Sights and Sounds: Florence + the Machine, Sass Jordan, Raveena, Mama’s Broke

Here is a timely roundup of music news from a number of strong female artists...Robert Kinsler

Florence + the Machine unveil "Free" with music video; 'Dance Fever' set for release on Friday, May 13, 2022

Florence + the Machine unveil a new single, “Free,” today with a video starring acclaimed actor Bill Nighy as Florence’s anxiety and directed by Autumn de Wilde—listen and watch here. The track is the latest from Florence’s forthcoming fifth LP Dance Fever, out May 13.

Florence has shared three songs from Dance Fever thus far—“My Love” (plus remixes from co-producer Dave Bayley of Glass Animals and Meduza), “King” and “Heaven is Here”—all of which arrived alongside videos by the acclaimed director de Wilde featuring choreography by Ryan Heffington.

Tickets for Florence’s North American headline dates this year are on sale now. The tour kicks off September 2 in Montreal with further stops at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl and many more. Arlo Parks, Sam Fender, King Princess, Yves Tumor, Japanese Breakfast and Wet Leg will join as support on select dates. One dollar from every ticket sold will benefit Choose Love to aid refugees worldwide. See full routing below and visit florenceandthemachine.net for more information.

Additionally, Florence will play two very special, intimate shows this spring: April 29 in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Theatre and May 6 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York—both shows sold out in seconds.

Dance Fever was recorded in London over the course of the pandemic in anticipation of the world’s reopening. It conjures up what Florence missed most in the midst of lockdown—clubs, dancing at festivals, being in the whirl of movement and togetherness—and the hope of reunions to come.

The image and concept of choreomania—a Renaissance phenomenon in which groups of people danced wildly to the point of exhaustion, collapse and death—became a focal point of inspiration. Forced off the road for the first time in more than a decade, dance offered Florence propulsion, energy and a way of looking at music more choreographically.

Starting, as ever, armed with a notebook of poems and ideas, Florence had just arrived to New York in March 2020 to begin recording when Covid-19 forced a retreat to London. Holed up at home, the songs she had begun started to transform, ultimately arriving somewhere that Florence describes as “Nick Cave at the club.”

Dance Fever is an album that sees Florence at the peak of her powers, coming into a fully realized self-knowledge, poking sly fun at her own self-created persona, playing with ideas of identity, masculinity and femininity, redemption and celebration.

Dance Fever was produced by Florence, Jack Antonoff and Dave Bayley of Glass Animals.
 

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE—DANCE FEVER

1. King
2. Free
3. Choreomania
4. Back in Town
5. Girls Against God
6. Dream Girl Evil
7. Prayer Factory
8. Cassandra
9. Heaven is Here
10. Daffodil
11. My Love
12. Restraint
13. The Bomb
14. Morning Elvis

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE LIVE

April 29                                           Los Angeles Theatre                                  Los Angeles, CA
May 6                                       Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center                          New York, NY
September 2                                             Place Bell                                             Montreal, QC*
September 3                                       Budweiser Stage                                          Toronto, ON*
September 7                  Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island                    Chicago, IL†
September 8                                    Xcel Energy Center                                       St. Paul, MN†
September 10                              Pine Knob Music Theatre                                  Clarkson, MI†
September 12                                    Capital One Area                                 Washington, D.C.†
September 14                                         TD Garden                                               Boston, MA†
September 16                               Madison Square Garden                                New York, NY†
September 20                                 Ascend Amphitheater                                    Nashville, TN‡
September 21                              Ameris Bank Amphitheatre                             Alpharetta, GA‡
September 23                                      Amway Center                                            Orlando, FL‡
September 24                                           FTX Arena                                                 Miami, FL‡
September 27                                        Moody Center                                              Austin, TX§
September 28                       The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory                            Irving, TX§
October 1                                                 Ball Arena                                                  Denver, CO
October 4                                                Rogers Arena                                      Vancouver, BC**
October 6                                        Climate Pledge Arena                                     Seattle, WA††
October 7                                        Theater of the Clouds                                    Portland, OR**
October 9                                        Shoreline Amphitheatre                      Mountain View, CA††
October 12                       Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre                San Diego, CA††
October 14                                            Hollywood Bowl                                    Los Angeles, CA
*with Arlo Parks
†with Sam Fender
‡with King Princess
§with Yves Tumor
**with Japanese Breakfast
††with Wet Leg

Platinum-selling powerful vocalist Sass Jordan sets June 3^rd release date for her new album, Bitches Blues

Previews release with new single “Still Alive and Well”  

Listen &  Pre-Order Album Here

 

April 20, 2022, Waterdown, ON - Examining the visceral emotional territory of a pandemic and the world’s reeling in its rolling aftermath, multi-Platinum-selling and award-winning artist Sass Jordan readies herself to rock the blues once again with the announcement of her new album, Bitches Blues — available June 3rd via Stony Plain Records.

