The Governors Ball 2024 was a vibrant celebration of music, food, and culture, held from June 7-9 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City. The festival featured an eclectic lineup of over 60 artists spanning genres like pop, hip-hop, and Latin music, making it one of the year’s most diverse musical events.

Musical Highlights

Headliners included Post Malone, SZA, The Killers, and 21 Savage, alongside rising stars like Victoria Monét, Sabrina Carpenter, and Peso Pluma. The festival also introduced newcomers like Tyla and Kevin Abstract, further enriching its musical diversity. Notably, Latin music had a strong presence with performances from Rauw Alejandro and Farruko.

Governors Ball 2024 featured a stellar lineup of artists across three stages, showcasing a mix of global superstars and emerging talents. Here’s a breakdown of some notable performances:

Headliners

• Post Malone: The chart-topping rapper and singer delivered a set filled with hits like Circles and Rockstar, mesmerizing the crowd with his energy and charisma.

• SZA: Known for her ethereal voice and introspective lyrics, SZA captivated audiences with tracks from her critically acclaimed albums Ctrl and SOS.

• The Killers: The iconic rock band performed classics like Mr. Brightside and When You Were Young, igniting a sense of nostalgia among fans.

• 21 Savage: The rapper brought his signature style and hits like A Lot to the stage, blending introspection with crowd-pleasing beats.

Breakout Performers

• Victoria Monét: The R&B sensation and Grammy-nominated songwriter made her festival debut, showcasing tracks from her acclaimed album Jaguar II.

• Sabrina Carpenter: The pop singer and actress performed hits like Nonsense, demonstrating her growth as an artist with a polished, high-energy set.

• Peso Pluma: Representing Latin music, Peso Pluma blended traditional regional Mexican sounds with modern beats, electrifying the audience.

Diverse Genres and Rising Stars

• Rauw Alejandro and Farruko: These Latin music icons added vibrant energy, performing reggaeton and Latin trap hits.

• Labrinth: Known for his work on HBO’s Euphoria, Labrinth delivered a soulful, cinematic experience.

• Tyler, The Creator: A returning favorite, Tyler’s charismatic stage presence and eclectic music drew massive crowds.

• Kevin Abstract and Tyla: These rising stars showcased innovative sounds, captivating new audiences.

The mix of genres and artists, from pop to Latin music to indie, made Governors Ball 2024 an unforgettable experience, solidifying its place as a highlight in New York City’s festival scene. 

Food and Beverage

Governors Ball continued its tradition of stellar food offerings with a mix of local favorites and international cuisine. The Queens Night Market contributed iconic vendors like Mao’s Bao and Eemas Cuisine, while national brands like Roberta’s Pizza and Magnolia Bakery also delighted attendees. Specialty experiences included spicy treats at Stella Artois’ Hot Ones activation and free coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. 

Unique Features

The festival enhanced its appeal with immersive activities and premium ticket options, offering lounge access, exclusive viewing areas, and dedicated concierge services for VIP attendees. It also maintained its commitment to community impact with programs like “Earn-A-Ticket,” encouraging volunteerism.

Governors Ball 2024 successfully upheld its reputation as a must-attend event, delivering unforgettable performances and unique experiences to fans from across the globe.

Where are you from? Who are you and what kind of music do you make?

Born and Raised in San Francisco, California. Artist’s name is Chvppy. And I make Emo Trap and Darkwave. 

That’s changed since the last time I talked to you. 

You actually have a genre answer. Yeah, I decided to go to one that I more fit into.

How did you go about that change? What happened? 

Well, honestly, I found it a little bit difficult to explain myself to other people that didn’t know what I sounded like musically. And I mean, it’s funny telling people that you’re genreless or genreful. I mean, most of the music that I end up sounding like is stuff kind of like little Tracy, Lil Peep with a little bit more rock influence, and then also kind of like Mr. Kitty and Pastel Ghost on that dark wave spectrum with some multi doma. So I kind of figured out the artists that I sounded reminiscent of, and I pretty much just picked what genres they were in, and I was like, ‘okay, I guess these are my genres now.’

I feel like I have often found that the music scene can be kind of limiting, especially in the way that you have to limit yourself to a niche to really build that community. So how do you kind of go about that like limitation? I don’t know. I try to look at it optimistically. I try to look at it as though it’s not necessarily a limitation, although I guess it kind of is.

