Before joining Mic Drop Music, I thought I was well-versed in the music world. After over a year of writing, I’ve come to learn that I’ve still got a long way to go. My musical “comfort zone” will be pushed more than ever as I am on assignment to cover Sunset Music Festival this weekend. I’ve never been to an EDM festival. Thanks to MDM, this streak will soon be over, and I’ll be able to start my journey in the EDM world. In preparation for SMF, I did some independent research into the discography of the headliners. I started my search with a few artists that I’m somewhat familiar with.
Dillon Francis
I was already familiar with Dillon Francis, but not from his DJ-ing. I had gone through a huge Vlog Squad phase a couple of years ago, and he had appeared in a few of the vlogs. As I was not well-versed in the EDM world, I had absolutely no clue who he was in that realm. After my research and listening to a few of his songs, I was actually familiar with a few of them. “Get Low” is definitely a frat favorite and I may or may not have heard it at a few tailgates. Dillon makes quintessential “hype music” so I’m pumped to see how intense the hype is in the festival environment.
Alesso
Whether you are an EDM fan or not, you have probably heard of Alesso. He has made a name for himself, creating hit after hit often collaborating with pop artists, making his way onto the mainstream radio stations. I’m already familiar with some of his songs, so I will definitely be in the audience of this set. Alesso clearly is able to cover a range of music. He’s done everything from chill pop beats in songs like “Let Me Go” featuring Hailee Steinfield and Florida Georgia Line, to the classic EDM beats in the song “Words” featuring Zara Larsson. I’m excited to hear some familiar songs in uncharted territory. With some personal bias, I saw he collaborated with Liam Payne with One Direction, so I am definitely the most excited to see his performance.
Illenium
As I was looking into Illenium’s music, I found that he had collaborations with people like Lennon Stella, Trippie Redd, and iann dior. From there I knew I had to give him a listen. He seems to make songs in the emo-rock realm. Illenium’s most recent album, Fallen Embers, earned him a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Dance/Electronic Album”. Although he didn’t win the category, it is of course an honor to even make the nominations. There’s clearly something special and it looks like he’s a rising star in the EDM world.
Tchami
Tchami seems to be touring the world: he completed his Summer Bliss tour at the end of 2021, a collaboration tour with Confessional and Night Bass, and even had a performance at Coachella. He has worked with big names like Gunna, Kaleem Taylor, and DJ Snake and created big hits like “You Know You Like It”.
After all my research, I had no clue how familiar I already was with these artists until I looked into them. They were the random songs that I happen to know from frat parties, nights out at the college clubs, and plenty of house parties. Clearly, they bring life to the parties, and I’ve been missing out. I’m so excited to catch these artists in their element this weekend. It’s not too late to join the party, you can get tickets here!
