BTS, Cardi B and Zara Larsson lit up the opening night of the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival, delivering three of the evening’s standout performances at T-Mobile Arena on Friday, September 18.
The annual two-night festival brought together artists spanning from K-pop, hip-hop, pop, rock and country, with BTS closing the stage of Night 1.
Other artists included in the lineup were Benson Boone, Goo Goo Dolls, Kenny Chesney, Lainey Wilson, LE SSERAFIM, Major Lazer, Muse, Snoop Dogg and Weezer.
BTS closes the night with ‘MIC Drop’
Wearing ’90s/Y2K-inspired streetwear, BTS took the stage for the final performance of the night with a four-song set that blended tracks from their latest album with one of the group’s best-known hits.
RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook opened with “SWIM,” the lead single from their latest album ARIRANG, before continuing with “2.0.”
The septet then turned to “MIC Drop,” their 2017 fan favorite, before ending the festival’s first night with “FYA.”
Flames erupted around the stage during the finale as fiery visuals filled the screens behind the group.
The performance came as BTS continued its full-group activities following the members’ completion of their military service.
The group is currently on its ARIRANG World Tour.
Cardi B rolls out the hits
Cardi B brought a considerably longer set to the Las Vegas stage, performing nearly a dozen songs that included some of her biggest hits.
Wearing a sparkling zebra-print bodysuit with red fringe, the rapper performed “WAP,” “Bodak Yellow” and “Up,” along with her latest single, “AH HA.”
She also performed tracks including “I Like It,” “Taki Taki,” “Finesse,” “ErrTime,” “Bodega Baddie” and “Pretty & Petty.”
A day before the festival, the Grammy winner teased that she’s working on new music and planning a major tour in 2027.
Zara Larsson shares the stage with a fan
Zara Larsson brought pop and choreography to Night 1 with a set featuring “Midnight Sun,” “Blue Moon,” “Pretty Ugly,” “Stateside” and “Symphony.”
But one of her biggest crowd moments arrived during “Lush Life.”
Larsson invited a fan onto the stage to perform the song’s viral dance alongside her, continuing a tradition that has become a recurring part of her live shows.
“Lush Life” went viral on TikTok last year after a clip of Larsson performing the song with a fan during her Midnight Sun Tour gained millions of views online.
The viral moment gave the 2015 hit a new wave of popularity more than a decade after its release, with the song climbing charts across several European countries.
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