 

Following rave reviews of her 2020 all-blues offering, Rebel Moon Blues, the Billboard Best Female Rock Vocalist winner mines even more of her expansive talent in the genre to deliver eight new tracks — including originals “Change Is Coming,” “Still The World Goes Round” and more.

 

A pioneer of powerful, gritty female-fronted rock, Sass Jordan has worked alongside fellow greats like Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and Van Halen, among many more.  Born in Britain and raised in Montreal, she launched her solo career with the single, “Tell Somebody,” from her 1988 debut of the same name, garnering national acclaim and Canada’s JUNO Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist. Throughout her career, she’s earned three more nominations for Best Female Vocalist thanks to albums like Racine (1992), Rats (1994), Present (1997), Hot Gossip (2000), Get What You Give (2006), From Dusk Til Dawn (2009) and her side project S.U.N.’;s album, Something Unto Nothing (2011) — along with singles like “Make You A Believer,” “You Don’t Have to Remind Me,” “Sun’s Gonna Rise” and 1992’s “Trust in Me,” a duet with Joe Cocker from the record-selling Bodyguard soundtrack.

 

Jordan starred in the off-Broadway Janis Joplin show, “Love Janis,” performed “The Vagina Monologues” in Winnipeg and Toronto, toured the world with “A Bowie Celebration,” guest-starred on NBC-TV’s “Sisters,” weighed in as the only female judge on “Canadian Idol” for all six seasons beginning in 2003, and branded her own line of wine, Kick Ass Sass Wine.

 

In 2017, she released Racine Revisited, recreating her sophomore album with an all-star cast for its 25th anniversary, and celebrated the same milestone for Rats in 2020 with a colored-vinyl reissue. With Bitches Blues, Sass returns to a genre that’s long been ingrained in her grasp since the start. “There’s been an undercurrent of blues throughout my whole career - the music that I have mostly been drawn to has always had that gritty, rootsy vein running through it, and that’s why I’m enjoying making these records so much.”

 

As such, anticipate piercingly fierce guitar licks and defiantly driving tempos alongside Sass’  soulful signature rasp and the full backing of a glorious assortment of rambling road dogs, the Champagne Hookers — guitarists Chris Caddell and Jimmy Reid, drummer Cass Pereira, keyboardist Jesse O'Brien and Steve Marriner on bass and harmonica.

Bitches Blues is available June 3 via Stony Plain Records.

 

Bitches Blues -Tracklisting

“Still Alive and Well”

“Chevrolet”

“Even”

“Still The World Goes Round”

“You Gotta Move”

“Sailin’ Shoes”

“Ain’t No Big Deal On You”

“Change Is Coming”

 

TOUR DATES
04 JUN 2022   WEERT, NDL             BOSUIL

06 JUN 2022   RAALTE, NDL            RIBS & BLUES FEST           

08 JUN 2022   HOORN, NDL            MANIFESTO 

09 JUN 2022   BREDA, NDL              MEZZ 

10 JUN 2022   AMSTELVEEN, NDL P60

11 JUN 2022   DRACHTEN, NDL      IDUNA           

12 JUN 2022   ARNHEM, NDL          LUXOR LIVE 

22 JUN 2022   ST. JOHN'S, NF         ICEBERG ALLEY 

21 OCT 2022  ANCASTER, ON        ANCASTER MEMORIAL ARTS CENTRE              

22 OCT 2022  BUFFALO, NY            SHOWPLACE THEATRE

 

RAVEENA SHARES NEW VISUALS FOR "LOVE OVERGROWN" ASHA'S AWAKENING OUT NOW VIA WARNER RECORDS KICKS OFF NORTH AMERICAN TOUR THIS WEEK

