After a slam-dunk debut last year, 88rising’s Head in the Clouds New York Music & Arts Festival returned to Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York on May 11 and 12 for its second year. Like last year, the festival coincided with Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month and Mother’s Day. The two-day event uplifted the diversity and cultures of the global Asian community through music, local pan-Asian food vendors, and donating a portion of ticket sales to Heart of Dinner, which addresses food insecurity and isolation among New York City’s Asian elders.
Unfortunately, this year’s event left both first-timers and seasoned Head in the Clouds attendees feeling underwhelmed. The event saw a significantly smaller lineup (18 total artists compared to 26 last year), increased ticket prices, and the downsize to a single rotating stage instead of two separate ones announced only weeks before the festival. Additionally, GA pass-holders were again relegated to the seated bowl while only VIP pass-holders could claim the floor standing area. There were also continued complaints about the size and curfew limitations of Forest Hills Stadium.
Other issues included technical difficulties and delays for multiple sets and the last-minute cancelation of the “Finale” set without an explanation. And noticeably missing from the stage’s setup and around the festival were cloud motifs and CLO, the beloved cloud-shaped mascot of the Head in the Clouds festival series.
Despite the bumps, Head in the Clouds New York succeeded in showcasing Asian talent from around the world. Artists hailing from Korea and the Korean diaspora were once again well-represented over the weekend: K-Pop girl group (G)I-DLE, soloist and 88rising darling BIBI, and EDM musician and producer Dabin headlined the two-day event. Additionally, Balming Tiger, indie band wave to earth, and Deb Never performed during the weekend, while up-and-coming K-Pop group Young Posse made their U.S. debut. This solid grouping of artists, along with a strong lineup including the highly-anticipated Joji, Atarashii Gakko!, thuy, Warren Hue, dhruv, Awich, and Lyn Lapid had fans on their feet on each day.
Young Posse
Young Posse was the first Korean artist to take the stage on Day 1 of the festival for their first-ever live performance in the United States. Their set opened with a VCR parodying a breaking news report that a giant Jeep driven by the girl group destroyed the New York City tri-state area. The video, which featured found footage shots of Young Posse on the run, reported that they were last seen in Queens and asked for the public’s help in identifying them. The group then ran onstage to jump right into “POSSE UP!,” their eponymous anthem.
Donning coordinated football jerseys with their names, baggy jeans, and Timberland boots, members Sunhye, Yeonjung, Jiana, Doeun, and Jieun had the crowd swaying and dancing in the afternoon heat. After introducing themselves, they tossed branded scrunchies into the crowd. Doeun noted that whichever section cheered the loudest during their set would get more scrunchies.
Next on their setlist was “OTB,” which stands for “on the board.” The fun, empowering song’s choreography started with a complex double-dutch-inspired intro that impressed fans. Although attendees were still filing into the venue due to Young Posse’s early set time, the audience’s hyped cheers and “ayys” to the beat in true New York style echoed throughout the venue.
“Wow, the energy at HITC is different!” Jieun said to the crowd in between songs.
“I hope you’re all enjoying the show, because we’re really having a blast!” added Yeonjung.
They then went into their debut track “MACARONI CHEESE.” As the song’s heavy, thumping hip-hop beat started, Sunhye and Doeun quickly taught fans an easy chant. When the girls would rap, “macaroni cheese, like a?” the audience would call out “macaroni cheese” back to them. Young Posse then followed with “ROTY,” the acronym for “rookie of the year.” The fun performance of the Chipmunk soul-inspired track highlighted the group’s chemistry, growing confidence, and respect for hip-hop as a genre.
“ROTY” effortlessly transitioned into Sunhye, Yeonjung, and Doeun’s cover of “RUBBER DUCK,” originally by Lil Cherry and Yunhwa, and put their flow on display while Jieun and Jiana took a quick break backstage. Jieun and Jiana then returned for a cover of “TOO MUCH” by The Kid Laroi, Jungkook, and Central Cee. Where “RUBBER DUCK” was rap-heavy, “TOO MUCH” allowed the girls to show off their vocal skills in addition to their talent in writing original lyrics.
