Made In America 2018: Artists to look out for

Attendees of last year’s Made In America festival dance to a headliner performance. This year’s show will feature a mix of big-name artists and talented indie stars. Photo courtesy of Festival Life.

Zoe Culver, Eastside Culture Editor

The Made in America Festival will return again this Labor Day weekend to the Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Made in America is a two-day music festival in Philadelphia. Each year, the Made in America lineup is curated by the festival’s founder, Jay-Z. As one of the biggest names in hip-hop and rap to date, Jay-Z has been able to gather a talented group of performers to headline this year’s festival including Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Post Malone and Philly favorite Meek Mill.

While a lot of big-name artists will be performing at Made in America, countless smaller-name musicians, singers and rappers will also be taking the stage. When attending, it is important to know which of these artists are worth seeing since over sixty performers will be present. Here are five artists to look out for and make sure you see.

This year’s Made In America festival lineup. Photo courtesy of Spin.

The first artist is Saba, an American rapper from Chicago. His music has a very chill tone with influences from other Chicago rappers and gospel sounds. Saba has found success in collaborations with other artists on tracks such as Chance the Rapper’s “Angels”, Noname’s “Shadow Man” and more. Saba came out with his new album, Care for Me, in April and has continued to produce music.

Next is the rapper Mir Fontane. Known for his creative lyrics and catchy beats, Mir Fontane writes songs about his experiences growing up and living in Camden, New Jersey. His most recent album Macaroni Tony came out in March, and as a local artist Mir Fontane is a must-see performer.

Orion Sun, up-and-coming Philly singer, is another artist worth seeing. Her music, a cross between jazz and hip-hop techniques, gives her a unique sound that sets her apart from other artists. Her music is happy, upbeat and definitely worth seeing while at the concert.

One group worth watching is White Reaper. White Reaper is a band comprised of four members from Louisville, Kentucky. White Reaper is a punk rock group, unlike many other performers at Made in America. Since the majority of artists at the festival perform hip-hop and R&B music, White Reaper would be a great band to see to experience more types of music (and see a great group).

Much like White Reaper, singer Clairo also serves as a bit of a break from the hip-hop sounds you hear a lot of at Made in America. After going viral for her song “Pretty Girl”, the college student dropped her album diary 001 and has started touring around the world. With her distinctive music and voice, Clairo is the perfect artist to see.

When attending Made in America next weekend, make sure to check out some of these talented lesser-known artists.