was called The Sex Was Good Until it Wasn’t. I had tickets to see Xana about a year ago in DC on the last tour, but the tour was cancelled due to medical issues for Xana. While I am thankful that she is doing better, I am also happy she is back on tour, and I was finally able to catch her second show in DC and experience her dynamic set-in person. (The previous night she played Union Stage, a much bigger venue, but I chose the smaller DC9 to see her show as it is a more intimate venue, with a great sound system.)
Before Xana took the stage on Oct. 19, Siena Liggins played a great opening set with about 45-minutes of superb vocals and rhythms that easily drew the fans in for a night of dancing and feeling alive. Her rapport with the audience was fantastic as she talked and rapped to fans during her set. Liggins was born in Michigan in a music family and perfected rapping while growing up there.
Liggins continues writing music and is currently living in Atlanta. Liggins had her first album on the market back in 2021 entitled “Ms. Out Tonight.” She has a very upbeat stage presence, always smiling and developing a unique rapport with the audience as she calls them out during her set in a very non-chalant and friendly manner getting laughs and applause from the fans dancing along to the music. It will be very interesting to see where she takes her music next as she continues on this tour with Xana. Her and Xana mix well with each other’s set, and I hope to see them tour together more in the future.
Watch Siena Liggins perform “Ms. Out Tonight” live for Velvet Residence on YouTube:
Xana was splendid as expected from the onset, infectious with her lyrics, vocals, and choreography. Xana started her set with a fantastic “GIRLSGIRL,” a track that definitely got the sold-out crowd in attendance moving to the beat and ready for a super night of music.
“GIRLSGIRL” is definitely one of her best tracks of many great tracks, but this one defines her abilities as well as any of her songs do. Xana easily communicates with her audience through lyrics, and non-verbal communication as well as anyone I’ve seen in a long time. She pulls the audience in with superb vocals, and dance moves as good as anyone currently working within this musical genre.
Watch the official music video for “GIRLSGIRL” by Xana on YouTube:
“Sick Joke,” about halfway through her show highlighted her dynamic vocals and the intensity of her lyrical content. “The Sex Was Good” was also a highlight of the show, as well as her fantastic songs “FERAL” and “Confidential.”
Xana conversed throughout the set thanking the audience for attending the show and invited a person from the audience to the stage during “Love Like This,” as well as jumping off stage at one point running into the crowd, singing a part of a song and then departing back to the stage. The show was fantastic with Xana closing out a spectacular night with “4ever.”
Although Xana is relatively new in the world music scene, she already has a huge following, and she is selling out tour dates in the USA and Europe. This is the time to catch one of her early shows before she goes more mainstream. She is already one of the most talented persons in the pop-rock-dance genre and is arguably one of the best at singing her style of personal songs, which penetrate deeply with real conviction and meaning.
XANA Setlist:
1. GIRLSGIRL
2. Better Kind of Best Friend
3. Homewrecking Era
4. Crying After Sex
5. Love Like This
6. Sick Joke
7. FERAL
8. I did this all for you!
9. The Sex was good!
10. The Blue Room Interlude
11. Complex
12. Kitchen Light/Cruel Summer (Taylor Swift cover)
13. Confidential
14. Is it Everything You Thought
15. 4ever
Here are some photos of Xana performing live at DC9 on Oct. 19, 2025. All pictures copyright a courtesy of James Todd Miller.
Here are some photos of Siena Liggins opening Xana at DC9 on Oct. 19, 2025. All pictures copyright a courtesy of James Todd Miller.
