Head In The Clouds 2024 Artists To Watch Out For

Mixed Asian Media - April 30, 2024

By Bri Ng Schwartz

 
Graphic featuring Head In The Clouds 2024 Lineup
 

Head In The Clouds, our favorite all-Asian music & arts festival, returns to Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York, for AAPI Heritage Month! Presented by 88rising, the event features a stacked lineup of Asian musical artists across genres as well as pop-ups from food vendors and art installations. Mixed Asian Media is thrilled to return for a second year to witness this star-studded lineup! (You can check out our 2023 HITC coverage here.)

 

Photo courtesy of Amy Harris/Invision/AP

 

Headlining the festival this year is Joji, the mixed-Asian king of lo-fi R&B and the occasional viral meme. Fresh off of his 2023 North American Pandemonium Tour, Joji will be sure to close out the festival with his euphoric beats and haunting love songs.

When I think of Joji, I think of all of the TikToks featuring his gut-wrenching ballad, “Glimpse of Us,” as well as his infamous Harlem Shake video from the glory days of 2010s YouTube crazes. Joji has certainly come a long way, and we can’t wait to celebrate him and his success.

 

Juliet Ivy’s “playpen” EP cover

 

Also on our list of artists to watch out for is Juliet Ivy, a Columbian Chinese singer/songwriter. Featured in Saturday’s lineup, Juliet is set to perform songs from her debut EP, playpen, which I have had on repeat for the past several weeks (specifically her fourth track, “lug”).

We are excited to kick off the weekend by jamming out to “lug” and all of Juliet’s playful hyperpop beats!

This year’s lineups also feature other MAM staff favorites!

Senior Editor Madeline Carpou was thrilled to see Eyedress and Deb Never on this year’s lineup.

 
Eyedress in a black T-shirt, sunglasses, and hat

Eyedress

 

“Eyedress is iconic for that one song that blew up, ‘Jealous’ and my favorite from him is currently ‘Run the Fade,’” Carpou said. “Deb Never was my college sapphic queen, I will always carry a torch for her song ‘Swimming.’”

 
Deb Never with their hand or their chin, wearing a Playboy branded black and yellow sweatshirt.

Deb Never photo courtesy of Highsnobiety

 

Creative Director & MAM’s resident K-POP expert Lauren Winn schooled me on Saturday’s headliner, (G)I-DLE, and their punk feminist icon energy. Soyeon, a member and the band’s creative director has written and produced a majority of their songs.

 
Members of (G)I-DLE standing in a line with their fists joining in the middle.

Photo from @official_g_i_dle Instagram Page

 

“Their music is so personal and there’s something inside me that’s feral and comes alive when I listen to their music,” Winn said. 

The weekend is sure to be packed with sunshine, delicious food, and community. Stay tuned on our social media for day-of coverage of the festival!

 

Bri Ng Schwartz (she/her/hers) is an artist, educator and administrator based in Brooklyn, NY. Her current roles include Education & Community Outreach Manager at Primary Stages and Teaching Artist at Girl Be Heard. Having received a double major in Dramaturgy/Dramatic Criticism and Women's & Gender Studies from DePaul University, her early credits come from her time in Chicago, notably at Free Street Theater in various titles. Since relocating to New York, she has served in various administrative capacities for arts and cultural institutions. She has also written for publications such as HowlRound and American Theater Magazine. www.bringschwartz.com