By: Shayla Lee
Female representation on music festival lineups is something that the music industry needs to work on. Although for many festivals, finding a female artist on the poster can be a challenge, Electric Forest proved once again this year that they are a leader in the festival world. From established legends Alison Wonderland and TOKIMONSTA to promising up-and-coming artists you should keep your eyes on like Whipped Cream and Jayda G, Electric Forest had a wide range of female musicians.
Here is a look at some of our favorite artists that played this year!
Whipped Cream
Hailing from Vancouver Island, Whipped Cream is a producer and DJ known for her hard-hitting bass music. The artist performed on the first day of the festival to a massive crowd. One of the top moments from her performance included bringing out LICK during their new collaborative track “The Greatest.” Whipped Cream’s high energy and passion stole the show and signified she is definitely an artist to pay attention to.
Ambar Lucid
Earlier this year, Ambar Lucid released a breezy album titled “Dreaming Lucid” full of R&B influences, guitars, and soaring vocals. The 18 year old Mexican-Dominican artist performed in the eclectic Hangar on the Carousel Club stage. Her performance was intimate and highlighted her beautiful voice.
DAYA
With over 800 million streams to her name, Daya is easily one of pop music’s most prominent musicians. Earlier this year Daya has released the punchy track “Insomnia” as well as “Left Me Yet.” Daya had a beautiful golden hour set time on the Sherwood Court Stage. Daya’s set was a lovely switch to something on the lighter side after seeing more electronic-infused artists earlier that day.
TOKiMONSTA
TOKiMONSTA is a Grammy-nominated artist known for her downtempo music and collaborations with artists like Anderson .Paak, MNDR, and Thirsty Fish. Playing a downtempo set on Saturday night, TOKiMONSTA’s smooth mixing skills put the crowd into an almost trance-like state. Her music was accompanied by beautiful, vibrant visuals which further added to the ambience she was excelled at creating.
Alison Wonderland
Australian DJ/producer/songwriter/classically trained cellist Alison Wonderland was among the top billed female musicians at Electric Forest this year. Closing out the Tripolee Stage with a 2 am slot time, Alison began her set with her remix of Ariana Grande’s track “God is a Woman.” Other highlights of her set included when she mixed the cult favorite “Run” and when she addressed mental health before playing “I Want U.”
The incredible performances by the female musicians at Electric Forest go to show that the industry needs to continue to book more females. It’s exciting to see Electric Forest strive to feature so many talented female artists.