"Love Overgrown" video still "Love Overgrown" WATCH: https://raveena.lnk.to/loveovergrownvideo Asha's Awakening https://raveena.lnk.to/ashasawakening What the press is saying about Raveena: "gauzy R&B drawn out with her air-light voice" Rolling Stone "Raveena’s music unfurls slowly, dwelling in wistfully recounted dreams and a rich vein of feminine energy" Pitchfork "hypnotizing" V Magazine "a storyteller who weaves healing and spirituality through western pop culture and her Punjabi upbringing" NPR (April 20, 2022) - After performing at the first weekend of Coachella this past Friday, Raveena shares the self-directed video for her song "Love Overgrown." Somewhere between animation and live-action, the visuals for "Love Overgrown" meet in a vibrant and prismatic alternate-world to show Raveena and her love interest, played by Salem Mitchell, move through the emotions of falling in and out of love. "Love Overgrown" is a track from Raveena's recently released sophomore album Asha's Awakening out now via Warner Records. Raveena kicks off her North American headline tour dates this Sunday in Oakland. Supported by Fana Hues, the 19-date tour includes stops in Seattle, Denver, Toronto, New York City and Dallas before wrapping up in Los Angeles on May 29. Tickets on sale HERE. Full tour routing below. Asha's Awakening is a 15-track concept album that tells the riveting tale of a space princess from ancient Punjab who, through a fantastic journey across the centuries, learns about love and loss, healing and destruction. Asha's Awakening cascades through various musical eras for inspiration, melding the genre-defying influences of Alice Coltrane and Asha Puthli from the 60s and 70s with those of Timbaland, Missy Elliott and M.I.A from the early 2000s. Album contributors include Grammy-nominated producer, Rostam, as well as Vince Staples and the legendary Indian singer-songwriter herself, Asha Puthli. Asha's Awakening features the previously released tracks "Mystery" which arrived with a performance video filmed as a part of Raveena's collaboration with Billboard for their Honda Stage series, "Secret" featuring Vince Staples and "Rush," about which Pitchfork stated, "Raveena brings a joyous curiosity to the forefront of her music and gives her imagination room to grow." Asha's Awakening marks the first full-length offering from Raveena since her 2019 debut album Lucid, which them. said, "established Raveena as an emerging star" and thrust Raveena further into the conversation, showcasing her undeniable talent and multi-dimensionality as an artist by blending contemporary R&B with elements from the South Asian diaspora. Asha's Awakening also follows 2020's Moonstone EP and Raveena's single "Tweety" released last year. Watch "Love Overgrown" and listen to Asha's Awakening above and check out full tour routing and album details below.

tour poster Upcoming Live Dates * = w/ Fana Hues 4/22 - Indio, CA @ Coachella 4/24 - Oakland, CA @ The New Parish* 4/25 - Oakland, CA @ The New Parish* 4/28 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre* 4/29 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos* 4/30 - Vancouver, BC @ Imperial Vancouver* 5/4 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge* 5/7 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall* 5/8 - Detroit, MI @ El Club* 5/9 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House* 5/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore* 5/13 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club* 5/15 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall* 5/16 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza* 5/18 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West* 5/21 - Austin, TX @ The Parish* 5/22 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues - Cambridge Room* 5/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom* 5/28 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre* 5/29 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre*

Raveena Asha's Awakening February 11, 2022 Warner Records 1. Rush 2. Secret (feat. Vince Staples) 3. Magic 4. Kismet 5. Kathy Left 4 Kathmandu 6. Mystery 7. Circuit Board 8. The Internet Is Like Eating Plastic 9. Arrival to the Garden of Cosmic Speculation 10. Asha's Kiss (feat. Asha Puthli) 11. Time Flies 12. Love Overgrown 13. Endless Summer 14. New Drugs (feat. TWEAKS) 15. Let Your Breath Become a Flower (Guided Meditation)

