The 2025 Governors Ball is happening from Friday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8. The three-day music festival, traditionally held in New York City, showcases rising acts that garnered more attention in 2024. Alongside the new acts, established artists are headlining the music festival over all three days. In preparation for the festival, here are some acts from the Gov Ball lineup you should have on your radar.
The Friday Lineup
Matt Champion
Last year, the former Brockhampton member released his solo debut album, “Mika’s Laundry.” In the album, Champion takes a new direction that isn’t dependent on rapping, instead experimenting with more musical textures and singing styles. “Mika’s Laundry” introduces a new style of artistry from Champion; dynamic sonic textures and lyrics that search for something beyond what’s in front of you.
Mannequin P—-
The band’s place in alternative music melds with rock music and booming soundscapes; their lyrics are sharp and unapologetic in emotional delivery. A quartet consisting of Marisa Dabice on lead vocals and guitar, Kaleen Reading on drums, Colins Regisford on bass and Maxine Steen on guitar and synthesizer, their music comes out of the Philly DIY music scene. Their most recent album, “I Got Heaven” was released last year, which also integrated shoe gaze elements, though their sound shifts alongside the narratives of their lyrics.
Wasia Project
The sibling duo of Olivia Hardy and Will Gao infuse their pop with jazz stylistic elements to craft their own approach to the pop genre. The singing croons over out of reach romantic interests or introspective wonderings about the self. They released their latest EP “Isotope,” last year after a series of singles in 2023 and second EP “How Can I Pretend?” in 2022.
Tyla
After gaining acclaim with her debut single “Water,” Tyla has become a rising face of African music and RnB. Her debut album “Tyla” was well received by critics, and she also performed at Coachella this year. Her combination of vivid visuals with captivating choreography has made her a mainstay for music audiences and music critics. Though the images around her artistry are reminiscent of early 2000s pop artists, Tyla’s approach to pop that mixes R&B and amapiano makes her a unique artist in the 2020s.
T-Pain
Already with his own legacy of hits, T-Pain’s appearance at Gov Ball speaks to his role in shaping the modern music landscape. If you want to hear the blueprint of modern hip-hop, T-Pain’s music highlights where 2000s music would set the stage for the rest of the century. A notable producer and songwriter, T-Pain’s innovative approaches to music, specifically with autotune, would redirect the sound of hip-hop and evoke the current sound of emerging genres of EDM and hyperpop.
Role Model
Role Model’s “Kansas Anymore” reshaped his image as an artist. Though the album focuses on longings for a dying relationship, there are also meditations on one’s shortcomings. Using country-esque aesthetics to craft the sound and setting of the album, Role Model expanded his horizons as an artist to critical acclaim. The success of the album brought on a deluxe version that was released in February 2025.
Mk.gee
Existing in a liminal space, the sound of “Two Star & The Dream Police” introduced new approaches to guitar and contemporary music soundscapes in 2024. The album borrows from past music eras to craft a unique musical style that bends reverbs and distortions. Following a hero and their second coming, “Two Star & The Dream Police,” traverses an innovative space for music in the 2020s.
JPEGMAFIA
One of the most interesting hip-hop artists of our time, JPEGMAFIA is an act you don’t want to miss. An unending dedication to his craft has reshaped the idea of what hip-hop can be in the 2020s. Though working in hip-hop, the artist utilizes a genre-bending array of sounds that put JPEGMAFIA in a lane of his own. Utilizing a unique vision for beats and lyricism, his work sounds futuristic for hip-hop and what unlimited self-belief can create.
Tyler, the Creator
After releasing “Chromakopia” last October, Tyler, the Creator, is Gov Ball’s first day. The critically acclaimed artist returned with an album that explored the paranoia of fame with militarist visuals. “Chromakopia” continues to expand his talents as a producer and a rapper; the album became a part of hip-hop’s regenesis in commercial performance in 2024.
The Saturday Lineup
Lexa Gates went viral for sitting in a glass box for 10 hours, and it all paid off in promoting her work. Gates’ style of hip-hop blurs at the edges, focusing on rhythmic rapping and the inclusion of R&B and soul elements. The up-and-coming artist’s rap flow is entrancing, with self-assured reflections about her life experiences and romantic entanglements.
Yaya Bey
Yaya Bey released “Ten Fold” in 2024 and is set to follow up the album with “do it afraid” this year. Known for her single, “you up?” Bey’s music also fuses together reggae and jazz to paint the elaborate tapestry of Black womanhood. With the R&B and soul sound reminiscent of Cleo Sol, Bey focuses on the occurrences of her life, whether that be love or womanhood.
MARINA
This year MARINA performed at Coachella, rolling out her new era of music. “Princess of Power” is her latest album, set to be released on Friday, June 6, the day before her Gov Ball set. The new album leans into themes about power with layers of different pop styles.
Orion Sun
Orion Sun released her second album “Orion” in September 2024. Her approach to alternative music combines R&B and the instrumentals of indie rock, but it is her airy vocals and lyrics that highlight the music. Her songwriting can feel like dreamscapes though she’s writing about her reality and the vocals come with a lulling effect that supports the dreamy scenes depicted in her songs.
