On Thursday night at the Brooklyn Paramount, rising R&B star DESTIN Conrad performed to a sold-out audience, just one month into his headline Love On Digital Tour. Fans packed the storied venue to witness how he performs at a new level in his ever-growing career. 

To understand a DESTIN show, you need to understand the arc Conrad is writing for himself. He isn’t another “industry plant” climbing the chart, if that’s even a real thing. Instead, he’s carving a space in modern R&B for queer narratives and sonic experimentation. 

DESTIN has grown throughout the years, with EPs like Submissive (2023) and Submissive 2 (2024). But skyrocketing him to sold-out shows was his tour’s namesake album, and first studio album, Love On Digital, which came out in April of this year.

Besides the experimental sound and honest storytelling, the album’s sheer number of features is impressive—with contributions from Kehlani on “Bad Bitches,” serpentwithfeet on “Soft Side,” and Lil Nas X on “P.B.S.” A well-rounded mix of artists that encapsulate the space Conrad is making. If that wasn’t enough, just four months later, he released a follow-up Jazz album, wHIMSY, which was a slight genre shift and a departure from his usual pop and R&B sounds, but it aligned perfectly with where he stands right now as an artist.

These two albums led Conrad to the Brooklyn Paramount last night. From the opening song, “Outro,” the impact was undeniable, echoed in every line that the audience shouted back to him. The chorus of voices gave way to roaring cheers when Kehlani stepped on stage to perform their collaboration “Bad Bitches” together, which, if it wasn’t clear by the screaming audience, was a major surprise.

Check out exclusive images from the show below.

Photography Darío Castillo