Gov Ball’s Best in Show

Wasia Project, a.k.a the musical duo of Olivia Hardy and William Gao, were ones to watch on Gov Ball’s opening day. Hailing from the UK, the band brough English charm to the big apple “This is our third time in New York… Thank you for making us feel so welcome in your city.”

And what better way to kick back and relax, than to bask in the sun while being whisked away to dreamy soundscapes. Sweet, dulcet tones and smooth, jazzy harmonies melded together to form their ethereal, melodic set. 

That didn’t make it low on energy though, as they played around with the audience, having them crouch for four beats, then having everyone jump. It was a fun and refreshing start to a long day, and it got audiences excited to keep going.

Bringing the sweat filled, fun of South Africa to the concrete jungle – the Kiehl’s stage was the place to be. Friday may have been a hot one, but Tyla’s set only turned up the heat. 

She’s a feisty, playful performer, a fun contrast to her sultrier ampaino-infused tracks. Even amongst a troupe of backup dancers and flying beach balls, it was still all eyes on her. And with eyes keen on the crowd, Tyla never failed to call to fans who were especially amped up.

Now this was a performance.

T-Pain arrived in his finest, joking about misunderstanding the Governor’s Ball as being a literal ball for the governor and donning a full suit and top hat. Despite it not being a literal ball, T-Pain certainly treated it like a party, breaking out hits from an expansive career catalogue. Every new track that started sent the audience into an even larger frenzy, an never ending barrage of 2000s club hits.  

45 minutes was far too short to cover such a legendary career but T-Pain made every second count.

TikTok may be all over Sally When The Wine Runs Out, but Role Model puts on a convincing argument that he’s no one trick pony. 

He’s a slick, country-adjacent pop act that has all the Gen Z girls in a frenzy (and guys, if the gentleman behind me’s constant requests to “take your shirt off!” were anything to go by.)

Plainly, his set was fun. There’s a levity and brightness that Role Model brings to the stage, and it was a clear high note of the day. 

Crowdsurfing, moshing, screaming were all a regular occurrence at JPEGMAFIA’s set, who’s crowd was easily one of the most active of the weekend.

Arriving on stage to chants of “Peggy! Peggy! Peggy!” (and some tongue-in-cheek for Benson Boone, who performed at the same time across the grounds), JPEGMAFIA kept things lively from his first moment, standing quietly at center stage with one raised arm, to the dynamic performance of “WASSUP” with Joey Valence & Brae. It was a masterclass in artistry up until the very last ear-ringing note of “SIN MIEDO.” 

You didn’t experience Gov Ball properly if you didn’t stop by Tyler, The Creator’s headline set. Walking through the festival, fans took over every stage wearing a mix of homemade merch or pieces from his on-going tour. 

A large shipping container reading “Chromakopia” graced the GOVBALLNYC stage, and atop it was Tyler, The Creator in his signature green suit and mask.

Explosive, bombastic, and electric, he’s one of Hip-Hop’s hottest talents, bringing storytelling to new levels. Starting off his set with “St. Chroma.” and keeping energy high until the very last “See You Again.”

He’s pure rockstar, frenzying fans and turning both GA and VIP crowds into active mosh pits.

Emblematic of a bygone, 2014 era of tongue-in-cheek indie pop, MARINA could have easily fallen into the same nostalgia trap as many have, relying solely on decade old hits to keep the crowd going.

But there was no need: she’s maintained the same bubbly, pop princess aura while growing into a new, modern artist. Her set included tracks like “CUNTISSIMO” from her newest album, and iconic releases like “How To Be a Heartbreaker” (perhaps one of the few songs featured on Glee that did not outdo the original).

After a brief mid-day downpour, Young Miko’s set was the perfect place to dry off, dancing the clouds away to her signature Latin trap-meets-reggaeton sound.

