It’s hard to believe that 88rising’s signature music festival, Head In The Clouds is already celebrating its 5 year anniversary. The label’s founder Sean Miyashiro has successfully created a space for Asian artists to showcase their talents and for Asian culture to take the main stage, made evident by the amazing annual turnout. Three months after the festival took place in New York City with headliners including ITZY, Rich Brian, and beabadoobee, HITC made its way to the West Coast for the weekend of August 5-6. The Los Angeles lineup included familiar faces like Rich Brian, NIKI, DPR Live, and DPR IAN but also notable new names, such as Rina Sawayama and YOASOBI.

Under the blazing sun, crowds of music lovers gathered at Brookside at the Rose Bowl at noon, eagerly waiting to start their euphoric weekend. However, the heat was simply not for the weak as temperatures rose up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the two-day event. Hand-held fans were frequently passed out and industrial misting fans were set up around the festival ground to keep everyone cool, thanks to the efforts of organizers and featured booths. 

From rap to indie, J-Pop to EDM, and heavy metal to R&B, the genre-diverse lineup kept the audience on their toes, literally and figuratively, with exciting performances and never-before-seen stages. If you missed out on the festival in person and online through the Amazon Music live stream, here’s a quick recap of Head In The Clouds Los Angeles 2023.

DAY 1

The intense midday heat didn’t stop Indonesian rapper Warren Hue from kicking off Saturday’s festivities as he took the main 88rising stage performing a medley of hits, including “omomo punk” and “BOY OF THE YEAR.” Following Hue was Chinese rapper MaSiWei and Thai rising star MILLI who kept the crowd moving and grooving.

A standout set from day one is no other than the incomparable Rina Sawayama. The Japanese and British singer wowed the crowd with not one, not two, but a total of seven different outfit stages throughout her 45-minute set. Guiding the audience through a cohesive and avant-garde way of storytelling, Sawayama performed “Hold The Girl,” “XS,” and “This Hell” among others, and interacted with the crowd in playful ways such as call-and-response. During her set, the performer also gave a nod to the festival for highlighting Asian artistry. “We (the Asian community) have made so much progress.” Crowd favorites DPR Live and DPR IAN had everyone singing along to all their songs, including “Martini Blue” and “Jasmine” from Live and “Calico” and “BALLROOM EXTRAVAGANZA” from IAN. As the sun began to set, special guest DJ ZEDD took the audience down a nostalgic music memory lane with global hits, such as “Stay The Night,” “Beautiful Now,” and “Clarity.” It was certainly a treat for those in the crowd who wanted to let out their “raver” spirit.

A synonymous name to the 88rising brand and HITC, Rich Brian once again greeted the L.A. festival stage towards the end of the night performing classics like “History” and “edamame.” Closing out the first day, global superstar Jackson Wang gave his all with top-tier performances that put the “MAGIC” in his Magic Man experience.

DAY 2

The second and final day of the festival started off with South Korean singer-songwriter LØREN. With guitar in hand, he performed a variety of pop-punk-fueled tracks like "ALL MY FRIENDS ARE TURNING BLUE" and "Freaks (Surf Curse)." Other performers hailing from South Korea also followed, including Yerin Baek and Zion.T, who dazzled the receptive crowd with their respective setlists. Yerin Baek stole the audience’s hearts with her angelic voice and endearing comments made in between songs. During the singer’s set, passionate shouts of "I love you" and "saranghae" were heard from the enthusiastic crowd.

The word "energetic" could not be more perfectly personified by the Japanese quartet ATARASHII GAKKO!, whose stage was an absolute joy to witness. Through songs like "PINEAPPLE KRYPTONITE" and "FREE YOUR MIND," they wowed everyone with polished and unique choreography while sporting the group’s signature Japanese schoolgirl uniforms.

The members of ATARASHII GAKKO!—Suzuka, Kanon, Mizyu, and Rin—also gave The Kraze a shout-out at Head In The Clouds!

Arguably the most anticipated event of the day was when the Japanese girl group XG took the stage. Their presence received roaring screams from the massive crowd who gathered to watch the seven-member group make their West Coast debut.

XG performed certified hits "LEFT RIGHT" and "SHOOTING STAR," as well as the first live stage of "TGIF." In the middle of the girl group’s set, ALPHAZ (XG’s fandom) sang "Happy Birthday" to member Maya while holding neon banners, making the member emotional as she expressed her thanks to the fans. Husband and wife duo Tiger JK and Yoonmirae celebrated the finale of the festival alongside Higher Brothers, Rich Brian, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASABI, among others.

With over 40 performers representing different Asian descents and music genres, Head In The Clouds continues to pave the way for Asian entertainment and culture in the West. As 88rising celebrates half a decade since their signature festival’s inaugural, here’s to hoping Head In The Clouds is here to stay and thrive for years to come.

Edited by Cara Musashi