Hinterland Music Festival comes back to St. Charles, Iowa, this weekend from August 1-3. The lineup features over two dozen artists gracing the festival grounds, including headliners Tyler, the Creator; Kacey Musgraves; and Lana Del Rey. Boasting a much more diverse headlining trio than previous years, Hinterland holds the distinction of being Lana Del Rey’s second and final North American date this year, and the only confirmed date left on her calendar. Beyond the biggest names, there is an immensely talented roster of the hottest acts in the music world right now spanning the entire bill.
FRIDAY
SCOWL (12:00 pm): One of my most anticipated sets of the weekend is bright and early on the first day. Fresh off their second LP, Are We All Angels, Scowl is not slowing down anytime soon. Receiving rave reviews including a 4.5/5 from New Noise and a 5/5 from Kerrang, Scowl’s long-awaited Iowa debut can’t come soon enough. Hardcore has rarely made its way to Hinterland, but this is a more-than-welcome change of pace ushering in a loud and fast welcome to the campers. Listen to Are We All Angels here.
INJI (1:00 pm): If Scowl’s distorted guitars aren’t your cup of tea, INJI will be for you. Energetic and danceable artists are a huge part of Hinterland, and she brings just that to the camp. If you spent any time on TikTok in 2022, you have definitely heard INJI’s breakout single Gaslight, which helped launch her into prominence. She has a busy weekend, earning herself a spot on Sunday, August 3, at Osheaga in Montreal. You can listen to her brand new single, BOYS AIN’T SHIT here.
Good Neighbours (2:00 pm): Hailing from across the pond, Good Neighbours burst onto the scene earning themselves a Rising Star nomination at the BRITs this year. Their debut LP, Blue Sky Mentality, is set to release on September 26, but you can hear some of their unreleased tracks at the Hinterland main stage. An exciting and fun indie rock duo, and I am stoked to see where they will go. You can listen to the singles off their new record here.
Rebecca Black (3:00 pm): It’s fitting, isn’t it, having Rebecca Black play on a Friday. Taking a few days off from her opening gig for Katy Perry to play the common combo of Hinterland and Lollapalooza, Black has a brand new record she’s been touring. Released this past February, SALVATION is a powerful and quick jab of a record coming in at seven songs and 21 minutes. She will also be making an appearance at the campfire at midnight for a DJ set. You can listen to her new album here.
Royal Otis (4:15 pm): Another international indie duo, this time from across the other pond. The Australian duo made up of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic (see what they did there?) made a big splash with their cover of Murder on the Dancefloor, originally by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and the anticipation is only growing for their upcoming record hickey coming out August 22. You can tune into the three tracks released from the upcoming record here.
Remi Wolf (5:30 pm): One of the hottest names in pop right now, Remi Wolf has become a must see after her 2024 breakout record Big Ideas. She’s pulling a triple-header this weekend with Hinterland on Friday, Lollapalooza Aftershow at the Salt Shed on Saturday, and Lollapalooza on Sunday. A busy weekend for a busy artist who has performed over 40 shows on her current tour this year. You can listen to Big Ideas here.
Clairo (7:30 pm): Boys listen to Clairo, we exist, and it’s not performative. Her gigantic 2024 record, Charm, showed Clairo firmly finding her footing in the music industry and with only four remaining dates scheduled, this set is a must-see. Nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album in 2024, it’s been a monumental stretch for the Georgia native. You can listen to Charm here.
Tyler, The Creator (9:30 pm): If CHROMAKOPIA wasn’t enough to get you to Hinterland, Tyler’s brand-new record DON’T TAP THE GLASS should do the trick. A surprise release, with only days’ notice, has been a breath of fresh air with its quick and energetic 10 tracks. In only 29 minutes, Tyler has created something we have not heard in the mainstream in a very long time, if ever. What is bound to be an instantly memorable set, Tyler is the first rapper to headline Hinterland in the festival’s history. You can listen to DON’T TAP THE GLASS here.
