GOVERNORS BALL DAY 2 IS POP HEAVEN WITH P1HARMONY, SABRINA CARPENTER, AND CARLY RAE JEPSEN

The Governors Ball (Gov Ball) is New York’s hallmark music festival, giving NYC’s dense city population their own sprawling music experience. Ushering in the start of summer, Gov Ball is a destination for the hottest — and soon-to-be hottest — music acts. 

Building on the hype from day one, Saturday’s lineup was jam packed with artists tearing up both the charts and the stage. K-pop stars P1Harmony took to the IHG stage as Gov Ball’s second K-pop act on the roster. Sabrina Carpenter, too, pleased the massive crowd with her latest single “Please, Please, Please.” Below are some of EnVi’s favorite sets from Gov Ball Day Two.

RIOVAZ

New Jersey-based Riovaz has been making waves since the 2020 release of “Prom Night,” and his Gov Ball set was a testament as to why. His take on hyperpop-meets-hiphop engaged audiences immediately, with an energetic stage presence to match the energy of the setlist. Besides performing tracks like “the Rake (can’t complain)” and “you’re a parasite,” fans were also given peeks into upcoming releases like “Lavender Town.”

QUARTERS OF CHANGE

NYC quartet Quarters of Change — made up of lead singer Ben Roter, guitarists Jasper Harris and Ben Acker, and drummer Attila Anrathe — took to the main stage as one of the few true rock acts of the day. Though most of the crowd was gathered in early anticipation of later sets, they were won over by Quarters of Change’s palatable brand of indie rock. Similar to likely fan favorites such as The Strokes or MGMT, Quarters of Change still brought their own edge to the stage. Frontman Roter’s passionate, near frantic performance drew onlookers, while Harris and Acker offered a steady beam of support to balance it out. Even a surprise performance of “Don’t Fear the Reaper” with Blue Oyster Cult’s Albert Bouchard, a talent most likely beyond the scope of the Gen Z crowd gathered, drew loud cheers. Perhaps Gen Z really loves cowbells, or perhaps Quarters of Change is just that much fun to watch.

BAKAR

British-based artist Bakar is known for his unique blend of genres, mixing indie, rap, and punk into one signature sound. He has a distinctive tone to his voice, a near raspy fry that elevates the honest emotion of his tracks. It had clearly won over a healthy number of fans, who cheered loudly if Bakar so much as glanced their way. His unique genre blend was clear in the setlist, which ranged from the pop rock “1st Time” to a crooning cover of Boffalongo’s ‘70s hit “Dancing in the Moonlight.” 

P1HARMONY

From early that morning, P1Harmony’s dedicated fanbase, known as P1ECE, were out in full force. With coordinating T-shirts, cutouts of members’ faces, and posters galore, fans welcomed P1Harmony to their first Gov Ball set with open arms. 

Members Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob brought their A-game, dancing through intense choreo sets in coordinated bedazzled jacket looks. Opening with the booming “Emergency” and bathed in flashing black and red lights, they took fans through a succinct yet energetic setlist of hits like “Killin’ It” and “JUMP” as well as fan favorites like “Heartbeat Drum.”

DOECHII

Born in Tampa, rapper and singer Doechii brought the Florida heat to Gov Ball — or as she dubbed it, Swamp Ball. Doechii is a standout performer, someone unique to herself and who brings an unforgettable level of artistry. True to the “Swamp Ball” title, the stage was decked out in reeds and a metal trailer. Dancers also wore cutoff denim, flannel, and trucker hats, while Doechii herself had red alligator-inspired contacts. 

Integral to the set was Doechii’s collaborator and DJ, DJ Miss Milan, who kept energy high, fans hyped, and music pumping. With bass pounding enough to shake the ground, Doechii’s set was an intense run, though it was hard to tell just from watching her. Without missing a beat, she took fans from breakthrough “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” all the way to her latest viral hit “What It Is.” Doechii even treated the crowd to the unreleased “Sweat” as a surprise.

SABRINA CARPENTER 

It is undeniably the Summer of Sabrina. After simmering hits “Nonsense” and “Feather” boiled over into the ultra-smash “Espresso,” rising pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter has been the main character of the season. Continuing her stratospheric rise, she turned the Gov Ball main stage into a bubblegum pop party. On stage, Carpenter was the definition of a “pop princess,” charismatic and sweet in a buttercup yellow dress and halo of blonde hair. She’s an artist who knows her strengths, performing through an hour-and-a-half-long set without a hair out of place. Every wink, hair flip, and costume rhinestone sparkle seemed to perfectly fall into place for her. Performing in front of a crowd is where she is truly meant to be, and the crowd melted like butter in her hands. Fans were treated to performances of “Vicious,” “bet u wanna,” and the first-ever live performance of her latest release “Please, Please, Please.” But in contrast to her Barbie pink persona, Carpenter’s performances are cheeky and euphemistic. Fans excitedly waited for her notoriously raunchy “Nonsense” outro, which she customized to the festival with the line, “Those who hate pride can suck my gov balls.”

CARLY RAE JEPSEN

Carly Rae Jepsen is an effervescent pop star. On stage she’s bubbly and bright and cheerful, every bit the vibe of her disco-pop dance music. Between her onstage demeanor and her vast discography, her set was infectiously happy, matching the bright sun of the New York June weekend.

Jepsen’s impact on pop music is undeniable. Though to the casual radio listener her name might not have come up since 2012’s “Call Me Maybe,” she’s had more than her share of influence in the years since. Playing through years of songs including “I Really Like You” and “Cut To The Feeling,” one can understand how she’s earned the praise of “mother” from fans, as her music clearly has its daughters. But most importantly is that the second the plucky string opening of “Call Me Maybe” rang out across the festival grounds, fans ran across the park to her stage to sing along. Now that’s star power. 

Want more Gov Ball content? Check out our recap of Day 1 here.

For more summer festival coverage, check out our most memorable moments from 88rising’s Head in the Clouds NYC.