After brief remarks thanking attendees for their energy and a photo op with the crowd, it was time to close out their set. Young Posse performed the uplifting track, “Scars,” which more seriously touches on their goals and determination to succeed. As they introduced the final song, “XXL,” from their latest EP of the same name, screams of, “Young Posse fighting!” came from the audience and brought smiles to the members’ faces. The girls then went into the song and the venue roared as the audience sang the lyrics and fan chanted loudly.
As Young Posse said their final goodbyes and threw the last of the scrunchies into the crowd, it was clear that performing at Head in the Clouds New York was a monumental moment for them. Sunhye noted that being onstage at the festival felt like a dream.
Doeun agreed and wrapped up the entire experience nicely, saying, “I’m so happy to be performing on a stage with all the artists that we love and respect.”
Stay tuned for Kpopconcerts.com’s exclusive Head in the Clouds interview with Young Posse!
Balming Tiger
Immediately after Young Posse, alternative K-Pop group Balming Tiger members Omega Sapien, Sogumm, Mudd the Student, wnjn, and Seoulthesoloist rotated onstage dramatically wearing stoic faces and matching light blue zip-ups and gray bottoms, contrasting with the girl group’s bright and youthful vibe. A heavy Latin and trap beat playing behind them gave them an air of mystery as festivalgoers wondered what Balming Tiger had up their sleeve before kicking things off with “Kolo Kolo.”
“I smell something,” Omega said after asking the crowd to put their hands up. The group made a show of sniffing the air and their own armpits. For a second, some in the audience were genuinely wondering what stunk. “I smell something…DAMN! IT SMELLS LIKE BALMING TIGER!”
The intro led right into “Armadillo,” and the group’s energy and the song’s beat had the audience dancing and waving their arms up and down. Omega and wnjn ended the song with a silly dance battle that highlighted the unserious nature of the group.
“We’re gonna have a good fuckin’ time, let’s go!” said Omega after a quick intro before the group played “Bodycoke,” a track reminiscent of 90s hip-hop.
Up next was “Buriburi,” a fun, upbeat song about freedom and being authentic to oneself. Sogumm started off the loose, hip-swaying choreography with the rest of the members joining in succession. The moves mimicked the wordplay of the Korean lyrics of “shake your buri” sounding similar to “shake your booty” in English.
Balming Tiger then fell to the floor with the song’s abrupt end, and transitioned into the mellower “Pigeon and Plastic.” The song provided a quick interlude for the members before everyone ran back onstage for “Kamehameha.” A traditional Korean drinking game song and a finishing move of the same name from the “Dragon Ball” series inspired the song’s sound, lyrics, and choreography. The group followed with “Moving Forward,” which put Sogumm’s dreamy yet raspy vocals on display.
“Welcome. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the K-Pop from the dark siiiiide,” Omega said as the group took a breather and got into position for the next song.
“Can we get sexy?” asked wnjn, which led perfectly into the highly-anticipated “SEXY NUKIM,” the group’s 2022 hit song featuring RM.
Ahead of the next track, “Sudden Attack,” Balming Tiger taught the crowd a chant to go along with the song’s chorus: “Fuck this war! I want peace!” The song’s aggressive rap combined with its punk rock guitar backing had festivalgoers headbanging along with the group.
“I think you guys are loose enough now, so I think it’s time for the banger,” Omega remarked. “Y’all just have to give me one promise. Get your feet off the ground and jump,” instead of simply waving their arms. He joked that people sitting in the stands were exempt, but as he introduced “POP THE TAG,” the seated GA attendees got up and started jumping anyway (before the song even officially started), leading to a faux rivalry between GA and the standing VIP crowd.
The crowd went hard when the song actually started, and halfway through, Omega and wnjn called on the audience on the floor to open up a mosh pit. They did as they were told, and while the seated GA attendees couldn’t safely participate, they still bobbed and danced along.
Afterward, it was time to transition into a more “wholesome” segment since they were nearing the end of their 45-minute set. Ahead of “Trust Yourself,” a fan-favorite, Omega took a moment to introduce the song.
“I’m so grateful to be here with my friends and come all the way out here in front of you beautiful people,” he said. “I wrote this song during COVID. No job, no money, no nothing and I really had to remind myself to trust myself. So I wrote this song for y’all and for me so I really hope you can vibe with this one.”
