88rising’s two-day music competition goals to characterize and amplify the voices of Asian artists.
The music competition “Head in The Clouds” is coming to New York for the primary time this Could. (Courtesy of Head In The Clouds and The Bowery Presents)
This spring, 88rising is bringing its two-day music competition, Head In The Clouds, to New York Metropolis. Armed with a star-studded lineup, the Asian American music and humanities competition will tackle the historic Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on Could 20 and 21.
Based in a New York Metropolis parking storage eight years in the past by music government Sean Miyashiro , 88rising is a hybrid administration, video and advertising firm, in addition to a report label, primarily for Asian and Asian American artists and creatives.
What began in 2018 as a single-day music competition in Los Angeles has now advanced into a bigger circuit of multi-day festivals all around the world. Now, for the primary time, Head In The Clouds is coming to New York Metropolis.
“What we got down to do from the start remains to be our mission at the moment: being a platform for underrepresented or undiscovered voices and artists from all corners of the world,” stated Ollie Zhang, the corporate’s head of artist improvement.
For Zhang and 88rising, the competition provides artists alternatives to broadcast and showcase their music on a big platform.
“It’s creating one thing particular the place we will deliver all these artists collectively on the similar competition and on the identical stage,” Zhang stated. “It creates an actual communal feeling backstage and with the group, as a result of we’re getting all these artists collectively in a approach that’s by no means actually been achieved earlier than. To have the ability to uphold all these artists, we deal with them because the headliners they’re.”
The selection to deliver Head In The Clouds to New York was not a inconsiderate one. 88rising deliberately determined to host the competition in Queens, adjoining to a big Asian American inhabitants.
Most of the artists taking part in at Head In The Clouds started their careers in New York Metropolis. Wolftyla, for example, is a younger Black and Korean artist, content material creator, entrepreneur and New York native who wrote her first single, “Feels,” in NYU’s Third Avenue North residence corridor. She is ready to play her R&B set at Head In The Clouds on Could 21.
The competition is significant to her significantly, as a baby of an immigrant household. Wolftyla’s grandparents, who got here from Seoul, South Korea, dwell in Queens now. The competition is barely 20 minutes away from their home.
“It’s going to be in entrance of 35,000 folks and, for the primary time, my grandparents will be capable of attend my present,” Wolftyla stated. “I actually needed to point out them that all the pieces that my household sacrificed shifting from Seoul, Korea is paying off.”
Wolftyla focuses on illustration, authenticity and vulnerability in her music.
“I actually wish to advocate for illustration, and take my inspiration from my dad and mom and grandparents,” Wolftyla stated. “My primary aim is actually simply to carve paths and produce illustration to my Korean and my Black sides.”
Zhang agreed, and stated that there’s at all times one thing particular a few homecoming for artists. “There’s at all times an actual that means and feeling behind it,” Zhang stated.
88rising and Head In The Clouds are breaking boundaries and pushing the bounds of music. The upcoming occasion is among the solely festivals to have all Asian music that attracts from a variety of genres. After years of planning, willpower and onerous work, Head In The Clouds has actually develop into a world competition, bringing consideration to proficient Asian artists.
Tickets to Head In The Clouds can be found to buy via the competition’s web site.
Contact Lea Filidore at [email protected].