Gov ball for the girls
A review piece on the Governors Ball Music Festival 2024
This past weekend, New York City hosted the Governors Ball Music Festival, which historically has been known for welcoming a diverse and vibrant lineup of artists to the very core of the vast metropolis. This year’s event however quickly came to be known as the “Gov Ball for the Girls,” due to the lineup and pure dominance of feminine energy in performance, highlighted by Renée Rapp, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Sexyy Red, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Chappell Roan, the latter being the highlight of the weekend for many.
Chappell Roan dominated the event with incredible flair and captured a massive audience when she danced and sang cosplaying the Statue of Liberty and a New York Taxi. Her performance was quintessentially NYC—fearless and diverse in a way that only the city could achieve. It was exciting to witness Roan being able to showcase not only her singing ability but also her dancing skills and, more importantly, her theatrical performance in her whimsical costumes which everyone loved. Her set was the one that lit the stage up, from bottom to top, and the audience sang along with her word by word which enthralled the place and set the pace for the rest of the final festival day.
In allowing female talent to shine, Gov Ball 2024 proved to appeal to everyone, as the festival was immensely inclusive across all aspects. Some bonuses were Rauw Alejandro, Farruko, and Peso Pluma, all of whom performed in Spanish, which brought even more racial and ethnic diversity to the party. Those artists came with their best music and spectacular performances thereby summing up the multicultural audience unifying them through music. In the musical spectrum, Alejandro’s reggaeton rhythms, Farruko’s urban touch, and Peso Pluma’s energetic and native performance all while on a fractured foot introduced an international facet to the festival and truly showed: that Gov Ball is for all music lovers.
The headliners- Post Malone, The Killers-are the kind of lineup that would be expected when trying to appeal to as many people as possible at a festival of this scale. From Post Malone’s pop/hip-hop and R&B tunes to The Killers’ classic rock, or even SZA’s soulful R&B, which marked an incredibly diverse musical scale in between each other, all the headliners were great and performed their respective genres and intensity to keep the audience engaged throughout the weekend. SZA in closing the festival, was soulful and emotional, and the audience could not help but feel the music.
Photos taken by Jose Castillo, Cleah Fast and John Krug
A selection of artists who combine different genres, from D4vd, Dominic Fike, Teezo Touchdown, Kevin Abstract, Don Toliver, and TV Girl, made sure that at least one with a diverse musical style was introduced to the audience. These artists are unique because of their rather experimental music and performances that are always provocative. Its an understatement to say The Gov Ball’s stages were constantly filled with something new. Ranging from the innovation through which Dominic Fike blended indie rock with hip-hop, splays of songs with Kevin Abstract’s avant-garde approach to pop and rap, and the subtleties of Teezo Touchdown, who is still an unknown quantity to many as a man who performs breathtaking genre-fluid freeform, there was truly something for everyone.
The festival's social media engagement also further highlighted its Gen Z appeal. The Gov Ball Twitter admin deserves a special shoutout for their witty captions and timely updates, which kept the online community buzzing throughout the weekend. The overall vibe was current, vibrant, and welcoming—a comfortable space particularly for the “girls, theys, and gays” they call themselves, making it even more special as the festival is during Pride Month. Social media was flooded with photos and videos of fans celebrating their identities, expressing their freedom, and enjoying the music in a supportive and inclusive environment. The presence of pride flags, rainbow-themed outfits, and supportive messages was a testament to the festival's inclusive ethos.
Gov Ball 2024 was not just a music festival; it was a celebration of empowerment, diversity, and inclusivity. It created a safe and joyous environment for all attendees, setting a new standard for music festivals worldwide. From the carefully curated lineup to the vibrant social media engagement, Gov Ball demonstrated a deep understanding of its audience and a commitment to creating a space where everyone feels welcome. Whether you were there to see the chart-topping headliners or discover new and upcoming artists, Gov Ball delivered an unforgettable experience that resonated deeply with its audience. Here's to hoping that future editions continue this tradition of inclusivity and celebration, making music festivals a haven for all.
