Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY — May 11, 2024

For the second time ever in New York City, 88rising hosted their flagship, Head In The Clouds Festival this past weekend. At the historic Forest Hills Stadium, the festival once again delivered a memorable showcase of Asian music, art and food under surprisingly beautiful weather. Unlike previous years, HITC New York 2024 had only one stage— which mean that festival attendees could enjoy all that the genre-spanning lineup had to offer, from K-pop, hip-hop, R&B, indie-pop to EDM. The central platform rotated quickly between sets to keep the momentum and energy going uninterrupted all day. Fans fueled for an marathon of music all day with a diverse array of food and beverage vendors from 10 all-Asian businesses.

On Saturday, Wang OK kicked off the 2-day event with an enthusiastic crowd, followed by an synergetic set from South Korean group YOUNG POSSE. The crowd warmly welcomed a rare U.S. performance by Balming Tiger, as well as Juliet Ivy for her debut HITC performance in her hometown of Forest Hills, NY. As the venue filled up quickly leading up to the headliners, thuy, dhruv and wave to earth performed some of their most known hits and unreleased songs. As the sun began to set, the back-to-back DJ sets by ILLENIUM and Dabin were nothing short of electrifying and seamless. The venue was fully packed at this point, with every inch of the stadium pulsating to the impressive spectacle of their colorful and dynamic set. Closing out the day on a high note, the sensational K-Pop group (G)I-DLE delivered an infectiously energetic and meticulously choreographed performance to a thunderous audience.

JULIET IVY

THUY

DHRUV

WAVE TO EARTH

ILLENIUM + DABIN

(G)I-DLE

On Sunday, the sun came out just in time for the acts. Opening with 88rising’s own hip-hop artist Spence Lee followed by Warren Hue. Every artists including Awich, Deb Never, Lyn Lapid, and Eyedress each brought their unique flair to the stage with their sets, ranging from rap, pop, indie-rock, R&B and alternative. Atarashii Gakko was a definite highlight of the weekend, captivating the audience with a vibrant display of cultural fusion that blended traditional Japanese dance, music and costumes with a distinct contemporary flair. The penultimate singer was none other than BIBI. The South Korean artist and her backup dancers did not miss a beat throughout their sizzling performance. Joji capped off the 2024 edition of Head in the Clouds New York with a visually stunning and entertaining hour-long set. From the opening song “Sanctuary” to the fan-favorite hit “Glimpse of Us,” Joji transported the crowd to a different world through a multi-sensory experience of stunning visual effects, bass-boosted tracks and iconic ballads.

LYN LAPID

BIBI

ATARASHII GAKKO

JOJI

In conclusion, New York welcomed all aspects of the Head In The Clouds experience this year for 88rising’s return to its home. From the electrifying performances of the headliners and the captivating sets of rising indie stars to the abundance of boba drinks on the festival grounds, the festival was a successful celebration of Asian music, culture, and unity.

Words & Photography: Katherine Hui