I try to look at it moreso as just an expedited way to reach the group of people that are actually going to appreciate my music. Whereas had I been limitless, and I just called myself genreful, didn’t really pick a genre, then I had, it was more of a game of chance as to whether or not the right audience was going to find me.

But now that I actually have deciphered that I am darkwave and Emo Trap, that means I can try to hit those target audiences in a more direct manner, as opposed to just kind of throwing my music like out into the void, if you will, and then hoping that somebody’s going to appreciate it and pick up on it.

Now I actually have a direction, you know? 

Yeah, no, 100% that insight is like so fucking valuable to gain. But what inspired you to start making music, and who inspires you sonically?

Kind of funny inspiration to start making music. Well, initially I started playing trumpet when I was in fourth or fifth grade. I was young, but I started doing guitar when I was in the sixth grade.

And my parents were forcing me to go to lessons and I was fighting it for some reason. I really didn’t want to do it because none of my friends were doing it. And everyone was kind of doing sports. And although I was still playing sports, none of them didn’t really even think about playing music.

And eventually my parents showed me a video of, I think it was, ‘Song Remains the Same,’ it was Led Zeppelin. I forget what solo it was, but it was like this 10 minute long guitar solo that Jimmy Page did at Madison Square Garden on his double neck Gibson guitar. I saw that and I just totally geeked out and I was like, ‘oh my gosh, I love this.’ It was it was one of those like kind of like transformative moments where you don’t really get something and then you see something and then it clicks and for me that was kind of like that turn of point where I just started playing guitar like every single day and I Before it used to be barely getting me to go to a lesson once every week And then I started playing for hours each day without anyone telling me to do it. It was just like, I don’t know, something ignited in me. 

Sometimes it just comes in those magic moments. 

Yeah, and then you also asked who I guess sonically inspires me yeah, I Kind of going back to the thing where I draw from a lot of areas, but I’ve been able to dwindle it down a bit for some of the stuff I make that’s like more acoustic that I haven’t really released at all.

I have a lot of that stuff just kind of in my archives stashed away with files and everything. That’s like an Elliott Smith kind of like the shins if you will. That kind of singer-songwriter folksy melancholy vibe. But a lot of the stuff that I do put out is gonna be like I mentioned before like Multidoma, which is this really dope band from Belarus, Mr.Kitty, and Like a whole emo trap Lil Peep, Lil Tracy wave, all that good stuff. Yeah, it sounds pretty exciting. And What kind of inspires you to continue to make music now? Honestly, I tell myself that If I don’t do something with music in my lifetime, I haven’t done it correctly. 

So I kind of use that as just like a drive to continue to create whether I feel like it or not. And I don’t know, I’ve had moments where I really just don’t feel like writing music or playing music or anything and then I come up with one of my better songs that I’ve ever made yet.

So like it’s like, I don’t know, I just tell myself to do it. I saw a really good analogy from, I think Ed Sheeran said it, funny enough. He said that in order to get to the good songs, you have to, it’s like a rusty pipe, you have to keep running the water and a lot of gunk is gonna come out of the beginning, but then it’s gonna eventually start running clear. And yeah, pretty much listening to someone say it like that made a lot of sense to me and just kind of like keep on creating because obviously your first song isn’t going to be your best, but as time goes on, it’ll start getting better and better. And I guess the thought of me growing and creating better music over time with just continuous practice, that not knowing how good I can get, that whole not knowing kind of inspires me, kind of makes me want to see how good I can get, if you will.

100%. And what do you find to be kind of like the most difficult thing so far in terms of making music? 

The industry. Like making it in music, I guess is the way I took that question. But making music, like the creative process, I found, well, I’ll start with the creative process. It can be tricky because there’s always things going on outside of music. Like we all live our own lives, we all have our own things going on, whether it be in relationships, whether it be with family, whether it be with your own self and your own mental health, whatever it may be, like there’s always things going on.

So being able to get time to yourself to actually create something in a studio, it’s just, it’s not always an easy thing to do. Schedules don’t always line up with it. So I’ve definitely found that scheduling and like time management has oftentimes been a struggle.

And a while ago when I was recording a bunch of music like last summer, I was kind of doing a song a day for probably like two months. And I was starting to realize that my sleep schedule was so out of whack because I would get like a hit of inspiration at like midnight.

And I’d finish recording and like mixing my song at like 5am when the sun was coming up. And that whole like just unhealthy sleep schedule, it’s just like it takes a toll on people, but you also have to be like a certain level of crazy to actually succeed in the arts I feel like.

