By Bri Ng Schwartz
Nothing screams summer like a trip up the coast. LADYGUNN hits the road this weekend for a New England getaway with Rhode Island’s legendary Newport Folk Festival as the breezy backdrop. With a rich history of career-defining moments from artists like Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan, Fort Adams State Park is home to the 3-day celebration of Folk music in all of its glory. This weekend’s lineup features legacy acts, moment-defining artists, and on-the-rise talent with lyrical wit and acoustic-forward sound at the forefront of their respective artistries. Here are all of the songs we will be blasting on the aux with the windows down.
The Pop-folk trio and Berklee alum will take the stage Friday at noon for a sunshine filled set featuring hits from past releases and hopefully teasing more from their upcoming EP, Keepers. The lead single “Anything He Was” has already made waves in the indie-pop world and features backing vocals from The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy. The track provides an easy listening soundscape with a lyrical tale of stepping into the big shoes of a lover’s past partner. With relatable themes of comparison in relationships and stepping up to the plate, the single is sure to have this festival audience swaying along.
Newport Folk Festival continues Lucy Dacus’s run of scenic shows, with other tour stops including Chicago’s Millenium Park, where she performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Asbury Park’s Stone Pony. Marking her second time at the festival, Lucy’s confessional ballads and upbeat lyrical spillings continue with her latest single “Planting Tomatoes” which juxtaposes an upbeat whimsy and desire of living in the moment with sudden pangs of going inward toward grief.
Musical royalty who needs no introduction, Ms. Lauryn Hill makes her Newport Folk Festival debut this weekend with a highly anticipated set. Hill has spent the last few years dipping her toes back into the mainstream stage these past few years with award show performances, festival-goers are sure to be crossing an item off of their bucket lists with a performance from the legend. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” is a natural must-add to any playlist, and we’ll be pinching ourselves while having the honor of hearing it live.
Riding the continued success of her sophomore solo Album Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, Hayley Willams makes her return to Newport Folk Festival one year after having debuted several songs from the album during Bleachers’ set. “True Believer” is Williams’s haunting love letter to Nashville, her artistic home that she has seen through a wave of the city’s gentrification and wave of conservatism. Having always stood her ground on social justice and the current political climate, Hayley Williams rises as an industry leader with an unwavering voice.
Brandi Carlie has found an artistic home with Newport Folk Festival over the last several years, and this year’s set is sure to continue building on her voice as a staple in the festival’s history. Her latest single “Life On The Run” chronicles a tale of life on the road for one of today’s most successful working musicians. It highlights the importance of taking a breath in the midst of the nonstop movement, a relatable tune for those sharing a similar lifestyle.
Mississippi’s own singer songwriter has been behind some of your favorite hits. Having written for the likes of Beyoncé, Demi Lovato, Childish Gambino, and more. Having released her debut solo album in 2020 and her follow up Miss Black America last year, her rise as a solo artist is one marked by a unique take on the American Dream and a reclaiming of Southern Roots. Her latest single, “Saving Grace” from Amazon’s Spider Noir is a sultry, jazz-packed theatrical moment for the artist who is sure to turn heads with her Saturday afternoon set.
Ireland’s own CMAT continues her year of touring with a run of festival performances this Summer, kicking off with Newport Folk Festival. Her viral hit “Take A Sexy Picture of Me” is only a small fraction of the sonic world that is Euro-Country, her 2025 album. Fusing American Country influences with Irish folk, CMAT’s alternative edge gives voice to the rebellious and angsty young women across the globe. “The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station” breaks the fourth wall acknowledging the specificity of her perspective while speaking on the universality of having one’s own internal monologue.
The perfect seasonal anthem, Lizzie McAlpine’s “Spring Into Summer” transports listeners to a warm summer scape and a time of reflection and presence. With the announcement of her new album, Angel coming this September and the debut of the first single “the light in the painting” this week, her Newport audience is sure to get a first taste of her new era alongside her rich history of vocal-forward ballads that are sure to continue in their virality with resonating themes.
strongboi brings a playful, lo-fi energy that stands out as a one-of-a-kind act of the weekend. Known for their unique instrumental outputs and banter, longtime friends and collaborators Alice Phoebe Lou and Ziv Yamin will make their Newport Folk Festival debut bringing a childlike wonder to their afternoon set. “honey thighs” is a standout from the group that encapsulates the flirty nature of their catalog.
Seattle’s own multi-faceted jazz mastermind Brittany Davis will bring her improvisational album Black Thunder to Sunday’s stage alongside band members Evan Flory-Barnes and D’Vonne Lewis for an amalgamation of instrumental brilliance. “Change Me” is a mid-album cool-down piano and bass at the forefront with Davis’s fast lyricism and soulful delivery reminds us how to feel jazz deeply in our soul. Challenging ideas on what is possible for a blind musician, Brittany Davis is a standout talent in her genre and the music industry at large.
Decked in blue, green, and pink, girl group Trousdale serves Powerpuff Girls with a southern twang. “Growing Pains” showcases the trio of vocal powerhouses and gives us an anthem for those of us going through the trials and tribulations of growth, which as young women we know all too well. This upbeat banger will make you want to put on your cowboy boots, colorful eyeshadow, and go out on the town with the girls.
While we hope we don’t leave New England this weekend with any regret, Bebe Stockwell’s latest single chronicles the desire for the northern breeze and homesickness after settling into a new life on the West Coast. With her deep vocals and folk-forward sound, we can’t imagine a more timely artist to be making their Newport Folk Festival debut this weekend.