Next Fest LA

By Bethany Mikrut

On Saturday, May 17th, Unheard Gems curated an incredible festival lineup for the largest indie music festival in the country, called Next Fest LA. Next Fest takes place over the entire month of May on weekends at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, CA.

Unheard Gems is an incredible blog and platform based in Los Angeles, CA, founded by Hannah Schneider. UG provides PR and marketing services to up and coming artists from diverse backgrounds. Schneider curated this lineup with artists on and off her roster, including Abby Sunga, Zoe Kilgren Band, Alex Ray, CHROMERA, Geena Fontanella, and lastly, Ally Nicholas. This roster was diverse in different musical genres, ranging from soft pop to hard punk and grunge.

To start off the afternoon was Abby Sunga. Abby amazed me with her amazing vocals and aesthetic. It felt like I was in my friend's bedroom. I think Sunga will go places in the next few years with her relatable lyrics and bubbly personality. On her setlist, she included a few covers by Lizzy McAlpine, Wheatus, Chappell Roan, and more. Her set also included a few of her own songs, including "What Do I Do?" and "Tonight." Abby is perfect for anyone who likes soft bedroom pop music from Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams, and Taylor Swift.

After Abby was the Zoe Kilgren Band. ZKB is a rock band based in Los Angeles. They blend different styles to take a modern approach to the genre. Their upcoming song "Girls in Skirts" comes out this weekend on May 23rd. It was Richard, one of the band members', birthday, so they celebrated with a key lime pie cake. They are perfect for anyone who likes Paramore, Blink-182, and Fall Out Boy.

Alex Ray is a singer-songwriter and music enthusiast. We have had the honor of speaking with her numerous times. Her recent song "UR KINDA LUV" was released on May 9th. It was a collaboration with Saywhen, an emo and punk artist. Her set was rocking, with a surprise appearance from Dade (Daddy), another amazing artist she has a song called "Snake Eyes" with. Dade is an LA based singer and keyboardist who has worked with famous musicians, including SZA and Don Toliver. Her set also featured a cover of "Good Luck, Babe" by Chappell Roan. There was a common theme with Chappell Roan covers across the lineup!

Next was the punk band CHROMERA, they're changing the style of modern day punk and EDM music. Their new name reflects a new era for them as a band. Amanda and Aris are incorporating queer elements into their new brand. They continued the tradition by covering "Red Wine Supernova" by Chappell Roan.

To end the night were Geena Fontanella and Ally Nicholas, both alternative grunge pop artists. They were the perfect closers to finish a perfect day at Next Fest LA, all thanks to Hannah from Unheard Gems.

Read more about Unheard Gems on their Instagram: @unheardgemsmusic
Full interviews will be posted on our Instagram and YouTube: @fortheloveofmusicblog