About Raveena: For Raveena, music is meant to be a “complete expression of the self.” It’s a truth she’s leaned on through a whirlwind couple of years, which saw a potent flurry of output and a pointed ascent into the conversation with her critically-acclaimed 2019 debut full-length, Lucid, and 2020 follow-up, Moonstone EP. Inspired by artists like Sade, Corinne Bailey Rae, Minnie Riperton, and Indian singer Asha Puthli, Raveena is a highly creative, dynamic, and spiritual artist who aims to build fully-realized worlds within each of her projects: conceptual experimentations in sound, threaded together by stories of healing and self-realization meant to experience from start to finish. Her latest offering, Asha's Awakening, takes listeners on an epic deep dive into Indian culture—an endeavor that has been in the works for three years. An homage to her heritage as a first-generation descendant of genocide survivors and Reiki healers, the album incorporates influences from Bollywood and celebrated Indian artists like R.D. Burman and Asha Bhosle, as well as Western music—specifically R&B, rock and soul— and melds the genres prevalent throughout Raveena’s catalog into one cohesive body of work. The album also marries eras in time, fusing together a contemporary take on sounds influenced by Alice Coltrane and Asha Puthli from the 60s and 70s with those of Timbaland, Missy Elliott, M.I.A. and Jai Paul from the early 2000s. It is a labor of love that represents her evolution as an artist. Raveena remarks, “I think it's really fun putting people in uncomfortable positions to receive new sides of you. The human experience is so vast.”

Connect with Raveena Instagram | Twitter New Single from Canadian Indie Roots Duo Mama’s Broke - “How It Ends” Today, Canadian indie roots duo Mama’s Broke released a new single from their upcoming album, Narrow Line, coming May 13 on Free Dirt Records. “How It Ends” is a post-folk breakup song conceived in rural cabins over the pandemic. With swirling fiddle and banjo, the two sing of heartbreak amidst a pandemic. Folk Alley Premieres “How It Ends” On April 19, 2022, Folk Alley premiered the new single, saying “‘How It Ends’ ruminates on the universal feeling that, no matter how hurt you are, when a relationship ends, it’s hard to believe anyone will ever live up to your former lover.” MAMA'S BROKE - Narrow Line - May 13, 2022 on Free Dirt Records Canadian folk duo Mama’s Broke have spent the past eight years in a near-constant state of transience, pounding the transatlantic tour trail. They've brought their dark, fiery folk-without-borders sound to major festivals and DIY punk houses alike, absorbing traditions from their maritime home in Eastern Canada all the way to Ireland and Indonesia. Nowhere is the duo's art-in-motion approach more apparent than on their long-awaited sophomore record Narrow Line (coming May 13, 2022 on Free Dirt Records); it's the sound of nowhere in particular, yet woven with a rich synthesis of influences that knows no borders. The eleven songs on Narrow Line burrow deeply, with close harmony duets, commanding vocals, and poignant contemplations on cycles of life, including birth and death. Tinges of Americana stand side-by-side with the ghosts of Eastern European fiddle tunes and ancient a cappella ballad singing, melding into an unusually accessible dark-folk sound. A careful listen of Narrow Line invokes an ephemeral sense of place—whether real or imagined—inviting us to take comfort in the infinite possibilities of life, whether or not we ever choose to settle down.

Coachella Weekend #1 - Raveena, Bishop Briggs, Mika, Arcade Fire, Phoebe Bridgers, Danny Elfman, Billie Eilish, more

Arcade Fire performing at Coachella 2022.
Photo credit: Rich Fury/Getty Images for Coachella

With more than 160 artists performing throughout the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, there were plenty of stellar performances to discover across Weekend #1 at the event held April 15-17. Here are some of the highlights shared via the YouTube's livestream across the first three days of the event presented by Goldenvoice. Weekend #2 will play out April 22-24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.  With the exception of Arcade Fire, all the noted artists are scheduled to return to Indio for Weekend #2.

Friday, April 15

Raveena — The first artist to grab my attention was songstress Raveena, a rising singer with a joyful spirit. Highlights of her set included the dreamy "Mystery" and a song she sang in Hindi where she showed off some cool guitar chops. Much of her focus was on songs from her new album Asha's Awakening —  she noted the new album is an exploration of her Indian heritage; the sounds blend the stylings of her Indian roots with Western pop & R&B . Highlights were the Smooth dance track "Kismet" as well as the tender ballad "Love Overgrown." She also told the crowd that she is one of the first Indian women to ever perform at Coachella.

Bishop Briggs — With a sound and hard-edged approach that somehow blends the stylings of Florence + the Machine, Bat for Lashes and Billie Eilish, Bishop Briggs' energetic performance was even more impressive given that she is pregnant with her first child, and is in the third trimester of that pregnancy. Additionally, her stirring performance came in the wake of the death of her sister Kate McLaughlin who died in 2021 at the age of 30 after a battle with ovarian cancer. Briggs performed several songs for her sister including the poignant "High Water" (she broke down during the performance of the track) and "Art of Survival." Her performance on Weekend #2 is not to be missed.

