Diandra Reviews It All- Billboard Fest Day 2 Adds Hip Hop To A Pop Fest

Just when you thought Day One was good, Day Two brought the house down. It was such a perfect mix of the best and rising in Pop but also Hip Hop. There is nothing like this genre to pump people up to feel invincible, which added an extra exhilaration to the ambiance. Yet, this is Billboard Hot 100 Festival, and Pop has always defined its dynamic.

(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Billboard)

Logan Henderson

Logan Henderson was adorable, and I know that may seem “lame” when a guy is trying to prompt a crowd to get lit. Yet, it was his eagerness to entertain and be entertaining that swayed hearts to move more. His tracks are not rocket science; they are good beats, simple choruses, and no over-thoughts necessary. In knowing who he was and his market, he appeared like a friendly guy that wanted the crowd of friends to have a good time. SIMPLE!

Rozes

I am incredibly bias about Rozes because I got the opportunity to meet her, and it I saw that the woman on stage is as bright and open as the woman off it. She is sparkling with heart and the desire to connect its beats to others. Her show was a dance-fest that included a sick drummer AND her singing while playing the saxophone. Singing while saxing….. this woman is unstoppable. Moreover, I liked that she successfully transferred her vulnerabilities and virtuosity into her talent: belting out notes over rhythms of optimism.

Loote

This dynamic duo swept the stage in a quick set that was pop galore. Like Logan Henderson, they swim in the mainstream, and that is not a bad thing. Some want to change how streams flow, while others are happy to swim within them until they get to the ocean. My point being that pop is an ocean, and Loote are happily waved in its crystalline waters. Their electro sounds and verses on how love makes you re-think your every move hit the crowd of couples, singles, and recently heart-broken.

J.I.D

J.I.D is a weird blend of relaxed madness. Frankly, I think we all are crazy, and “normalcy” is simply knowing how to hide that insanity (lol) J.I.D might have the same notion, and devours the crowd with a kinetic energy that says “the crazies” of this world are, usually, the ones with their own mind. Life will not give riches to many of us, but wealth of thought is accessible, and his verses swarm you with why we can and, perhaps, don’t reach for such wealth. Such philosophies over bouncing baselines is irresistible.

Daya

This friendly star is sweet on and off the stage, and emanates her dulce personality with songs about being humble to love. I truly believe love makes us submit to the joy of details. Thus, her singles like, “Safe” and “Hide Away” have quickly arisen the charts for showing that only in being small you can realize how big life means to you. Yet, truthfully, this petite singer was a massive light on stage; flocking attention to her with a natural grace and surprisingly wide vocal range. She can belt a note while strutting through her set with FIERCE RIHANNA sneakers. #yas

Justine Skye

I AM HERE FOR JUSTINE SKYE! This kween KNOWS what it takes to “take the stage.” Backed by dancers, she shakes through her set like, “Oh, this is just my Tuesday routine!” She is so casually powerful like a tigress prowling her natural habitat: the stage. Yet, she is unassuming to her blessings; acknowledging her honor in even being able to play at Billboard Fest. This meant a lot because many artists hustle, but not everyone remembers that you can work really hard to still go nowhere. Still, with her blends of R&B and Hip Hop and her fashion swag, this young lady is going even farther.

Rick The Kid

Rich The Kid is emblematic of something I said before; Hip Hop makes you feel invincible. It makes sense. As a genre born from the oppression of the black community, its rhythms and verses align with a feeling of self-strengthening or, at least, acting strong until you become it in the face of those that try to bring you down. Singing to the hustle and tearing up the stage like the “Tazmanian Devil,” this man left the crowd looney tuning. Yet, why not? We all need artists that makes us say, “F**k It!” at least once.

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Billboard)

Future

You can’t go wrong with a Future performance. He has enough hits that if he stood there, silently, you would sing for him. Yet, I have to admire how MUCH he loves the crowd’s love for him. This man absorbs cheers like Superman absorbs the sun. He silences himself and stands before the audience as if their picturing phones are actually sun-rays beaming to give him power, and he enjoys it. Why not? Although status is not everything, it is something, and Future has earned his status on Billboard enough times to feel like a merited headliner.

All in all, Billboard Hot 100 Festival was worth it. It had great acts, easy access to each stage, and arrangement of diverse foods and DJ booths for you to chill, eat, and be merry. It was a, surprisingly, relaxed event for being filled with artists that burst with adrenaline. For More Information On Billboard Fest Click Here.