SATURDAY
hey, nothing (12:45 pm): Kicking off the second day of Hinterland is the two-piece band from Georgia hey, nothing. They have skyrocketed in popularity in the past year, earning themselves an Audiotree session and almost half a million monthly listeners on Spotify. hey, nothing will only continue to pick up the pace this year, opening for Cage the Elephant on their fall tour. You can hear their new single Waiting Room here.
Willow Avalon (1:45 pm): Sporting a cowgirl hat and a voice of gold, Willow Avalon sings songs you imagine yourself falling in love to. A great compliment to the Kacey Musgraves headline, these folky and heartfelt songs will be making their way to your playlist. Another Georgia native on Saturday, Avalon’s set is worth getting there early for. You can listen to her single Country Never Leaves here.
Gigi Perez (2:45 pm): Taking some time off from opening for Hozier on his Unreal, Unearth Tour 2025, Gigi Perez will take hold of the Hinterland stage. With over 1 billion streams on Spotify, Sailor Song has provided a jumping-off point few could ever imagine. In addition to opening for Hozier, she will be hitting the festival circuit hard this year playing Sea.Hear.Now., All Things Go, and the quadruple header of Hinterland, Osheaga, Lollapalooza, and Lollapalooza Aftershow all this weekend. Perez joined Mt. Joy for a single this past May; you can listen to In The Middle here.
Glass Beams (3:45 pm): Trapped inside during the pandemic, Rajan Silva decided to create a sound yet to be heard at Hinterland before. This three-piece band has earned themselves an opening slot on Rufus Du Sol’s stadium tour through their unique and fresh instrumentation. Sporting face coverings while performing live is where the similarities to Iowa’s own Slipknot end. Glass Beams dawns face coverings while perfuming live, much prettier than the face coverings of Slipknot. You can listen to the latest Glass Beams EP Mahal here.
Role Model (5:00 pm): With the breakout success of his latest album, Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye), Tucker Pillsbury a.k.a. Role Model has been selling out venues since. A nearly fully sold-out European tour awaits him after his opening slot for Gracie Abrams’ arena tour ends. A very deliberate but relaxing sound is what you get from Role Model. You can hear his new version of his album’s closer, The Longest Goodbye, featuring Laufey, here.
Still Woozy (6:30 pm): Starting at 13 years old, Sven Gamsky a.k.a. Still Woozy, began creating beats and songs. This love of music has led to 2025 being his eighth year of this project, including slots here at Hinterland, Lollapalooza, and a headlining European tour this fall. You can hear his latest record, 2024’s Loveseat, here.
The Marías (8:00 pm): Hinterland’s undercard this year hosts some of the hottest acts right now, and The Marías fit perfectly in that category. With almost a spacey, arial sound to much of their music, their 2024 LP Submarine set them up for a long tour. With a sold out show at Red Rocks just days before their Hinterland slot, The Marías will charm you with their amazing live performances. You can listen to their new single Back To Me here.
Kacey Musgraves (9:30 pm): Modern-day country legend Kavey Musgraves will take the stage Saturday evening in St. Charles for the second time, previously playing Hinterland in 2019. She skyrocketed into stardom after her hit album Golden Hour, along with other singles, netting her 17 Grammy nominations and eight wins. Musgraves isn’t afraid to share her success, joining the likes of other Hinterland headlining alums such as Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan. Her most recent record, Deeper Well, has been an incredible strong progression for Musgraves’ songwriting, earning herself a third Country Song of the Year at the Grammys with The Architect. You can listen to Deeper Well here.
SUNDAY
Sam Austins (12:15 pm): Kicking off the third and final day of Hinterland is hip hop artist Sam Austins. Boasting over 63 million streams from his hit Seasons, Austins’ live performances are ones to get a good spot for. Releasing music since 2014, his most recent endeavor The woods vol. 1 has placed him in a must-watch category for the future. You can listen to Austins’ Hot like you here.
