It’s Lollapalooza week! As you start getting your plans for making the most out of your Lolla experience, we put together another edition of our Dope Dozen series pointing you to the 12 artists you cannot miss this year.
Chappell Roan
Her meteoric rise this year is impressive enough for you to want to see her just to know firsthand what this is all about, and when you do, you’ll be surprised to find that we’ve got another Pop powerhouse in the making with Chappell Roan. Chappell Roan has it all: catchy hooks that are fun to sing along to, hearty lyrics, and some serious singing chops. Add a penchant for theatrical costumes and stage production, and now you’ve got a fresh face making serious strides climbing the ladder to superstardom.
Deftones
Alt Metal vets Deftones don’t get featured enough on festivals, and with this being their first appearance at Grant Park since 2011, their inclusion this year feels like a moment. The Saturday evening sub-headlining slot at the biggest stage of the festival sets an even better mood with the amount of people you can expect to Rock out with you to fan favorites like “Rosemary” and “Change (In the House of Flies).”
Future x Metro Boomin
They helped spark the biggest moment in music this year with their collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on “Like That,” and Future & Metro Boomin didn’t stop there, delivering some interesting work together in the pair of albums they dropped in 2024. The rapper-producer duo have a deep catalog of past collabs too that can reinforce their festival set, which is sure to deliver some of the dopest fan energy to the sound of the biggest Rap hits of the past decade. Expect this one to be packed – arrive early if you want to get in the pit, stay near the back if you don’t want to get caught up in the moshing.
Jungle
If you’re looking for some of the smoothest, grooviest songs that can get just about anybody to want to dance, then you cannot miss Jungle. Their 2023 release, Volcano, was my favorite album of the past year and their batch of stellar tracks earned its takeover of streaming services and social media channels alike.
Kevin Abstract
The former Brockhampton leader striking out alone always felt like a logical move and with critically-acclaimed solo projects, Kevin Abstract’s talent keeps unfolding and providing proof of why he’s one of the most sought-after talents of his generation. If you need any more proof, how about the fact that he’s been given the Friday headlining slot at one of the best-curated stages of the fest, now named the IHG Hotels & Resorts stage.
Megan Thee Stallion
Not even going to lie to y’all, Tyler, the Creator was the artist I most wanted to see at Lolla this year, so when I heard he was stepping away from the festival I had high expectations and they were absolutely met with the booking of Megan Thee Stallion. It’s a Hot Girl Summer in Chicago (Brat summer can take a break until the weekend) and if her social media posts are a testament to anything, the Houston rapper is dominating in 2024 and Lollapalooza feels like the perfect stage to demonstrate why this is her year.
Slow Pulp
Lolla always makes sure to honor the local Chicago scene, and one of the best examples of that this year is Indie Rock band Slow Pulp. Picture yourself at the T-Mobile stage with the sun’s rays smacking you in the face but you’re unfazed because you’re hearing droopy melodies like what you’d find in their song “Slugs” blasting over the speakers.
SZA
The R&B star has a very limited discography, yet each studio LP has managed to take the music world by storm and have become classics from the jump. Her stage production on the SOS Tour saw her really invest in putting on a show, and I can’t expect anything less at Lollapalooza.
Teezo Touchdown
Teezo is one interesting character, particularly when you look beyond the nail motif that’s ever-present in his visual identity. He’s stellar as a featured artists for songs by the likes of Travis Scott and Tyler, the Creator, while his original work is as eclectic as you’d expect, making you assess his artistry across a variety of styles and genres. The one request I have for this appearance is that I hope he performs his cover of “Making Flippy Floppy.”
Laufey
I’m not all too familiar with Laufey and her music. I have enjoyed the songs I’ve heard of hers recommended on our podcast (Yo. Check This) and I can’t get enough of her NPR Tiny Desk Concert. She’s pairing her beautiful voice with the Chicago Philharmonic – you better stay away from the Bud Light stage (or at least stand at a reasonable distance away from me) if you don’t want to see a grown man tear up to music.
Tyla
South Africa made a big splash in the world when they gave us Tyla, evidenced by how her hit song “Water” captured the attention of the Internet and the airwaves. She successfully followed that up with another set of hits off her self-titled debut to cement her spot as the new face of Africa’s booming scene.
Vince Staples
Undoubtedly one of the most talented rappers of his generation, Vince Staples is our latest example of an artist that can effectively branch out to other projects like acting (his eponymous Netflix show and a stint on Abbott Elementary) without sacrificing his better-known craft. To expand on that, the Long Beach rapper released yet another stellar album in Dark Times and I want to see how he plans to bring this to the live stage.
