by isabel dowell
A week from now, Electric Forest will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Rothbury, Michigan, from June 23 through June 26, 2022. Theoretically, this would be their 12th year, however, COVID-19 had other plans and thus pushed their anniversary back a few years. Nonetheless, we are excited to attend this esteemed music, camping, and arts festival.
Featuring over one hundred artists — including some heavy-hitting headliners, festival favorites, and new, breakthrough artists, Electric Forest 2022 is going to be one to remember. Below are just a few of the many artists we are excited to see:
1. Bea Miller
X-Factor alum and New Jersey-native, Bea Miller, is one of many names on the Electric Forest lineup and has been making waves in music since 2021. She’s been a personal favorite of mine since I was a teenager and it’s amazing to see how far she’s come. Miller is a personality-driven popstar who is known for selling out venues and has one of the greatest on-stage personalities we’ve ever seen. One of her more popular singles, “feel something,” went viral on TikTok and currently has over 233,000 streams on Spotify alone — but if we can be honest, some of her earlier releases — Young Blood or Not An Apology — have always been on repeat.
If you’ve confused Jake Wesley Rogers for a young Elton John one time or another, we wouldn’t blame you. He’s the spitting image of everything we love and miss about 70s/80s pop. Also gaining traction from American television, Rogers was featured on America's Got Talent in 2021 — even being brought back from elimination as a Wild Card by Sharon Osbourne. He is full of energy, talent, and sparkle, and we could not be more excited to experience his set at Electric Forest.
3. Michigander
A local band from Michigan — hence the name — Michigander has been absolutely skyrocketing in popularity since live music and festivals have returned post-COVID. I had watched them play in 2020 at a Bernie Sanders rally in Grand Rapids, MI and before I knew it they were making the lineups of Lollapalooza, Firefly, Shaky Knees, and even opening for Manchester Orchestra. I really think this is a group to pay attention to now before they become a household name.
4. Moore Kismet
At only seventeen years old, Moore Kismet is already a breakout artist. Named one of Billboard Music’s 21 under 21 in 2020, this non-binary producer, DJ, and creator, has shown no signs of slowing down. From being one of the youngest artists to play Lollapalooza and EDC, collaborating with other artists, and working on their own music — all while still being in high school! — Omar Davis, the name behind the Moore Kismet persona, is on track to become one of the greatest musicians we’ve ever seen.
5. Goth Babe
Known for recording music in their dorm room or in a make-shift studio in the back of a truck, Goth Babe, formerly known as Griff Washburn, is the DIY-artist and adventurer we could also take some life advice from. This electronic-indie artist is as independent as it gets. When he isn’t creating music, he’s out exploring, climbing, and spending time with his trusty sidekick Sadie. Goth Babe’s music is intimate, fun, and is known to make any music lover swoon.
Bonus: Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Completely taking over TikTok in the last few months with their songs “It’s Called: Freefall,” “Painkillers,” and more, Rainbow Kitten Surprise are an alternative, rock, indie band hailing from the state of North Carolina. Formed in 2013, their unique name was the result of a friend who was on a morphine drip, who was honored with the opportunity to give the group their name. This group is known for their harmonies, instrumentation, and lyrics, also having their live performances quoted as a “religious experience.” This is definitely one act we cannot wait to experience firsthand.