by isabel dowell
Like many other beloved music festivals, the two-day Mo Pop is ending its pandemic-induced hiatus and will finally be returning for the seventh time to Detroit, Michigan, July 30-31, 2022. With Glass Animals headlining on Saturday and Big Sean on Sunday, this packed line up is not one you will want to miss.
Mo Pop only has two stages — Grande Stage and Eastown — and staggers their sets, which means fans have the opportunity to see every artist on the line up. This is different from most festivals where you might be forced to pick and choose between your favorite musicians. On top of music, Mo Pop is offering the Craft Bazaar, a line up of 20+ arts and crafts vendors ranging from candles and cosmetics, to vintage clothing and handmade goods, the Mo Arcade, equipped with over thirty classic and new video games, and a slew of food trucks and beverages in the Shipyard to keep you energized throughout the day.
Since the official announcement of Mo Pop's return to the Motor City, their social media has been posting “Meet And Greets” to introduce fans to those listed on their line up. In my personal opinion, a lot of these artists have seen a rise in popularity over the last few years, which means many of them are still new to performing live and have yet to become a household name. Here are some of the artists we are most excited to see at Mo Pop this year:
Wet Leg — Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers — is pretty new to the music scene, overall. They released their first single, “Chaise Longue,” in June 2021, and their quick gain of popularity caused many people to accuse them of being industry plants. This year, their self-titled album, and acknowledgments from many other celebrities — Harry Styles included — put those rumors to rest. This British indie-rock duo won’t be anyone’s secret for long, we hope you can catch them live before they blow up!
Dominic Fike saw an insane increase in stardom after appearing on HBO’s Euphoria as Elliot, a main character who poses as a bad influence to those around him, but Fike has been making music for quite a few years now. In the early stages of his career, he caught the attention of many record labels, sparking a bidding war over him and his music. His debut album, What Could Possibly Go Wrong, is a personal favorite of mine and four out of five of my most played songs in 2021 were credited to Dominic Fike. You can count on me to be front and center for this performance.
Horsegirl — Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece — is a group I was not familiar with before Mo Pop released their lineup, but if you listen to even one of their songs, you will be as hooked as I am. This Chicago-based, indie rock trio, came into popularity almost by a fluke as they are quoted in saying their 2022 single, “Anti Glory,” is one they wrote almost by accident. Everything after that led them to this very moment, now on their own tour and are featured at a number of summer musical festivals. Their music is layered with guitars, drums, and vocals, playing heavily into the indie rock music we all know and love.
Best known for her 2019 single, “Moral of the Story,” which was not only featured in the Netflix film, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, but was also reproduced to include Niall Horan, the California-born singer-songwriter Ashe has been exploding into the music scene ever since. Coming off of a European tour, in the midst of her U.S. tour, and leaving for Australia and New Zealand shortly after, there are more than enough chances to get yourself to an Ashe show!
Daisy World
Daisy Hamel-Buffa, also known as Daisy, is the frontwoman of the R&B-punk band, Daisy World. She is multifaceted, not only being recognized for her music, but has also collaborated with artists like Tyler the Creator and has a line of hand-painted clothing that has been worn by artists from Benny Blanco to Addison Rae. She currently only has three of her own singles out, “SIX TWO,” “SUNDOWN,” and “picnic,” but she absolutely crushes each and everyone. Plus, she has promised that even more tracks will be coming soon!
Take a listen to Mo Pop’s official playlist and let us know who you are looking forward to seeing!