Independent singer and rapper Qveen Herby played a sold-out show at the Mission Ballroom last Saturday night. Her loyal fans braved the line that wrapped around the building. While waiting for showtime, I overheard so many similar conversations about how long people had been fans of and supporting Miss Qveen, many since long before her stage alias, Qveen Herby, was even born. A feat for any artist, but especially one doing it all independently.

Thot Squad opened the show, amping up the crowd with her energetic, hype girl music and neon stage presence. She absolutely set the vibe for a fun and entertaining night.

Anticipation filled the crowd as the silhouette of Qveen Herby appeared on stage between the flashing strobe lights. The tropical stage decor truly took us on a trip to the Isle of Qveen. Her ship – the S.S. Qveen, of course – sat stage right while she made her way around on her throne. The packed audience proved their loyalty by knowing every word to every song.

Every sold-out show needs plenty of water circulating, so a major shoutout to the Mission Ballroom staff for always having bottles of water ready to hand out and for diligently keeping a close eye on the safety of everyone there to enjoy the show.

Through years of hard work and genuine passion, Qveen has built herself an empire in the music world. She had the audience in the palm of her hand for the entirety of her nearly two-hour set, and even after the lights came on, her fans still weren’t ready for it to end. As the crowd slowly filtered out into the night, the excitement and chatter continued; it’s clear exactly why her independent reign continues to grow stronger with every tour.