Head in the Clouds Festival is an annual music festival organized by 88rising. The lineups feature musical artists across the Asian diaspora.
Background In 2015, Jaeson Ma and Sean Miyashiro founded 88rising as a music collective and management company geared towards representing artists from the Asian diaspora. Over two years, they began managing a small stable of Asian rappers focused on forming a hip hop collective. Their first performance took place in 2017 in Los Angeles with Rich Brian, Joji, and Keith Ape all performing live and the Higher Brothers streaming from Chengdu. The collective then embarked on a Double Happiness tour in February 2018, demonstrating the demand for Asian rap performances in the United States.
2018 On September 22, 2018, 88rising presented its inaugural Head In The Clouds Festival at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. The lineup included acts based in North American and Asian music industries, including Rich Brian, Joji, Keith Ape, Niki, Higher Brothers, Dumbfoundead, and others. Japanese rapper Kohh made his debut United States performance.
Line-up Anderson .Paak (special surprise guest) Rich Brian Joji Murda Beatz Keith Ape Higher Brothers Zion.T Niki Kohh Laff Trax (Toro y Moi B2B Nosaj Thing) Dumbfoundead August 08 Yung Pinch Sen Morimoto Don Krez Diablo
2019 On August 17, 2019, 88rising held their second annual Head in the Clouds music festival at Los Angeles State Historic Park. The lineup included the return of Rich Brian, Joji, Higher Brothers, Niki, and Dumbfoundead. The festival also included artists established in the South Korean music industry, including iKON, Jackson Wang, and DPR Live. Local food festival organizer 626 Night Market coordinated food offerings. Outlets began referring to the festival as the "Asian Coachella".
Line-up
88rising Stage 88rising Joji Rich Brian iKon Niki DPR Live Higher Brothers August 08 Dumbfoundead Deb Never ICINC (Arta, Devinta Trista, Moneva & Cellosux)
Double Happiness Stage K?d Manilla Killa Y2K 박혜진 Park Hye Jin Josh Pan Qrion Don Krez
2020 88rising had planned for the 2020 Head in the Clouds festival to take place in the JIExpo Kemayoran of Jakarta, Indonesia in March 2020, with a lineup including DAY6 and Chung Ha as well as label members, Rich Brian, Niki, Joji, Higher Brothers, Stephanie Poetri, August08, and Dumbfoundead. It was eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place, 88rising held a free online concert called the "Asia Rising Forever Festival" to raise charitable funds for the purpose of combating the raise of anti-Asian sentiment.
2021 For 2021, 88rising announced they would return to hosting live audiences and would hold the festival over the weekend of November 6 and 7 at Brookside at the Rose Bowl. It would be organized by Goldenvoice, the promoters for Coachella. The lineup included Saweetie, CL, Japanese Breakfast, Beabadoobee, Umi, The Linda Lindas, eaJ, keshi, Joji, BIBI, Niki, Seori, and Rich Brian.
Line-up
Saturday, November 6
88 Stage Rich Brian Illenium CL Saweetie DPR Live + DPR Ian Lil Cherry + Gold Buuda Atarashii Gakko!
Double Happiness Stage Japanese Breakfast Umi Stephanie Poetri Elephante Rei Ami Audrey Nuna Ylona Garcia
Sunday, November 7
88 Stage Joji Niki eaJ Keshi Feel Ghood Music (Tiger JK, Yoon Mi-rae, Bizzy & Bibi) Warren Hue Luna Li
Double Happiness Stage Beabadoobee Guapdad 4000 Josh Pan Seori Wallice The Linda Lindas Mỹ Anh
2022 The 2022 festival was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena from August 20–21, 2022. International editions will also be held in Jakarta at the Community Park PIK 2 on December 3–4, and in Manila at the SMDC Concert Grounds on December 9–10, 2022.
Pasadena line-up
Saturday, August 20
88 Stage Keshi Yebi Labs (Joji DJ set) Jay Park Kinjaz Chungha Dabin Milli Hojean
Double Happiness Stage Mxmtoon Yeek Audrey Nuna + Deb Never Thuy boylife Shotta Spence 1nonly DJ Triple XL
Club Year of Dance Tent Camgirl Hu Dat B
Sunday, August 21
88 Stage Jackson Wang Rich Brian eaJ Bibi Warren Hue & Chasu Atarashii Gakko! Ylona Garcia
Double Happiness Stage Teriyaki Boyz (Verbal, Ilmari, Ryo-Z & Wise) Raveena Lastlings Dumbfoundead Stephanie Poetri No Rome DJ Co 1
Club Year of Dance Tent Venessa Michaels JackJack
Jakarta line-up Niki Rich Brian Joji Jackson Wang (G)I-dle eaJ Yoasobi Bibi Kaskade (special guest) Atarashii Gakko! Elephante Milli Spence Lee Stephanie Poetri Veegee Voice of Baceprot Warren Hue Yanqi Zhang Ylona Garcia
Manila line-up Joji Jackson Wang Niki Rich Brian eaJ Yoasobi Zedd (special guest) Adawa Akini Jing Atarashii Gakko! Bibi Elephante Guapdad 4000 Jinxzhou Manila Grey Milli Spence Lee Stephanie Poetri Warren Hue SB19 Ylona Garcia Zack Tabudlo
2023 New York City line-up
Saturday, May 20 88 Stage Fifi Zhang Akini Jing Warren Hue Milli Beabadoobee Itzy Rich Brian Double Happiness Stage Paravi Spence Lee Dumbfoundead Hojean ISOxo Raveena
Sunday, May 21 88 Stage Loren MaSiWei Dabin XG DPR Live and DPR Ian Niki Double Happiness Stage Wolftyla Veegee P-Lo Atarashii Gakko! Yeek Knock2
Pasadena line-up
Saturday, August 5 88 Stage Warren Hue MaSiWei Milli Rina Sawayama DPR Live and DPR Ian Zedd Rich Brian Jackson Wang Double Happiness Stage DJ Triple XL Fifi Zhang Spence Lee Stephanie Poetri Akini Jing Phum Viphurit Dhruv Keith Ape Eternal Energy Dance Tent B Hu Dat Josh Pan Autograf Tokimonsta
Sunday, August 6 88 Stage Loren Atarashii Gakko! Yerin Baek Zion.T XG Yoasobi Niki Tiger JK, Yoon Mirae, MaSiWei, Knowknow, etc. Double Happiness Stage DJ E-Man Sion Voice of Baceprot Zior Park Lyn Lapid Grentperez Eyedress Eternal Energy Dance Tent Jackjack Beauz Sosupersam Mr. Carmack
2024 The 2024 festival was held at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York from May 11–12, 2024.
Line-upHead In The Clouds New York 2024
(G)I-DLE Joji ILLENIUM b2b Dabin Atarashii Gakko! Bibi Awich Balming Tiger Deb Never Dhruv Eyedress Juliet Ivy Lyn Lapid Spence Lee thuy Wang OK Warren Hue wave to earth YOUNG POSSE
2026 A festival will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan on March 28 and March 29, 2026.
Line-up
Saturday, March 28 Be First Rich Brian Max Hana Kiii Kiii Ayumu Imazu No Na
Sunday, March 29 Chanmina Ai Jay Park Lngshot Kvi Baba Bibi Milli
References