Spring Fling is a magical time of year: every April, we come together for the parties, the performances, the celebration of making it through another year at Penn—and it all culminates with a few musical guests putting on a show for us courtesy of SPEC. There’s been a diverse range of artists at Penn Park these past few years, from Chance the Rapper to Zedd to The All–American Rejects. So it got me thinking—who would be some performers that I’d like to see at Fling this year? For openers, they’d have to be rising stars with plenty of songs for singing along and a vibe that can get the crowd going early on. Headliners should be new big names with a number of popular radio singles within the last few years that’ll build the requisite excitement for the event.
Opener
Jon Bellion
When it comes to opening sets, Bellion is an excellent choice. The New York based singer–rapper has released a breadth of sonic masterpieces with catchy hooks, from “He Is The Same” to “Guillotine” to “Beautiful Now” with Zedd. Additionally, he can change the style up to slick rap flows on songs such as “New York Soul–Pt. ii”. Bellion’s the kind of artist that brings his all to each performance—just watch him singing “All Time Low” on the set of Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show. Did I mention that he just released a new album, Glory Sound Prep?
Brockhampton
If you want everyone arriving to be ready to rumble, these guys are the way to go. When it comes to bringing unmitigated energy to the crowd, Brockhampton is near unparalleled. Check out this April performance by hip hop’s premier boy band—it’s incredible. Nearly every song from their four albums generates an electric atmosphere, whether it be “SWEET,” “NEW ORLEANS,” or “BLEACH.” It’s the ideal vibe for a warm night, moshing in the crowd as Kevin Abstract bellows “Twisting me up like licorice / Need me someone that can handle it.”
Louis the Child
Louis the Child’s unique future bass take on EDM provides a buoyant vibe to get concertgoers amped up from the moment their set begins. I might be a little biased, as they had one my favorite sets at Made in America this year. That being said, the Chicago–based DJ duo has been killing it since jumping on to the scene in 2015 with “It’s Strange.” You’ll be bumping your head and gyrating to “Better Not” and “Last to Leave” as the duo dances along to their music on stage.
Headliner
Alessia Cara
The Best New Artist at the 2018 Grammy Awards, Cara is a superstar who has had a multitude of hits in the past few years. With her vocal range and performative talent (look at her iconic 2017 VMAs performance of “Scars to Your Beautiful”), the Canadian singer would bring a captivating vibe as she hums “Here” or sheds her emotions to “How Far I’ll Go.” With her new album The Pains of Growing out later this month, there’s even more content she’d be able to share with the crowd next April.
Marshmello
You want a perfect headliner? Marshmello has blown up in the past few years, with megahit singles such as “Alone,” “Friends,” and “Happier.” The masked DJ would put on the EDM show of a lifetime—just watch his Ultra Music Festival 2018 set, full of psychedelic visual effects and incredible bass drops that have the crowd jumping for the stars. Now imagine that at Penn Park, surrounded by your friends and dancing the night away. Sounds surreal, doesn’t it?