So I was willing to do it. Yeah, definitely time management. That’s probably the biggest struggle to actually creating on a consistent basis. And you know, having lived in the Bay before and kind of knowing what that scene is like, it’s so much smaller than LA, how has that kind of like affected you in terms of making your music?

Like what’s it really like being like a musician from the Bay? No, for sure. I mean we’ve talked about this before like other times that come down for shows. I like to chat with you about this, but it’s like that’s why I love going down to LA.

That’s why I like Sound of U Live. Like what they put on is like such a great like music collective and like… event space and just everything about it like it’s really great because you really don’t need a name to perform with sound of you live you just kind of have to be consistent and persistent and You just have to want to play and I feel like people at SOUL, they they see it when you want it, and they’ll give it the opportunity, which I really appreciate.

Growing up in a place like San Francisco, you said it yourself – the scene is so much smaller here.

It used to be a lot bigger. There used to be a pretty boom and underground scene here, but it’s just not the same anymore. So I feel like it’s definitely it’s maybe adapt to Creating more of an online presence as well as getting out of San Francisco and traveling down to LA like last summer I was coming down to LA quite a bit just to play with you guys and I was doing like different parts Podcasts and such I played at the Viper room On my own and yeah, I don’t know it’s just it’s inspired me to get out of the city for sure because I’ve come to realize it’s not really a place. I need to be for Creative side of me, you know.

What are your eventual goals in music? What will be that moment where you really feel like you’re either on the way to making it, and then that moment that you really made it?

I feel like you don’t know you made it until you actually did make it. So for me, I feel like, obviously, if I was looking at it from a financial perspective, once I can actually fully support myself full-time, just with music, that’s definitely making it not that area.

But as far as really making it in my eyes, I don’t know, I want to change people. I want to help people a lot with my music. And although it is a selfish thing to write songs because you’re doing it for yourself, I still do want my music to resonate with other people.

And I want people to actually get through shit with some of the songs I make. But yeah, just as long as I can support myself financially and change people while doing it, that’s what I think when I made it.

Yeah, 100% and like what do you kind of have in store? Like what are your plans to kind of make that happen? 

Keep grinding, keep making good music. I feel like as a musician, I feel as though you have a bit of an obligation to make music.

Like not everyone has the knack that other people do. And I’ve been gifted with the gift of music I guess. And yeah, I think I just have to keep on working hard, keep on brushing shoulders with the right people.

And just believe in myself 110% because nobody is going to believe in me unless I do. And I’ve come to realize that. 

You know, I saw your first performance at Sound of You U as well as like two more since then. What was it like performing and how has it kind of changed the way you want to make music? 

You know, I think at least the Sound of You Live, the shows I’ve been playing with you guys for like the Collabs with Sad Boys Club, like it’s funny.

I’ve had a designated four songs that I wanted to play like going into it. And every time I see other people perform, I end up switching my set list around a little bit and I’ll give the DJ different songs.

I’ll be like, okay, I tried to read the room and kind of get the vibe of the crowd and everything. But I just want to, for me as a performer, I want to grow in just, I want to grow in getting people out to the shows if that makes sense.

Like I want to have more heads at the performances so I can actually have a bigger community and like have a bigger event go on. But personally, I really enjoy the way I talk to the crowd and the way I hold myself on stage.

I’ll just freestyle this song I was just working on.

‘Yeah. Alright, she wanna let her- oh wait, hold up. She wanna ride like NASCAR, she know I’m a girlfriend, got this type of vibe, like I am a pro star.’ Uh, uh, hold up. I can’t freestyle, hold on. Let’s just do that.

Let’s do it. Let’s see, what am I freestyling about? Uh, yeah. ‘No, she don’t ride, got this type of vibe, we be popping pills, running from the demons inside. No, she wanna ride, no, I got this vibe, and I know she like that, gave her my heart, give it back like where it at, yeah, where my heart at.’

I don’t know, something like that, you know? Fire, let’s go, let’s go. Wait, hold up. ‘Gave you my heart and I’ll get that shit back, looking for my heart like where my heart at. No, I said I love you that, no, uh, uh, something like that.’

I can just freestyle melodies when it comes to the lyrics, I can’t do it, but yeah. Um, I don’t know, ask me questions. Alright, I got you. Ask me questions. Yeah, for sure.

Sound of U Live, we’re here with Delaray.

Delaray. All caps.

Did Lana Del Rey fuck that up for you?

Yeah, everyone always compares me to Lana Del Rey just because of my name.