After the tone change with “Trust Yourself,” Balming Tiger closed out their set with an unreleased track, titled “Big Butt.” Like Balming Tiger themselves, the chill, alt-pop song didn’t take itself too seriously as Omega took a drag from his vape as the crowd bounced along – a perfect way to wrap up the set.
wave to earth
Korean indie rock band wave to earth was another hotly anticipated act at Head in the Clouds after selling out their North American tour last summer and going viral on TikTok. Fans flocked to the stage throughout Juliet Ivy, thuy, and dhruv’s sets to get good viewing spots for the band’s return to the States – and their debut American festival appearance.
Finally, wave to earth, made up of frontman and singer-songwriter Daniel Kim, drummer Don Q, and bassist John Cha walked onstage and picked up their instruments to start the opening chords of “bad.” Forest Hills echoed with the sound of fans singing along to Daniel’s soft yet powerful croon. As the song finished, Don Q shrugged off his hoodie to deafening screams, signaling that they were just getting started. The trio then transitioned into “peach eyes,” another romantic fan-favorite. Daniel’s warm tenor and effortless falsettos captivated both fans and casual festivalgoers alike.
As the band paused to catch their breaths, John took a moment to say hello to the crowd and acknowledge the milestone of performing at Head in the Clouds. “Thank you for being in this historical moment for us,” he said with a bright smile as the crowd cheered. “There’s lots to go, so please enjoy!”
They then went into an extended rock intro for the song “daisy.” complete with gorgeous electric guitar lines that led right into the feel-good, nostalgic love song. It was the perfect song for the urban spring in full bloom. Keeping with the floral theme, the next on the setlist was “calla,” which Daniel noted as his personal favorite. Based on the fans’ excited screams and chants of the song’s name, it was clear that fans felt the same as well.
Without missing a beat, the band transitioned into their breakout hit “seasons,” which needed no introduction as festivalgoers began singing along immediately after the opening chords. Halfway through, Daniel swapped out the black guitar he’d been using for a red one which gave the song’s outro slide solo its signature lo-fi feel.
With the end of their set approaching, they switched up the yearning mood with “nouvelle vague,” a seductive track with a heavy beat that had the crowd bobbing their heads. The song featured an interlude where all three members delivered a powerful breakdown highlighting each of their respective instruments without overpowering each other.
The trio closed their set with “so real,” another relaxed, mid-tempo song which also served as the conclusion of their 2023 album, 0.1 flaws and all. Most of wave to earth’s set had been relaxed and rock breakdowns were more controlled. But the band allowed themselves to let loose for a spectacular finish to the song ending with Don Q tossing his sticks in the air to whoops and cheers from the crowd.
The group took a bow and a quick photo with the audience before leaving the stage. Before heading off, each member recorded their own videos on their phones of the huge crowd seeing them off.
Festivalgoers settled down afterward to prepare for the next set, but after just a couple minutes, wave to earth ran back to their instruments, to everyone’s surprise.
“They said we have more time!” Daniel explained with a laugh. They briefly deliberated over what to play, and John used the extra time to announce that they would be releasing a new album and going on tour again in a couple of months. The audience erupted into deafening screams at the news.
John introduced “pueblo,” another beloved, upbeat song, and quickly taught the crowd to sing along to the song’s backing melody. Once they mastered it, the band dove right in, with Daniel’s soulful, soothing vocals on full display. The crowd sang along diligently and wave to earth went all out for the unexpected encore. Daniel threw himself into the final guitar solo, John headbanged as he shredded the bass, and Don Q was nearly out of his seat with how intensely he played the final drum solo. The stadium was ringing with cheers and screams as they took a final bow and sent cutesy hand-hearts to the audience after performing one of the most unforgettable sets of the festival.
Illenium B2B Dabin
Next to take the stage was Illenium and Dabin in their first-ever back-to-back set. The two had previously performed back-to-back with Said the Sky at Denver’s Global Dance Festival in 2021, but a collaboration between just them had been long-awaited by fans. This was Dabin’s second year at Head in the Clouds New York – last year the Korean-Canadian musician played a solo daytime set on Day 2 of the festival, but this time he was back as a headliner.
After some brief delays due to technical issues and stage setup, Illenium and Dabin appeared onstage. The two masters of melodic dubstep put together a heart-wrenching set of some of their greatest hits complemented by well-timed pyrotechnics and gorgeous visuals. Of course, no performance of Dabin’s would be complete without his electric guitar accompanying some of the songs.