Win Butler leading Arcade Fire at Coachella 2022. 
Photo credit: Rich Fury/Getty Images for Coachella

Arcade Fire — The Canadian troupe's set — not announced until the eve of their April 15 appearance — fully lived up to the expectations of the untold thousands who filled the Mojave Tent for the hour-long set. Singer-guitarist/keyboardist Win Butler and company fully delivered, showcasing both timeless classics (notably "Ready To Start" and "Wake Up") and songs from the band's forthcoming album We (due May 6, 2022). Indeed, "The Lightning I," "The Lightning II," "Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)" and "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" made a compelling case that WE has to be among the most highly anticipated albums of 2022. Arcade Fire also acknowledged the tragic world events playing out in Eastern Europe, dedicating a performance of "The Suburbs" to the beleaguered people of the Ukraine. "Everyone in a punk rock band in the Ukraine right now," Butler said. "I'm thinking about everybody who is dealing with the war right now."

From left, Phoebe Bridgers and Arlo Parks at
Coachella on Friday, April 15, 2022. 
Photo credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Phoebe Bridgers - Top-tier singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers made her Coachella debut with a memorable set of a dozen songs presented on Friday night. Coachella is a stop on her 2022 tour, and Bridgers' appearance on a windy night in Indio was magical to be sure. In addition to featuring song from her 2020 disc Punisher, the Los Angeles songstress performed her new song "Sidelines" live for the first time. She also brought out Arlo Parks for duets of "Graceland Too" and the impressive "I Know the End." 

Saturday, April 16

Beach Bunny - an early Saturday standout, the Lili Trifilio-led outfit Beach Bunny offered up a winning mix of melodic punk and power pop on the Outdoor Theatre Stage on Saturday afternoon. The group's first-ever appearance at Coachellafest was highlighted by the driving "Cuffing Season," wistful rocker "Six Weeks" and Weezer-mining "Weeds." The group closed with the retro delight "Painkiller."

Japanese Breakfast  - Led by Korean-American artist Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast turned in one of Saturday's most thrilling performances. Riveting from the start, Zauner and her outstanding five-member band's set included the breezy "Be Sweet," tender Americana-tinged "Kokomo, IN," Neo-psychedelic "Road Head," driving indie rocker "Everybody Wants To Love You" (bolstered by Zauner's flashy lead guitar work) and the expansive "Your Body Is A Blade." She closed her set with the swirling and mighty "Diving Woman," with a cacophony of burgeoning sonics leading to a volcanic finale.

Danny Elfman performing at Coachella with a few friends.
Photo credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Danny Elfman - At 68, Danny Elfman's Saturday night performance also marked his Coachella debut. His so-called "Past, Present and Future! From Boingo to Batman and Beyond!" premiere was no empty promise. Over the course of 60 exhilarating minutes the legendary leader of Oingo Boingo and acclaimed film composer led a hard-edged rock outfit and large orchestra through a dizzying mix of material at his first proper full-length show "as myself" in 27 years. Fans of Elfman's truly groundbreaking new wave act Oingo Boingo got amped up versions of "Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself)," "Insects," "Only a Lad," the Halloween-minded "Dead Man's Party" and the rousing closer "Who Do You Want to Be." 

Danny Elfman performing at Coachella on April 16, 2022.
Photo credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Lovers of Elfman's extensive and signature film work were equally in luck; a section of his orchestral score from 2002's "Spider-Man," along with instrumental sections of 1990's "Edward Scissorhands," 2010's "Alice's Theme" (from "Alice in Wonderland") and 1989's "Batman" showcased the terrific orchestra and choir. Chief among the audience favorites was a medley from the animated classic "The Nightmare Before Christmas" ("Jack's Lament/This is Halloween/What's This?") and even the theme from the long-running animated series "The Simpsons."

He also performed enthralling selections from his 2021 album Big Mess, including "Sorry," "True" and "Kick Me."

“Thank you for bringing me out of whatever it’s called … I forget,” Elfman said humbly at the end of the fast-moving set. “Thank you … I like it here.”

From left, Billie Eilish and Damon Albarn at Coachella on Saturday, April 16, 2022. 
Photo credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella

Billie Eilish - Closing out Saturday was Billie Eilish, who delivered a powerful and incredible set on the Coachella Stage. As if her own confident and crowd-pleasing performance wasn't strong enough thanks to her own musical powers, she brought out Damon Albarn (of Blur, Gorillaz and the Good, the Bad and the Queen fame) to join her for two undeniable selections. After joining forces with Eilish on her affecting ballad "Getting Older" (off Eilish's sophomore album Happier Than Ever) there was an explosive take on Gorillaz's classic "Feel Good Inc." that also featured De La Soul's Posdnuos.

