Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.

When I was 16-years-old, I went to my very first concert in Los Angeles, California. It was Ariana Grande’s “Sweetener World Tour”, and I was completely starstruck. As of today, I have been to a total of five concerts, so I figured I’d rank them all with five being my least favorite and one being my absolute favorite. 

dua lipa at the barbie premiere
Warner Bros

#5: Dua Lipa

Opener: Megan Thee Stallion

Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia Tour” was the second concert I’ve been to. Although I do listen to a lot of Dua Lipa’s songs, the tickets were a last-minute purchase and were in the nosebleed section. The concert was definitely very engaging the whole time and Dua Lipa’s vocals exceeded my expectations. But in terms of production and dancing, it hit below the mark. 

Although I loved going to this concert, it was not my favorite of the five simply because the quality of the show did not exceed any of the others that I have been to. Dua Lipa is still one of my favorite singers, though. 

#4: Doja Cat

Opener: Doechii

I went to see Doja Cat’s “The Scarlet Tour” in Denver this month, and although Doja Cat is a great performer, she did not interact with the audience that much. She sang hit songs such as “Say So” and “Paint the Town Red”, which were both very entertaining to watch live. Her vocals in songs like “Streets” and “Red Room” were impeccable. However, Doja Cat’s lack of audience acknowledgment made the concert feel less personal.

The visuals and dancing were also attention-grabbing, but out of all the concerts I’ve been to, it was not the best. I definitely enjoyed the concert a lot, but I’ve been to others that were more captivating.

#3: Twice

Opener: None

For those of you who do not know, Twice is a popular all-girl music group from South Korea. My boyfriend is obsessed with this group and wanted me to tag along with him. Although I do not listen to Twice’s music, their visuals, dancing, and vocal skills were truly amazing. I promise that if you do not know their songs, you will still be highly entertained throughout the concert.

We had floor seats to this show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which made the show even better. I highly recommend seeing an artist or group that you do not usually listen to because you may be surprised!

#2: Ariana Grande

Opener: Normani 

This was the first concert I’ve ever been to, so it was a particularly special experience for me. I’ve also been obsessed with Ariana Grande since elementary school, so I was even more pumped to see her live. 

Ariana Grande performed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and I was in the nosebleeds. But despite being far away from the stage, I was still able to see the entire performance clearly. Grande’s outfits and vocals really made the concert a top-notch experience, and I would definitely see her again if she went on another tour. 

#1: Taylor Swift

Openers: Gracie Abrams and MUNA

Of course. I mean, who else could beat Taylor Swift in this ranking? Not only was the venue (Mile High Stadium) HUGE, but I was also in the middle section of the stadium, so the view was great. 

Taylor Swift is not number one because she is my favorite artist. She’s earned this spot because her concert had everything: fan interaction, visuals, vocals, surprise songs, and fireworks. The energy throughout the concert (and even before) was like nothing else I’ve experienced. The “Eras Tour” was definitely a concert for the books. 

After relieving these concerts in my head by ranking them, I have the urge to buy tickets to more concerts so I can add them to the list. I definitely recommend going to as many concerts as you can because they are truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

Maya Paustenbaugh is a writer for the Her Campus University of Colorado-Boulder chapter. Outside of Her Campus, Maya works at the CU Boulder Bookstore on campus and enjoys reading in her free time. She was one of the editors of her high school yearbook for two years and is currently a multimedia journalist intern for Bucket List Community Cafe. Maya is a junior studying Journalism with a minor in Political Science and Leadership. In her free time, Maya enjoys going to the gym, re-watching Harry Potter, and visiting her family in Fort Collins, CO. She also loves any water related activity and baking (especially cakes). Maya learned how to ski when she lived in Germany and can be found skiing around Colorado in the winter!