On Nov. 12, Grammy award-winning R&B artist Monica kicked off “The CODE RED Experience Tour” to promote the release of her upcoming album “Code Red.” The tour, which reached Louisville’s Mercury Ballroom on Monday, Nov. 23, features fellow artist Rico Love and the up-and-coming girl group XSO.

Monica is offering a contest for each city that the tour is scheduled to stop in.

The contest, called “The CODE RED Experience,” is on YouTube and asks locals to upload their personal music videos. If chosen, the winners have the opportunity to be the show opener in their city.

Louisville’s contest winner, Daria Raymore, did more than open the show with her new single “Blame Myself.”

Raymore said that she has always had the dream of being an entertainer and opening for someone huge.

Now that she’s had the opportunity to accomplish one of her goals, Raymore said she wants young people to know that they can accomplish their goals as well.

“No matter what people tell you, you can do anything you set your mind to and never stop working,” Raymore said.

After Raymore, three fresh faces followed.

Jaz, Mia and Paije are each one third of the Atlanta based girl group, XSO (ex-oh). They performed their single, “Why Not?”

Flirty, forward and smooth was how publicist Shirronda Sweet and Syreta Oglesby described the three.

From Xscape to Destiny’s Child, from the 60s until now, Sweet and Oglesby said that there has always been a girl group for each generation.

Sweet and Oglesby quoted XSO’s discoverer, Devyne Stephens, the same person who discovered Akon. Stephens said that XSO is like the female version of the male group BBD (Bell Biv Devoe).

The members of XSO said they didn’t mind being compared to a male group.

“We’d rather be compared to a male group than a female group,” the trio said. “It’s original and hasn’t been done before.”

The members of XSO said they want to connect with their audience on a personal level by using relatable lyrics.

Jaz said that education is very important to her because she is a recent graduate from Georgia State University.

With young girls looking up to them, the members of  XSO said that they enjoy going to colleges and universities in their spare time  to speak with young women about loving themselves and putting themselves and their dreams first.

The members of XSO said that they don’t dress provocatively because comfortable is the new sexy.

“We want women and young girls to know that you can be cute and fly and sexy without having to show everything,” they said.

In the future, the group plans to continue working and putting out music.

For more information on the group and how to find their music, go to XSO’s website.

Remaining tour dates:

Nov. 27 — Norfolk, Virginia: The Norva Theatre

Nov. 28 — Raleigh, North Carolina: The Ritz

Nov. 29 — Charlotte, North Carolina: The Fillmore Charlotte

Dec. 1 — Cleveland, Ohio: House of Blues Cleveland

Dec. 2 — Chicago: House of Blues Chicago

Dec. 3 — Atlanta: Special Performance

Dec. 4 — Cincinnati, Ohio: Bogart’s

Dec. 6 –Detroit: Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel

Dec. 8 — Philadelphia: The Theatre of Living Arts

Dec. 9 — Silver Spring, Maryland: The Fillmore Silver Spring

Dec. 10 — Baltimore: Baltimore Soundstage

Dec. 13 — New York City: The Gramercy Theatre