Rising star Young Miko made the most of her all-too-short set, fitting in a voguing routine during “MADRE” to covers of both Karol G and Bad Bunny tracks. It’s a performance full of identity, bringing together elements of her LGBT+ identity with her Puerto Rican homeland. “Is it gay in here, or is it just me?” Young Miko calls to her audience mid-set, and looking around the rainbow flags and face paint, it’s not just her. Her set was a confident one, for both artist and fan to embrace themselves as they are.

See anyone complaining there’s no male pop stars? Send them the link to Conan Gray’s set from Saturday.

Transforming the GovBallNYC stage into a nautical sea scene complete with crow’s nest (perhaps a cheeky nod to previous album Kid Krow?), large wooden waves, and an ever-changing sky of sun clouds and stars, Gray literally brought the aesthetic of upcoming album Wishbone to life.

Conan Gray is a lot of fun to watch. His poppier songs, like “Maniac” or “Wish You Were Sober,” are bright and fun and get people dancing. But it’s his more earnest ones: “This Song,” or “Heather,” that really hit home. Despite the evident emotion, there’s no cynicism to Conan Gray. He’s a genuine performer, almost painfully sincere in every note sung and every fan waved to.

Indie is a pretty saturated genre, but Korean trio wave to earth have risen to the top of their class, meeting lo-fi vibes with high-charisma performances. 

Wave to Earth managed to pull a hefty crowd away from the Conan Gray-Olivia Rodrigo double feature across the grounds, bringing slow dancin’ tunes to close their night at the Grove stage.

Its clear to see why once they’re on stage, with their polished jazz influence garnering racuous cheers. Poppy and sweet “play with earth!” weaved into the silky “bad,” that had the audience giving the band a run for their money, singing every word in sync.

They really let the music speak for itself, distinct basslines and pristine guitar riffs cutting through the air like an arrow straight to the heart. If people in the crowd weren’t fans when the group arrived on stage, they certainly were when the band finished.

Olivia Rodrigo’s signature style had overtaken Gov Ball from doors first open at 4:30. Purple cowboy hats, fishnets and plaid skirts, graphic tees that read witticisms like “I spilled my GUTS at GOVBALL,” beaded friendship bracelets and bejeweled star-shaped face gems were the de-facto uniform of the day. Even though the other stages had plenty of talented artists to offer, the implication was clear: this was Olivia Rodrigo’s day.

She did not disappoint.

Her pop-rock sound is perfect for the festival environment, opening with a bang (a.k.a. “obsessed”) and keeping that energy going with others like “love is embarrassing” and “brutal.” Even slower, acoustic tracks have an energy to them, with the crowd nearly outperforming her during mega-hit “driver’s license.”

It’s not the kind of palatable girl power that was packaged and sold to me as a child with Spice Girls CDs and Barbie movies. There’s a tangible rage to Olivia’s songs that is incredibly relatable to young women, and steadfast refusal to fit into a neat little pop star box.

On that note, the stand out moment was when she brought out Talking Heads’ David Byrne for a dynamic rendition of Burning Down the House – though I may be in the minority for thinking that. It seems her younger fans may have been more interested in seeing someone like good friend Conan Gray instead, but that’s perhaps what’s most impressive about Rodrigo. She knows who she is. She knows who and what inspires her and doesn’t seem to let expectation dictate her next move. She’s not just an ex-Disney star who says fuck sometimes. She’s an artist, a performer, in her own right, and this Gov Ball set was just another example of that.

She’s the embodiment of the 2000s pop princess. With a mix of Britney Spears, Pussycat Dolls, and Christina Aguilera, Snow Wife proved herself as hot as the temperatures outside.

Taking festival goers through a slew of club hits like “If God Is Real, Then Heaven is a Club” and “Sweat,” Snow Wife had people up and dancing with a vibe so contagious that even the grumpiest of tag-along boyfriends couldn’t resist. She made every minute of her half-hour set count, and left fans (both existing and recently converted) wishing for more. Snow Wife club tour when?