Fans sang along to favorites like “Hearts on Fire,” Illenium and Dabin’s collab with Lights, Illenium’s “Crawl Outta Love,” and “First Time (feat. Dylan Matthew),” by Dabin, SLANDER, and Seven Lions. Other highlights included Dabin’s “Bloom,” and “Worlds Away,” along with Illenium mainstays “Nightlight” and “Fractures.”
The two also remixed mainstream hits such as “Titanium (feat. Sia)” by David Guetta, “Numb” by Linkin Park, and “m.A.A.d city” by Kendrick Lamar. Also included in the set were songs from house and trap music DJs ISOxo and Knock2, who played Head in the Clouds New York’s debut event.
At last year’s Head in the Clouds New York, Dabin dropped remixes of K-Pop hits from XG and NewJeans during his set. Later in an exclusive onsite interview with Kpopconcerts.com, he shared that playing them at a festival that embraced the genre felt appropriate. This year was no different as he played his remix of “Ditto” by NewJeans and “How You Like That” by Blackpink – who he mentioned are a dream artist to collaborate with.
As the sun set and night fell, Illenium and Dabin lit up Forest Hills with a stunning finale featuring “Good Things Fall Apart x Sad Songs” and “Alive,” leaving the crowd high on their energy.
(G)I-DLE
The stage crew rushed to prepare for (G)I-DLE’s performance, whose start time was cutting close to the end of Illenium and Dabin’s set due to the prior technical issues setting up their respective stage. In the meantime, festivalgoers wearing Dabin and Illenium-branded jerseys and lightstick-wielding Neverlands, (G)I-DLE’s fanbase, swapped places to get prime viewing spots. After a false start and the projection of some poor festival staff member’s desktop onto the LCD display, it was finally time for the girl group to take the stage.
(G)I-DLE’s Soyeon, Yuqi, Miyeon, Shuhua, and Minnie strutted onstage accompanied by their troupe of dancers as the VCR played an intro of giant flood lights flashing the group’s logo in and out. Once they were in position, the quintet began “Super Lady,” a dynamic song blending elements of electro-house, Latin, and even pop-punk that made waves this year as an ode to strong women. Miyeon noted that it was the first time performing “Super Lady” in the U.S. Afterward, Forest Hills erupted in cheers as they transitioned into “I Want That” right after.
After introducing themselves and their opening songs, Yuqi told the crowd that they needed to be louder for the next songs. On the count of three, the entire stadium roared. Deeming the crowd deserving of the next track, (G)I-DLE performed their racy track “Oh My God,” which highlighted their synchronicity and rapping.
The group brought goddess energy to the stage with “LION,” a powerful song that emphasized their stage presence. The song’s heavy bass and minor key transitioned nicely into the similar foundation of the following track, “LATATA,” (G)I-DLE’s debut song. Soyeon took a moment to break from their formation during her rap part to travel across the stage and greet Neverlands in the crowd.
“We’ve actually been to Head in the Clouds before, but this is our first time attending as a headliner of the festival!” said Minnie as the girls took a moment to breathe and greet the audience.
“We have prepared a lot of songs just for this festival, so please enjoy!” Miyeon added after an energy check.
“With all the songs, I think it’s time to change up the mood,” Soyeon chimed in.
Shuhua and Miyeon then introduced “Allergy,” and encouraged the audience to sing along. The pop-punk song featured more casual choreography allowing the group to freely run and bounce around the stage. CO2 stage jets and pyrotechnics added to the fun mood of the set and thrilled the crowd.
The backing instrumental track for “Wife,” began to play, and the girls seemed a little confused at first before heading right in with full energy. The song, released earlier this year, both divided and excited fans for its critique of gender roles in marriages. Once the song wrapped up, the girls all started laughing.
“Guys, actually, ‘Wife’ wasn’t the next song after ‘Allergy,’ but the music didn’t stop so we just did it,” Yuqi explained. Their confusion now made sense, but had Yuqi never mentioned the blip, few in the audience would have noticed. The way they easily slipped into the performance like it was planned spoke to their professionalism.