And honestly, it pisses me off because when I picked my name, it’s not my birth name. I didn’t even know who Lana Del Rey was, so I was like, damn. Every time I bring up my name, everyone’s always like, Lana Del Rey?

But no, we make completely different music, and I know I always get compared like that, but maybe I’ll be bigger, we’ll see. But this is your birth name, so it’s a little different, right? Exactly, yeah.

Is that her birth name?

I have no idea. I don’t know. I don’t know much about Lana Del Rey. Some of her songs are really good, though. I feel like it’s her birth name, because first, middle, and last, that’s a little extra for her stage name, right?

Yeah, a little extra. You have been making music for quite some time now. Three years.

Yeah, I’ve been making music since I was 15. Wow, you’re 18 right now? Yeah, I’m 18 years old, been making music since I was 15, been wanting to know that this is like everything to me since I was 7 and I wrote my first song.

You wrote your first song when you were 7 years old.

Yes, I wrote my first song in my backyard when I was 7 years old and then my dad took his camera and shot a little music video for me. I don’t know where it is now, but ever since then I just knew this is my passion, this is really what I want to do with my life.

Wow, usually when artists know that young, then that’s what it is, you know what I mean? There’s no other question about it. Have you ever considered any other career choice or has it just been locked in with music ever since?

Well, I’ve just always wanted to do music and I’m not going to college, I don’t even have a job right now. I moved out to LA three months ago just to pursue music kind of just going all in with it and honestly there’s no backup option this is really it and I feel like if you put your all into something and really manifest that way like there’s just like no way it won’t work because it’s just like all you think about all you’re putting your energy into so yeah this is it this is what I want to do.

Where’d you move from?

I moved from the valley so like Thousand Oaks area Ventura County and I moved out four months ago just been on my own in LA just making music.

What kind of music do you love to make the most?

So I start off making rap music but then I got into more alternative type music and hyper pop so the thing I enjoy making most is definitely hyper pop because it’s really fun. You know, you can do so much with hyper pop. But yeah, right now I’m working on a hyper pop rap so that’s really fun getting better with my rap flow and really finding my sound I’m releasing an EP in a couple of months it’s all hyper pop rap it’s gonna be my first project yeah yeah you know when that’s gonna be released you have a timeline in mind yet. I don’t have a timeline, but I have all the songs written with the beats. I’m just waiting on the mixing and mastering and getting everything finalized. I want to shoot a couple visuals before I drop it because I feel like with some music you need to have a visual, like people want to see visuals.

People want to see music videos so they can associate the music with something to look at. So I definitely want to make a music video for it before I drop.

You have a whole plan mapped out already and you’ve been doing this for three years now. It’s just amazing to see the growth of an artist from the tender age of 18 already knowing what they want to do. Congratulations to you!

Thank you, I appreciate it. I mean I the thing is like a lot of people in their 18 dollar really know what they want to do you know they’re still figuring it out but like I am dead set on this this is what I want to do this is what I was made for and I’m gonna do it I’ll make your word yeah 100% let’s go yeah is there anything that you want to plug or shout out that we have not mentioned yet well to be honest

I want to shout out everyone who struggles with mental health. Anyone who deals with you know any substance abuse, because that’s the whole thing with my music, is you know I make kind of sad stuff. I want to help people be what little people is for me that someone a voice for someone you know someone that someone can look up to and listen to my music and just feel heard, so shout out to everyone who’s going through a rough time right now. I love you and it does get better.

You know what I mean? Let other people say you can’t. Don’t tell yourself that you can’t. True, yeah. I mean, confidence is a big thing that I struggle with, but I’m getting better at it. I used to be really not confident and secure, but like I feel like with this music stuff, you have to be confident.

Like I didn’t promote any of my music until like seven months ago because I was so insecure about it, and I kind of got over that, and now like people actually listen to my music and follow me for my music, and it’s great.

Well, artists fall into that trap all the time too because they’re thinking about perfection.

Yeah, I’m really my own worst hater. Like my music isn’t bad. Like I’m a cool person, but I really hate on myself, you know? It’s like a problem I have. I’m trying to get over it. That’s why I’ve seen everything. Like I’m super grateful.

It means so much that you guys believe in me.

For sure. Again, I gotta believe in myself. If you need anything at all, for real, we’re here. Thank you, yeah. We both are very big on helping artists wherever we can, so. Yeah, I hope we can do more shit together, because this is a lot of fun.