Joey Valence & Brae, a.ka. JVB, have a vibe straight out of the mid-aughts. A discography that harkens back to the likes of the Beastie Boys, Sum 41, and Project X style house parties, watching them perform feels like the kind of teenage hooliganism that was able to exist pre-iPhone.

They’re a refreshing burst of no-holds-barred fun, the exact kind of raunchy fun that thrives in a festival environment.

Black pop stars are here to stay. Look no further than the Ghanaian singer Amaarae, who brought edge to Gov Ball’s closing day. Best known for her genre bending fusions of Afrobeats, Pop, and R&B – this digital princess had crowds swooning. 

Delivering performances of hits like “Angels In Tibet,” and “Princess Going Digital,” she has unique whisper-soft vocals that provide a balance to the crisp electronic production. With a range of inspiration from Britney Spears to Daddy Yankee to Lil Jon to Nirvana, her music offers something for everyone, resulting in a packed crowd and an artist that’s impossible to look away from. Stay tuned, because Amaarae is about to be everywhere.

RAYE performed like rent was due. Barefoot and all, the U.K. popstar reminded attendees what the best of vocalists can look and sound like. Joined by world-class instrumentalists, she spun to the stage, with a smile from ear to ear. If you weren’t already familiar with RAYE from tracks like her 2022 “Escapism.” or “Born Again” with BLACKPINK’s LISA and Doja Cat – get ready, because RAYE is here to stay. Her rise to the top hasn’t been an easy one. “We’ve played so many shit gigs in our life, we played so many gigs where there’s no one in the crowd” Reminiscing on past performances, the singer got sentimental “this sight before my eyes right here in New York, Governors Ball is a fucking dream sight.” Tens of thousands of people joined RAYE with many saying variations of “she ate that” or “I’m gagged.” It’s clear that RAYE has crafted something truly special with her debut album My 21st Century Blues, which has been able to stand the test of time. And at Gov Ball, her rich vocals offered new surprises with each song. Can you tell we’re RAYE fans?

Clairo’s unique brand of smooth jazz-infused pop music turned the Khiel’s stage into a glittery silver lounge.

Backed by a jazz quintet and a sparkly curtain of tinsel, a dreary afternoon rain shower only added to the lo-fi vibe. I can always appreciate when an artist bends the festival vibe to meet their own, instead of conforming to what a festival set “should” look like. Clairo’s set made Flushing Meadows Corona Park feel like drinking red wine in a friend’s apartment, her soft crooning in the background only an additional element to the show rather than the spotlight, akin to a record player humming in the background. There’s a familiarity to it, a warmth that permeates the crowd and welcomes listeners in from across the festival grounds.

Irish alt-rock icon Hozier was a highly anticipated act, and as always, did not disappoint.

Despite being handicapped by a “mysterious” summer virus, his signature deep tenor still rang out loud and clear over the festival grounds, opening with grandiose “Nobody’s Soldier” and keeping things going through “Jackie and Wilson” and “Francesca.” Taking a brief respite from main stage duties, he stepped down to the B-stage amongst the crowd for softer acoustic songs like “Cherry Wine” and “Unknown/Nth”

It’s worth noting that Hozier had a pretty easy task ahead of him for his Gov Ball set: show up, play a couple of the classics like “Take Me To Church” or “Too Sweet,” have the audience rave about his cool bog prince aura, and go home. 

But his setlist favored his angrier, more politically motivated songs: “Nobody’s Soldier,” “Dinner and Diatribes,” “Eat Your Young,” “Nina Cried Power,” all set to a backdrop totalling the amount of U.S. military spending, rates of homelessness, and populations displaced by war. He took a near ten minutes out of his set before “Nina Cried Power” to call for a free and unoccupied Palestine, for trans rights and immigrant rights, reminding fans that the “the imperialism that would look at another person’s homeland and say that’s real estate for my fucking ruling class is the same imperialism that would squeeze you dry.”

In a time many want to falsely claim music as an apolitical space, it’s always good to see artists use such a huge platform for justice.