Khalid: Live at MTSU
Please see general policies below regarding tickets and show rules.
Students and their guest must arrive together on the night of show. Please bring your
Student ID to enter.
General Info
On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Khalid will be performing a private show at MTSU, with a featured performer (TBA) and a student opener (TBA). The show is exclusive to MTSU Students, Faculty/Staff, Alumni, and their guests. General Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.; the show will begin at 7:00 p.m. For ticket and venue information, please visit the corresponding tabs on this website (times subject to change).
This show is sponsored by MTSU Signature Events, a joint committee comprised of members from SGA and SPARE and McGuire Management.
This show is intended for college audiences and older. The performer may use explicit language and/or sexually suggestive lyrics in their performance.
Biography
Khalid
Just out of high school when he made his commercial debut with the ballad "Location" (2016), non-traditional R&B singer and songwriter Khalid has attracted a large following with an undemonstrative but heartfelt vocal style and a down-to-earth perspective. Although he attained a major-label contract within months of uploading his first songs, "Location" moved into the mainstream at a slow tempo similar to that of the song itself and became a Top 20 pop hit just after the release of American Teen (2017), one of the biggest album debuts of the late 2010s. Within a period of just over a year, Khalid went from an unknown, everyday teenager to a chart-topping, platinum-certified pop star with Grammy nominations for "Location" and American Teen, plus Logic's "1-800-237-8255," on which he appeared. The Billboard 200-topping Free Spirit (2019) wasn't released until two years after American Teen, but Khalid was busy throughout the interim with an assortment of featured appearances and collaborations, highlighted by the Top Ten pop hits "Love Lies" (with Normani) and "Eastside" (headlined by Benny Blanco). Khalid returned to his solo work with the 2021 mixtape Scenic Drive (The Tape) and 2023's Everything Is Changing.
Khalid Robinson was raised by his mother, whose military career necessitated an itinerant upbringing. Originally from Fort Stewart, Georgia, he also lived on military reservations in Kentucky and New York, as well as in Heidelberg, Germany, before his mother was transferred to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Throughout, music had been a constant -- Khalid started singing as early as he could speak, and his mother performed with the U.S. Army Chorus -- but a supportive environment at El Paso's Americas High School sparked his creativity and boosted his confidence. While at Americas, Khalid uploaded his first recordings. They quickly reached A&R executive Tunji Balogun, who signed the artist to major-label RCA.
Khalid's commercial debut was made in August 2016, three months after he received his high school diploma, with "Location." A sparse love ballad produced by a team of six including Smash David and Syk Sense, it reflected the singer's affinity for the likes of James Blake and Frank Ocean. The anti-anthemic second single "Young Dumb & Broke" didn't arrive until the following February, as "Location" was remarkably still gaining ground, and set up the March release of the album American Teen. Containing both singles, the LP entered the Billboard 200 at number nine. "Location" finally peaked on the R&B/hip-hop and Hot 100 charts, respectively at numbers two and 16, two months later, and "Young Dumb & Broke" likewise took off gradually, ultimately topping the R&B/hip-hop chart and landing within the pop Top 20. Khalid became a sought-after featured artist in the process. He and Alessia Cara contributed to Logic's April 2017 single "1-800-237-8255," a Top Ten pop hit titled after the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The song was subsequently nominated for Grammy Awards in the categories of Song of the Year and Best Music Video. At the same time, "Location" was up for Best R&B Song, American Teen was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album, and Khalid himself was among the nominees for Best New Artist.
A discography of featured roles that included additional 2017 singles such as Calvin Harris' "Rollin'," Marshmello's "Silence," and a remix of Lorde's "Homemade Dynamite" continued to grow through 2018. Khalid made more chart impressions via Shawn Mendes' "Youth" and Benny Blanco's Top Ten hit "Eastside," among other appearances. More prominently as a headliner or co-headliner, Khalid contributed to the soundtracks of Love, Simon, 13 Reasons Why, and Superfly; the Normani duet "Love Lies" went Top Ten; and he also charted alongside Billie Eilish with "Lovely." Meanwhile, Khalid worked on his second album with the singles "OTW" and "Better." The latter topped the R&B/hip-hop chart, went Top 20 pop, and appeared on Suncity, an EP issued that October. Early the next year, Khalid issued "Saturday Nights" and "Talk" before the April arrival of Free Spirit, which entered the Billboard 200 at number one. "Talk," a number three pop hit, earned the singer his sixth Grammy nomination, this one for Record of the Year.
"New Normal" appeared in July 2021 as the first track off his forthcoming third album, Everything Is Changing. In December of that year, Khalid offered up Scenic Drive (The Tape), his first mixtape, which featured contributions from Alicia Keys, Ari Lennox, and Majid Jordan, among others. More singles arrived in 2022, including "Last Call," "Numb" (with Marshmello), and "Wish You Were Here" (with Lukas Graham). Everything Is Changing was released in 2023. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi
Featured Performer TBA
Student Opener TBA
Ticket Information
*Special Note: The ticket office will open late on Monday, April 22nd. It will resume normal hours starting at noon.
Student Tickets: Tickets will be exclusively available starting Monday, April 8th for current MTSU students before guest tickets and faculty/staff/alumni tickets become available. Students MUST have their MyMT event pass to pick-up their ticket. The ticket office is located at Gate 1-A of the Football Stadium on Faulkinberry Drive and it is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Students will only be able to claim one (1) ticket during this period to ensure all students have a chance to claim tickets before guest tickets open. As a reminder, students need to bring their Student ID to Murphy Center on the night of the show to gain entry with their ticket.
