If you have been keeping up with Kane Brown since the very beginning of his career, there were times during his recent show in Chicago that you might have found yourself staring in disbelief at the fans standing high up in the uppermost levels of the legendary United Center.

It was there that fans of every color and background assembled to get a glimpse of the once-shy kid from Chattanooga. But from the looks and feel of his latest show on his Blessed & Free Tour, that shy kid is officially no longer.

And in his place stands a country legend in the making.

This proclamation may seem extreme to some at this point, as Brown is the first to admit that he once wrestled just with the mere idea of stardom, often resulting in some shaky confidence on the stage. However, on a snowy night in January, Brown seemed in charge and surefooted in this new chapter of his story.

Repelling down from the rafters to kick off the show at the legendary United Center donning a Chicago Bulls jersey that showcased his ever-growing muscles, Brown immediately heated things up with the sexy “Pull It Off” in front of a screen flashing up fiery graphics that had the adoring audience swooning.

From there, he tore into songs including “Be Like That,” “Cool Again,” and “Short Skirt Weather,” with Brown quick to mention that he had wished the crowd favorite had been picked as a single from his 2018 album Experiment.

 Throughout the two-hour-plus set, Brown continuously flashed a smile that made it easy to believe that he was loving every moment of this incredible ride he's on. He smiled right through One Mississippi,” which if crowd reaction on this particular night means anything, looks like it will be a future No. 1 hit for Brown.

But perhaps the most endearing moments of the show was when Brown allowed himself to expose his past, which had its share of ugliness, in the hopes that his fans might find a little part of their own story in his.

On the flip side, Brown also gave fans an inside glimpse at his life today via a barrage of home videos showcasing a somewhat surreal life filled with the love of wife Katelyn and daughters Kingsley and Kodi while he sang the ultra-emotional “For My Daughter.”

Brown also paid homage to the covers that put him on the country music map in the first place, singing Blake Shelton’s “Ol’ Red,” Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” and the classic hit “Stand by Me.”

There were times when one forgot they were at a country music concert, and rather, seemed like a show resembling the ultimate mixtape.

And that’s okay. It is working.

Sure, there were a few things Brown could improve on. There were some odd song placements in the setlist that had one suffering from a whiplash of song styles, and the end of the show seemed a tad out of place, as Brown began taking selfies with the front row of fans while the rest of the crowd wondered if he was really done. And yes, many fans were hoping he would throw his new track “Whiskey Sour” into the setlist.

But nevertheless, Kane Brown is a man who knows who he is and the Entertainer of the Year he might be someday.

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