To keep the crowd’s energy from “Wife” going, (G)I-DLE had the audience shout the lyrics of the chorus back before moving on to “Never Stop Me,” an energetic pop-rock song about moving on after a breakup.
“Queencard,” was next and needed no introduction as the opening chords of the group’s 2022 satirical, Y2K-inspired smash hit began to play. The stadium was alive as the audience sang along to the chorus, “Queencard, I’m hot! My boob and booty is hot!” While the Head in the Clouds New York stage didn’t have a runway, that didn’t stop (G)I-DLE from twerking.
(G)I-DLE gave gamers a treat with a mashup performance of “The Baddest” and “POP/STARS” by K/DA, the virtual League of Legends 4-member K-Pop girl group to which Soyeon and Miyeon lend their voices to alongside Madison Beer and Jaira Burns. The badass energy and strong bass from the two songs set the group up well for “MY BAG.” Soyeon’s effortless mic flip before starting the song’s first verse has become an iconic and anticipated part of the song’s live performances. Neverlands went crazy when she did it on the Head in the Clouds New York stage.
“For our next song, I think it’s a song that most of you know,” Soyeon said. Shuhua popped in to ask fans to guess what it could be. Shouts of “TOMBOY!” echoed throughout the venue. Seeing how easily it was guessed, Yuqi decided to do something different.
“We’re gonna say the first line, and then you guys will finish the next part, alright?” she instructed. She counted down from three and the group started with, “Yeah!” before pointing their mics at the audience. The crowd called back with, “I’m a fucking tomboy,” but the girls shook their heads at the low volume.
“No, no, I know you guys can do it louder!” said Minnie. They tried again, and with the audience louder and more in sync, (G)I-DLE jumped right into the song. The crowd danced and sang along and the group impressed with sassy hair flips.
Finally, it was time for (G)I-DLE’s set to come to a close. Yuqi introduced “I DO,” from their first all-English EP Heat and the members took their places at their respective mic stands to sing the power ballad. As Forest Hills Stadium lit up with phone flashlights and lightsticks waving in the air, there was a strong sense of community among festivalgoers. There was some confusion over (G)I-DLE’s set ending ten minutes earlier than scheduled, but the vision of lights in the darkness was a beautiful way to conclude Head in the Clouds New York’s first night.
Deb Never
Taking the stage on Day 2 of the festival was the Pacific Northwest’s very own Deb Never, a Korean-American genre-bender. Previously, she had performed at Head in the Clouds Los Angeles in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Accompanied by her band and equipped with her own acoustic guitar, Deb kicked off her set with the grunge-pop heartbreak anthem, “Momentary Sweetheart.” She followed with the dreamy “Sweet & Spice,” a collab with Jim-E Stack, and got the crowd bopping and singing along with “Same.”
Deb also treated fans to the romantic track “Paper Houses,” which was the first time she had ever performed the song live. She shifted the energy with “OUT OF TIME,” a lush, lo-fi rock track that had the crowd bouncing despite the aching, melancholy lyrics. Deb closed out her set with “Someone Else,” a relatable song about the insecurity and passion of being in love. Despite the vulnerability, the song’s energetic guitar crescendo excited the crowd, who called for more as she thanked the crowd for listening.
While Deb Never’s set was interrupted by a few technical difficulties, her raw performance solidified her as an artist to watch.
BIBI
Making her debut performance on the East Coast was beloved pop-R&B singer BIBI as Head in the Clouds New York Day 2’s first headliner before Joji. She captivated the stadium with her sultry voice as the stage turned to reveal her in all her glory.
After saying a quick hello to the large audience, BIBI wasted no time getting into the fan-favorite song “She Got It (cigarette and condom).” She was backed by a team of six male dancers (and members of the BBTRIPPIN dance crew) who helped drive the song’s sexiness home.
“Cigarette? Condom? You need it, I know you do, New York!” BIBI said as the audience sang the song’s chorus back to her.
Even as she took a water break, attendees’ cheers and screams for BIBI were booming. “You are the most awesome audience I’ve ever met!” she said, seeming surprised by the crowd’s enthusiasm. She amusedly pointed out a sign that said, “Choke me,” and mimicked the gesture of grabbing a neck in a hilarious show of fanservice.