Student Guest Tickets: Beginning Monday, April 15th, students may return to the ticket office to claim one (1) guest ticket with their MyMT Event Pass. As a reminder, guests must arrive with their student host on the night of the event. They will not be allowed to enter without you escorting them into the venue with your Student ID. Guest tickets may not be resold and carry no value, as guests will not be allowed to enter without a host carrying a Student ID.
Floor Passes: Want to be on the floor for the concert? Floor pass upgrades will only be available on Monday, April 22nd and Tuesday, April 23rd, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the STU Commons (while supplies last). Each of those days, a limited amount of passes will be available. In order to upgrade to a floor pass, bring your ticket (and guest ticket, if claimed) and your MyMT Event Pass to the STU Commons and a SPARE representative will upgrade you. Floor wristbands will be placed on your wrist: please do not remove your wristband, as this will be your only means of getting onto the floor at the concert. Detailed instructions will be given to you with your wristband for floor access on the night of the show.
Faculty/Staff Tickets: Should tickets remain, Faculty & Staff will be able to claim a ticket, and one guest ticket, using their Faculty/Staff ID at the Ticket Office located at Gate 1-A of the Football Stadium starting on Monday, April 15th. The ticket office will be open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Guests must arrive with their faculty/staff host on the night of the concert. Please follow @mtsucampuslife for updates on whether or not ticket remain for faculty/staff/alumni.
Alumni Tickets: Should tickets remain, Alumni may contact the Alumni Office at (615) 898-2922 to request a ticket starting on Monday, April 15th. Alumni may claim one additional ticket for their guest. On the night of the concert, guests must arrive alongside their alumni host. Please follow @mtsucampuslife for updates on whether or not ticket remain for faculty/staff/alumni.
For more information on seating, please see the Show Entry & Floor Admission section. Floor admission will only be given to current MTSU students and their guest (if applicable).
Guest Policy
Tickets are not for resale. All guests will be required to attend the event with their respective student, faculty/staff, or alumni host. If you get a guest ticket, your guest must come to Murphy Center and enter with you. Please, please, please don't forget this: we won't be able to make exceptions at the door on the night of the event.
Venue Information & Parking
For venue information, please keep reading. Click here to jump to parking information.
General doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Before 5:00 p.m., no one will be permitted to camp or line-up on the Murphy Center Concourse level.
Once inside the venue, there will be no re-entry. Please refrain from leaving the Murphy Center Complex during the event. There are no reserved seats inside the venue for the concert: all seats are general admission with the exception of the floor. Please visit Ticket Information for information on floor admission (available to students and their guests only).
Bags are not allowed inside Murphy Center. Please plan accordingly, especially if you are coming from class and have a backpack. Flash photography and professional photo cameras are not allowed except for those given an approved media pass. While cell phones are not prohibited during the show, we do recommend that patrons keep their phones tucked away during the show. Please be considerate: other students would rather see the performer live than through your phone screen.
Prohibited Items include, but are not limited to:
- Bags/Backpacks/Shoe-Bags
- Exceptions: Clutches that are 4.5" x 6" or less, or Medical Bags
- Professional Cameras/Flash Photography
- Video cameras/tripods
- Alcohol, tobacco, and any illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia
- Bottles/Cans/Food/Coolers
- Laser Pointers/Artificial Noise Makers
- Umbrellas/Flag Poles/Other vision-limiting handhelds
- Fireworks/Weapons/Other Dangerous Devices
Parking will not be modified for this event. Standard regulations apply.
The Short Explanation: If you park before 6:30 p.m., you will need either a parking permit or a guest pass (can be obtained via MTSU Parking Services). If you park after 6:30 p.m., you will not need either.
The Long Explanation: Before 6:30 p.m., all parking permits are required to park in their assigned areas (map of parking by permit), and off-campus guests will need to purchase and print a guest parking permit for $2 through the Parking Services website. After 6:30 p.m., anyone may park in any lot on campus for free without a permit or restriction other than handicapped, maintenance, and other marked reserved spaces.
Show Entry & Floor Admission
If you have general tickets, please proceed to enter through the open doors on the Northeast side of the Murphy Center Complex (nearest Greenland Drive). Bring your MTSU Student ID with your ticket. You will need your ID to enter. Any general entrants coming from the south side of the Murphy Center Complex will need to follow the concourse to the Northeast entry ways.
Please have your ticket ready and be sure you have no prohibited items on you. All patrons will be scanned upon entry: Please follow security staff instructions at the entry ways to ensure the quickest entry possible.
Floor admission tickets will have been given out prior to the event night (please see Ticket Information for more details). Anyone with a floor wristband will be asked to use a specialized entry process. More detailed instructions, including a location and advanced door entry time, will be provided upon claiming your floor wristband on either April 22nd or April 23rd. Please arrive at the time instructed to help ensure a smooth entry procedure for all guests attending the concert.
Media Policy
Media passes for accredited outlets may be requested by emailing tyler.adkins@mtsu.edu. Due to the overwhelming amount of requests we receive, only selected and approved requests will receive a response.
ADA Access
If you have special accommodation requests for this show, please contact richard.kershaw@mtsu.edu. For venue entry, you may utilize the ADA entrance located on the northwest side of the venue across from the Tennis complex (ground level). Upon entry, you will be directed to the elevator to reach the track level. ADA seating is located at the track level at staff can help direct you to seating areas. If you have a floor wristband, you will be taken to arena floor from the ground level entrance.