Orla Gartland (1:15 pm): Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Orla Gartland is a breath of fresh air in the indie pop scene. Creating a personal sound in that genre is difficult, but she has a very defined sound that flows so smoothly with her voice. Her most recent record, Everybody Needs a Hero, is a lovely listen with an exciting and youthful glow that earned her an opening slot for Glass Animals this summer. You can listen to her second LP here.
Evan Honer (2:15 pm): Another artist who got their start during COVID, Honer has had a quick five years that have led him to playing all over the world. After diving in in college, Evan took his spin at being an artist when the pandemic hit, and it has snowballed from there. After some harsh words from a judge during his American Idol audition, Honer has proved his doubters wrong, releasing a monsoon of singles and EPs before his two full-length L’s were released in 2023 and 2024. Honer caught a big gust of followings after uploading his cover of Tyler Childers’ unreleased track Jersey Giant. With a steady stream of great tunes pouring out of him, Honer is going to be a fun watch for the future. You can listen to his 2024 record, Fighting For, here.
Michael Marcagi (3:30 pm): Back-to-back college athlete Michael Marcagi was on the links for Thomas Moore University when he wasn’t in his room playing songs. His first release in December 2023 earned him a record deal with the promise of more great tunes. The Red Clay Strays caught wind and picked him up for their opening slot on their summer tour this year. His song Scared to Start landed him in the Top 100 Billboard tracks last year. You can listen to his hit single here.
Wyatt Flores (4:45 pm): A Grand Ole Opry veteran, Wyatt Flores calls upon fiddles, slide guitars, and his own southern voice to create some of the best there is in the modern country scene. Nominated by the Americana Awards for Best Emerging Artist, Flores’ first full-length LP, Welcome to the Plains, is worth all of the praise it gets. With a series of covers ranging from the standard Oh, Susanna all the way to The Fray’s How to Save a Life. This year he released his first live album, Live at Cain’s Ballroom, to a roaring success. You can listen to it here.
Sierra Ferrell (6:00 pm): Kicking off my favorite back-to-back of the weekend is Sierra Ferrell. Her magnetic songs just wash all over you, and you think it can’t get better until the next song plays. What is set to be a great set from one of the best contemporary artists in folk and country is the perfect time to get your spot set for the final leg of Hinterland. Ferrell makes her first return to St. Charles since 2022, and since then has released Trail of Flowers in 2024. With a new album under her belt, and a brand new single released just last week, Sierra Ferrell is a can’t miss set. Listen to her new album, Trail of Flowers, here.
Bleachers (7:45 pm): My personal favorite of the weekend, Bleachers is an absolute can’t-miss. This six-piece band, headed by producer extortioner Jack Antonoff, brings down the house each show with two drum kits, two saxophones and members constantly rotating between instruments. It’s alive, it’s loud, it’s rock and roll. Bleachers puts on the kind of show everyone dreams of playing while singing in the shower. Coming off their self-titled album released last year, Bleachers has taken from Fleetwood Mac, Nick Cave, Bruce Springsteen, and much more to create their masterpieces. The Boss was brought on for Bleachers’ 2021 single Chinatown off of their third record Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night. It’s top of my list and should be top of yours too. Listen to the live recordings from their Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre set here.
Lana Del Rey (9:45 pm): Closing out this weekend at Hinterland is the incomparable Lana Del Rey. A powerhouse for the past decade plus, Lana has headlined everything from Coachella to the Newport Folk Festival. With the release of Grammy-nominated Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd Lana saw her work with producer and Bleachers front man, Jack Antonoff, reach her debut at #1 in the UK and #3 in the US. I’m holding out hope that Antonoff and Bleachers will join forces with Lana to play their song Margaret off of that record. With Hinterland being Lana’s only scheduled date left this year, it is sure to be a must-see. Listen to her new single Bluebird here.
An incredible weekend of music awaits Iowa, with close to three dozen world-class artists all in one place. You can view the full schedule here, and purchase tickets to Hinterland here. Directions to the festival can be found on the website as well. Stay hydrated, and have a great weekend!