“There is a song I can choke you with,” said BIBI as she moved into the BDSM-themed “BAD SAD AND MAD.” BIBI let loose during the song’s hyper-pop breakdown, headbanging and punching the air as she danced. Next was “The Weekend.” Right before starting, she teased attendees, asking, “I don’t know if you know this song?” The audience sang along word for word and went wild as the dancers lifted their shirts and flashed their abs during the performance.
She followed up with “MotoSpeed 24,” a seductive pop tune. The dancers lifted BIBI and formed the shape of a car with their arms to make it look as if she was driving. The song blended into “KAZINO,” a fan-favorite song with an intense, trap beat. All eyes were on BIBI as she performed, and she exuded power as she commanded the stage with her strong vocals and hip-thrusting choreography. Next up was “Amigos,” BIBI’s tri-lingual collaboration with Becky G that effortlessly blended Latin and K-Pop. She mentioned that she especially wanted the crowd to hear that song because of how much she loved it.
The difference between BIBI’s femme fatale stage persona and real-life sweet and soft-spoken personality showed when she shyly addressed the audience between songs.
“My English is not very good so I don’t have much to say,” BIBI laughed. But she interacted with fans where she could, reading signs and responding to them. She also pointed out audience behavior she found amusing, such as how the crowd would look wherever she pointed, even if it was nothing in particular, or scream if she looked or waved in their direction.
BIBI then hopped from the stage to the large speakers in front as she began the rock-and-roll-inspired “City Love,” getting closer to the VIP attendees on the floor. Toward the song’s bridge, she climbed down to be face-to-face with fans at the barricade. She even kissed a fan’s hand, which had attendees wondering if there would be a repeat of the kiss she shared with a female fan at Head in the Clouds Los Angeles in 2021. Towards the end of “City Love,” it appears BIBI kissed not just one fan as many reported, but two.
Next was “Sugar Rush,” a sexy and badass self-empowerment rap song that saw BIBI’s dancers all try and fail to seduce her.
“K-Pop idols…they’re fuckin’ beasts!” BIBI said as she caught her breath after the dance-heavy performance. She joked that she did nothing compared to the dancers but was still winded.
She then performed “BIBI Vengeance,” a theatrical experience of a song expressing BIBI’s “bad bitch” side. The intense, theatrical choreography featured BIBI not just freeing herself from her captors but taking them out to the crowd’s whoops and cheers.
BIBI then introduced her last song, “Bam Yang Gang,” which topped the charts, went viral, and increased sales of bamyanggaeng, a sweet red chestnut jelly snack in South Korea, when it was released this past February.
“Bamyanggaeng is very sweet, and one day I thought that love tastes like sweets, so that’s why I wrote ‘Sugar Rush’ and ‘Bam Yang Gang,’” BIBI explained. “I think love is very important. I think love brought you guys here! I think love is something we can’t live without. Love is good! So I’m giving you ‘Bam Yang Gang,’ which really looks like my love.”
She then closed her set with “Bam Yang Gang,” a complete one-eighty from the anger of “BIBI Vengeance” before it. This time, BIBI waltzed with herself across the stage to the whimsical and playful song, fitting for the way the song described the end of a relationship. Despite the song’s lyrics, the tune left the audience feeling refreshed as she blew kisses to the crowd before exiting the stage.
Final Thoughts
While each artist brought their A-game to Head in the Clouds New York this year, the experience was slightly marred by high prices, downgraded stage quality, and rampant technical difficulties. Additionally, odd set time changes throughout the festival and the last-minute cancelation of the Finale set scheduled for Day 2 made for an awkward end to the weekend after Joji’s set.
The cancelation had been communicated through an Instagram story posted early on Day 2 that stated simply in small white font that Joji’s performance would be the last of the night. The lack of wider communication such as on-site announcements led to many fans waiting at the stage and in the seated bowl only to be told by security and staff with sweeping mops that the event was done. After six years of festivals around the world, the Finales featuring 88rising artists and other performers from the festival have served as the sweet wrap to each event.
For a festival meant to celebrate Asian excellence, the lack of acknowledgment for fans and low effort dimmed the crowd’s energy quickly as they exited Forest Hills Stadium. Should Head in the Clouds return to New York or the East Coast again in 2025, here’s to the hope that the festival can reestablish its identity and reignite the event’s magic for the music fans who have helped uplift the label as the gateway for Asian talent around the world.