Emerging Music Festival returns for the first time since 2019 on June 24-25 with thousands of music lovers packing the Bryant Park lawn for New York's best new music. Six up-and-coming bands curated by AdHoc perform on one of the biggest stages of their up-an-coming careers.
In the quarantined summer of 2020, 95 Bulls was formed by five friends from different bands (Ashjesus, The Mystery Lights, Smock, Bipolar, and Jelly Kelly) pretty much by accident. They all wanted to make music for fun while their bandmates were scattered but with two pennies to their name, they fell in love, and decided it was best to write a record and get married. The accidental turned purposeful rock and roll band has shared bills with Wavves, Sheer Mag, Dirty Fences, and Sunflower Bean to name a few and look forward to their debut record release in June 2022.
19-year-old Tayahna Walcott (Talia Goddess) is a multi-hyphenate artist and creator from Brooklyn, New York with Guyanese and British roots. She merges her many talents as a self-taught singer-songwriter, rapper, music, producer, DJ, model, multi-instrumentalist, creative entrepreneur, and community leader to galvanize the next generation of creatives and push culture forward. Since the early age of six, she has been engaged in the arts, using her talents to express herself and bring people of all walks of life together. Recently, Talia graduated Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, started her record label and creative agency TRANCE, and collaborated with several world-renown publications and brands such as Vogue, Wonderland, Refinery29, Nike, Dazed, Tommy Hilfiger, MCM, i-D, Converse, AWAKE NY, and MCM.
Reyna Tropical are composed of Mexican expats Fabiola Reyna and Sumohair. The duo met as part of Red Bull Music Academy’s Bass Camp at Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2017, chosen as two of 20 up-and-coming producers and musicians from around the country. It was there that they bonded over their love for the tropical diaspora and began experimenting with their unique writing process: a process inclusive of pure improvisation consisting of a four hour session per song aimed at capturing the moment and the environment. Today, Reyna Tropical merges their passion for social justice and community organizing with the space and opportunities that they can create through their music. As the bands tagline, “Queer Love & Afro-Mexico” is dedicated to raising awareness and funds to issues connected to the environment, inclusive of Indigenous rights, Afro-Mexican rights, missing and murdered indigenous women, and the many injustices that live in and in between the spectrum of Queer Love & Afro-Mexico. With the continued support of artists such as Bomba Estéreo, Lido Pimienta, Portugal The Man, and Y La Bamba, Reyna Tropical has also been recognized by Remezcla (Reyna Tropical: A Queer Love Revolution), Grimy Goods (Reyna Tropical Pay Tribute To The World’s Bodies Of Water And Life On Sublime New Ep Sol Y Lluvia), and NPR’s 2022 artists to watch.
Borrow a picnic blanket or chair – or bring your own. Bryant Park blankets and chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Attendees may bring their own food or purchase from on-site food and beverage vendors near the Lawn. At most performances, attendees can purchase food from a rotating line-up of local NYC vendors curated by Hester Street Fair. At all performances, Stout NYC offers cheese and charcuterie boards as well as a selection of beer, wine, frosé, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase
Performances are cancelled when it is unsafe to be outdoors. In some cases, the Lawn may be too wet to open but the performance may continue. Follow @bryantparknyc for day-of event updates.
COVID-19 vaccinations and masks are not currently required but Bryant Park will continue to monitor and follow updated New York City and New York State COVID-19 guidelines throughout the summer as necessary.
Can't make it to the park? Watch the full livestream on the Picnic Performances page or on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram @bryantparknyc.
Watch the Day 1 livestream featuring Daneshevskaya, Dougie Poole, and Benét.
Watch the Day 2 livestream featuring Reyna Tropical, Talia Goddess, and 95 Bulls.
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Emerging Music Festival
Up-and-coming bands curated by AdHoc take on the Bryant Park Stage