Lollapalooza is one of the biggest music festivals of the year, and it’s something that people all across the country eagerly await. This year’s lineup excited festival-goers with its pop-heavy headliners, but Lorde, Charli XCX and John Summit are not the only shows you should look forward to. Every year, Lollapalooza features over 100 smaller bands and artists. Here are some to look out for.
Thursday
CMAT
Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, better known as CMAT, is a singer from Ireland who had a desire to be a musician from an early age. She was in a duo called Bad Sea for about 3 years, but left and stopped pursuing music for a short period. She eventually re-entered the music industry and gained popularity from her indie-country pop music. She often mixes emotional lyrics with high-energy music, which would make her perfect to see live.
Haute & Freddy
The duo Haute & Freddy has been making music since 2024, and their genre is often described as carnival-pop. The duo, made up of Michelle Buzz and Lance Shipp, creates music using synths, electronic drums and strong vocals. Their performances are often quite theatrical, with their style being quite maximalist. They’re very upbeat performers, and songs like “Dance The Pain Away” or “Fashion Over Function” would be exciting and interesting to watch.
Friday
the army, the navy
The Army, The Navy is an indie-folk pop band that began releasing music in 2023. The band is composed of Sasha Goldberg and Maia Ciambriello, who grew up together in California and both loved music and singing. They often explore themes of nature, friendship and adulthood. Their music is often described as whimsical, a descriptor that also fits their colorful style. Their lyrics are also poetic, and give off a calm energy that you don’t always get among the high-energy deejays and pop artists at Lollapalooza. The Army, The Navy are definitely a band you should check out.
Day We Ran
Saturday
OMNOM
Born and raised in LA, OMNOM is a deejay who makes music perfect for festivals. He creates house music with heavy bass, while still being unique with interesting vocals and non-stereotypical sound design. He started making music in 2015, but he emerged into the deejay scene in 2018, and has been quite popular since. He tries to stay away from typical trends, creating new and fresh blends of music. OMNOM often collaborates with other artists, such as Odd Mob. His festival-focused music is absolutely worth seeing when at Lollapalooza.
Calder Allen
Calder Allen is another great artist, albeit one who’s quite different from OMNOM. His music is much softer and slower, focusing on nature and coming-of-age. He’s heavily influenced by his family’s artistic talent, as his grandfather, Terry Allen, is a very popular singer and songwriter. Apart from his vocals, he mainly uses an acoustic guitar in his music, but he features other instruments as well. Amidst all the pop and EDM that will be at Lollapalooza this year, Calder Allen will be a nice addition to the lineup.
Sunday –
Westend
Based in New York City, Westend is a master of tech house music and deejaying. He went to a high school that was founded by the inventor of the synth, which got him interested in electronic music. He gained a lot of fame in 2018, and in 2021, his song “Keep on Jumpin’” reached #2 on the Beatport charts. His high-energy tracks, strong bass and technical production make him an artist definitely worth seeing.
After
The band After, composed of Justine Dorsey and Graham Epstein, describes their music as trip pop, a description that rings true in their songs. They’ve been making music since 2022, and their sounds and lyrics create a nostalgic vibe. They were making music before they met and then combined to create a blend of 2000s pop-rock, Y2K, and electronic music. It’s pretty unique, and if you’re into dreamy production and smooth vocals, After would be a great choice.