Billie Eilish at Coachella on Saturday, April 16, 2022. 
Photo credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella

“[Damon] changed my life in a lot of ways, and changed my view of what music and art and creation could be,” Eilish told the crowd as she introduced Albarn. “My first favorite band ever was the Good, the Bad and the Queen when I was six years-old, and Blur changed the world, and Gorillaz changed the world, and this man is literally a genius, and that’s that.”

Eilish first (and previously) performed at Coachella in 2019. Fast forward to 2022 and the 20-year-old star became the youngest headliner ever in Coachella's storied history.

Check out Eilish's April 16, 2022 Coachella set list below...

1. bury a friend
2. I Didn’t Change My Number
3. NDA
4. Therefore I Am
5. my strange addiction
6. idontwannabeyouanymore
7. lovely
8. you should see me in a crown
9. Billie Bossa Nova
10. GOLDWING
11. Halley’s Comet
12. Oxytocin
13. ilomilo
14. i love you
15. Your Power
16. OverHeated
17. bellyache
18. ocean eyes
19. Getting Older
20. Feel Good Inc.
21. when the party’s over
22. all the good girls go to hell
23. everything i wanted
24. bad guy
25. Happier Than Ever

Other notable performances I caught were Mika, Grupo Firme, Maggie Rogers, FINNEAS and Run the Jewels.

Coachella 2022: Robert Kinsler & George A. Paul preview this year's event

A view of Coachella in April 2019.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Music writers Robert Kinsler and George A. Paul each highlight some of their must-see artists coming to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which returns after a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic. Taking place over consecutive weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Coachellafest will be held April 15-17 and again April 22-24, 2022. This year's headliners are Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and the Weeknd with Swedish House Mafia.

Fridays, April 15 and 22

Harry Styles 
Photo credit: Hanna Moon, courtesy of
Columbia Records

Harry Styles – The former One Direction singer’s engaging self-titled solo bow and follow up Fine Line both entered at No. 1 here and were certified platinum-plus. Earlier this month, the charismatic Brit’s propulsive new single “As it Was” (from “Harry’s House,” due in May) broke single-day streaming records on Spotify and will have its live performance debut at Coachella. GP

Arcade Fire performing at the Greek Theatre
in Los Angeles on Sept. 20, 2018.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Arcade Fire — A last minute addition to this year's festival, Coachella favorites Arcade Fire will perform in the relative intimate confines of the Mojave Tent on Friday at 6:45 p.m. If you want to be able to see the Canadian troupe in action, be sure to arrive early! Arcade Fire is one of the most original and successful alternative rock artists to emerge since the turn of the century. This writer has caught singer-guitarist Win Butler and company several times at Coachella in the past, as well as in a headlining turn at the Greek Theatre in 2018, and they are not to be missed. RK 

Phoebe Bridgers — Since bursting on the music scene in September 2017 with her critically-acclaimed album Stranger in the Alps, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers' ascent has included four Grammy Awards nominations (including for "Best New Artist") and collaborations with a slew of musical ensembles including The National, Fiona Apple, boygenius and Better Oblivion Community Center (the latter with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame), as well as via the enticing 2021 single "Silk Chiffon" performed with Muna. RK

Mika – No stranger to Coachella, Mika comes across like a pop-leaning Freddie Mercury onstage. He burst onto the international music scene bigtime 15 years ago with Life in Cartoon Motion. The album was a phenomenon, especially at home in Britain, where it topped the charts, spawned five top 20 singles, raked in awards, and went multi-platinum. Mika has gone onto collaborate with Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, RedOne, Kylie Minogue and put out a stately cover of Roxette’s “It Must Have Been Love” last year. GP

Bishop Briggs
Photo courtesy of the
artist

Bishop Briggs — With the release of her debut album Church Of Scars, Scottish-American songstress Bishop Briggs was one of 2018's most notable breakout music artists. She arrives at Coachella in the wake that disc (which featured the memorable singles "White Flag," "River" and "Wild Horses"), as well as her strong 2019 sophomore effort Champion. Among her winning recent tracks Coachella-goers can expect to hear is the yearning "High Water" (which draws favorable comparisons with Florence + the Machine), the inspired "Higher" and dance-minded "Jekyll & Hide." RK