Wallows
The trio of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston released their third album “Model” in 2024. On the album, Wallows continues to expand with a variety of sounds from alternative music. Working with hazy production reminiscent of shoegaze at times, the band moves between various styles to illustrate their narrative. They their 2024 album with “More” this year, which integrates more diverse sounds in each song, specifically the saxophone, showcasing the band’s current focus to bring more vibrancy to their music.
Young Miko
The rising star from Puerto Rico, Young Miko brings together Latin trap and reggaeton. Featured on Bad Bunny’s “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana” and a Bizarapp music session, she released her second album “Att.” in 2024. The beats on “Att.” shape Young Miko’s approach to reggaeton as a dance record for the digital age.
Car Seat Headrest
After five years, Car Seat Headrest returned with a new album, “The Scholars,” in 2025. Considered an indie band that brings together rock and lo-fi sounds, Car Seat Headrest has brought big-picture narratives to their music. Their newest work immerses the listener in an alternate reality with songs sung from various perspectives–all framed as a rock opera.
Conan Gray
In 2024, Conan Gray released his third studio album, “Found Heaven,” a bright dance pop album. Like many artists performing at Gov Ball this year, “Found Heaven” was a stark new evolution that marked a new refined sense of artistry for Gray. After the success of “Found Heaven,” Gray is set to release a new album called “Wishbone” in August, working on his past stylistic elements while embracing a new dreamy aesthetic.
Olivia Rodrigo
One of the most notable pop acts of the 2020s, Olivia Rodrigo headlines Gov Ball’s second day. Her debut album “Sour” was a pop culture phenomenon that was followed up with the pop-rock oriented album “Guts” in 2023. Her emotive vocals and lyrics address modern romance, the intricacies of friendship and confronting the self.
The Sunday Lineup
Nourished by Time
Nourished by Time made 2024 indie year-end lists with his EP “Catching Chickens.” Considered to be an alternative artist, Nourished by Time’s music cannot be placed in a specific genre as it borrows from sounds spanning the ‘80s to the present day. He’s making a sound that bridges the old-school essences of hip-hop and R&B into music that evokes underground music scenes.
Amaarae
As Afrobeats continues to rise in popularity in the U.S., musician Amaarae is bringing a new take to the genre. Though working in Afrobeats, Amaarae’s role in Alté – a musical movement originating in Nigeria that encourages freedom of style and personal expression – brings the genre-blending sound of reggae, dancehall and Afrobeats to the African music landscape. Focusing on a form of self-expression unique to her, Amaarae’s music is crafting new ideas on authenticity in music while innovating Afrobeats.
RAYE
“My 21st Century Blues,” released in 2023, is a dynamic album from established songwriter RAYE. After spending years writing hits for other major artists, RAYE’s debut album went on to win various Brit Awards, including Album and Song of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Her success in the United Kingdom crossed over to the United States due to her powerhouse vocals and viral song “Escapism.” A combination of outstanding songwriting that details the anxieties of our times, RAYE brings new vision to bridging the contemporary into music.
Royel Otis
Royel Otis is from Sydney, Australia and comprises the duo Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic. Their music is often labelled as indie pop, led by guitar sounds and at times integrating live music recordings into their singles. Their most record album “Pratts & Pain” was released in 2024, with a follow-up deluxe album the same year. Listening to the album evokes nostalgic memories of falling in love and the existential thoughts of growing pains.
Clairo
“Charm,” released in 2024, was the evolution of Clairo as an artist who continues to challenge her own boundaries. Approaching a sound that was reminiscent of Carole King, while inspired by a ‘70s Peruvian music label, Clairo’s third album continues her lyrical journey of examining interpersonal relationships, though now in a new sonic context.
Montell Fish
Montell Fish blends poetics with alternative music to paint a picture of yearning and longing. His 2024 album “CHARLOTTE” contains more overt guitars and drums, moving away from the traditional lo-fi beats that he has been known for. Fish first explored this artistic shift on his album “Her Love Still Haunts Me Like a Ghost.” The shift has allowed Montell Fish to embrace more possibilities for what his music can do.
Glass Animals
Best known for their hit “Heatwave,” Glass Animals brings nostalgic lyrics to alternative music. In 2024, the group released “I Love You So F***ing Much,” which explores love and the gap of longing when you can’t reach it. The UK group works with a mix of instrumentals to create the sonic space for the memories they excavate in their songs.
Hozier
Hozier is headlining Gov Ball’s final day. An established indie-rock musician, his single, “Too Sweet” brought him back into mainstream acclaim, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His concept of reworking Dante’s poem “Inferno” on his album “Unreal Unearth,” crafted new depth to poetic elements of Hozier’s songwriting. Exploring love, nationality and mortality, Hozier continues to add to the scope of his music.
The range of artists performing at Gov Ball this year all occupy different places in music genres, from experimental alternative music to underground dance beats. Exploring the music from this year’s lineup can help expand your music tastes and push the boundaries of what you’re accustomed to listening to. Hopefully in your exploration you’ll stumble upon your new favorite artist.
Suzanne Bagia can be reached at [email protected]