The HU 
Photo: Enkhbat Nyamkhishig

The HU — Hard rocking Mongolian quartet The HU launches their so-called "Black Thunder" North American Tour with their set in Indio on April 15.  The HU will likely debut advance tracks from the band's forthcoming sophomore album that is due later this year from Better Noise Music. That album was reportedly recorded in their native Mongolia over the past few months. The HU's 2019 debut disc The Gereg debuted at #1 on the World Album and Top New Artist Charts.The HU's blend of folk rock and heavy metal is adorned with traditional Mongolian instrumentation including the Morin khuur, the Tovshuur and even Mongolian throat singing! RK

Saturdays, April 16 and 23

Billie Eilish / Photo: Matty Vogel

Billie Eilish — Anticipation was high when Billie Eilish made her debut at Coachella in April 2019, and the young artist fully delivered. Her triumphant return three years later finds her in the headlining spot at the fest performing on Saturday night. Anyone who caught her appearances at the Academy Awards telecast in March (where she performed the title track from the James Bond film "No Time To Die") and more recently at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards (where she performed "Happier Than Ever," the title track from her 2021 album) knows the power of the 20-year-old star. Indeed, Eilish is the youngest artist in Grammy history and second overall to win top honors in four general field categories: "Best New Artist," "Record of the Year," "Song of the Year," and "Album of the Year" — all in the same year. RK

Danny Elfman at the Hollywood Bowl
on Oct. 31, 2015. Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Danny Elfman — Groundbreaking artist Danny Elfman has seemingly done it all, and his upcoming showcase at Coachella should prove it. The leader of the pioneering new wave-meets-rock outfit Oingo Boingo formed in 1979, he has subsequently gone on to even greater fame scoring music for more than 100 films beginning with 1986's "Pee-wee's Big Adventure."  His work writing and singing on the soundtrack for the 1993 animated film "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is truly beloved, and his diverse field of stellar work includes his scores for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Good Will Hunting," "Edward Scissorhands" and "Big Fish" as well as the popular themes on the television shows "Desperate Housewives" and "The Simpsons." It is anticipated that Elfman will perform a wide range of original material at Coachella including his outstanding film music, and songs from his time with Oingo Boingo as well as off his celebrated 2021 solo album Big Mess. RK

Wallows – Dylan Minnette and Braeden Lemasters are singers and multi-instrumentalists who played in various bands with drummer Cole Preston between acting gigs as teenagers. They started Wallows in 2017. The Los Angeles alt-pop trio notched a top 5 alt-radio and TikTok hit with 2019’s enchanting “Are You Bored Yet?” featuring Clairo and just released the solid sophomore full-length, Tell Me That It’s Over. GP

Japanese Breakfast / Photography by Peter Ash Lee

Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee, the alluring Grammy-nominated third effort by this dream pop band, was among 2021’s most critically-acclaimed albums. Singer/author Michelle Zauner, a South Korea native, also wrote a memoir last year that has been optioned for a feature film. She contributed a piano driven “No One Sees Me Like You Do” to Ocean Child, the current Yoko Ono tribute album. GP

Sundays, April 17 and 24

Orville Peck – Doing double duty at Coachella and Stagecoach 2022, this Canada-based LGBTQ Americana singer keeps his identity secret through a fringed mask. Peck has a penchant for crooning in Chris Isaak or Roy Orbison style and has even duetted with Shania Twain. New album Bronco finds the eclectic artist adeptly expanding his sonic palette even further. GP

Skegss / Photo: David Herington

Skegss — Australian trio Skegss blends surf, indie and garage rock powerfully, with the Byron Bay, New South Wales-spawned outfit's inviting sound positioned in the sonic universe where Dinosaur Jr., Weezer and early R.E.M. meet. Their performances at Coachella will mark their first appearances in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. Among Skegss great cuts are the anthemic "Stranger Days," the punkish and melodically intoxicating "Bunny Man," crunchy gem "Valhalla" and sweeping rocker "Fantasising." The band's line-up consists of Toby Cregan (bass, vocals, guitar), Jonny Lani (drums) and Ben Reed (vocals, guitar, bass). RK

Information: Coachella.com.

Note: This article was originally published in the Desert Star Weekly on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.