New York’s most iconic music festival, The Governors Ball, is returning to The Big Apple next weekend for its 16th year. The three-day celebration will once again take over Flushing Meadows Corona Park, with a star-studded lineup featuring Lorde, Stray Kids, A$AP Rocky, and more. There will be plenty to experience across the sprawling festival grounds, but as you start mapping out your schedule, here are five artists you won’t want to miss!
1. Arcy Drive
When & Where: Friday, June 5 @ 3:30 // The Grove Stage
Listen: “Roll My Stone,” “Time Shrinks,” “one’n a million”
Similar artists: Briston Maroney, The Backseat Lovers, Dogpark
Arcy Drive is a Long Island indie rock band made up of childhood friends Nick Mateyunas, Austin Jones, Patrick Helrigel, and Brooke Tuozzo. The group built a devoted following through self-released music and social media, amassing more than 177,000 Instagram followers and 197,000 TikTok followers before releasing their debut EP, Beach Plum, in 2023. In 2025, they released their debut album, The Pit, marking a major milestone in the band’s rapid rise. Fresh off their headlining 2026 The Pit Tour, they recently returned with “one’n a million,” their first new single since The Pit, ushering in a new chapter with Atlantic Records. Known for their raw, high-energy performance, Arcy Drive is a set you won’t want to miss!
2. Chanpan
When & Where: Saturday, June 6 @ 12:30 // Snapchat Stage
Listen: “endlessly,” “❥attack,” “buzzin”
Similar artists: Yazida, Tiffany Day, Dev Lemons
Emerging Asian-American trio, Chanpan, is made up of Grace Dumdaw and identical twins Lance and Matthew Tran. Blending dance-pop, soul, and indie influences, the New York-based group has quickly gained attention from outlets like Vogue and T Magazine. Their 2023 debut single, “Jungle,” surpassed 250,000 streams and landed on several major Spotify playlists, while follow-up releases continued to build their musical momentum. In 2026, Chanpan released “buzzin,” followed by “confessions part iii,” the latest preview of their upcoming EP, autogratis. Be sure to kick off the day with Chanpan’s vibrant, genre-blending sound.
3. Hemlocke Springs
When & Where: Sunday, June 7 @ 1:10 // Snapchat Stage
Listen: “Girlfriend,” “sever the blight,” “w-w-w-w-w”
Similar artists: underscores, MUNA, Magdalena Bay
Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer Hemlocke Springs is defined by her hyper-personal, ’80s-inspired art-pop sound. She first gained attention in 2022 when her early tracks “gimme all ur luv” and “girlfriend” went viral on TikTok, quickly establishing her in the bedroom-pop scene. She followed up with singles “stranger danger!” and “sever the blight” in 2023 and later that year released her debut EP, going…going…GONE!. She returned in 2025 with “The Beginning of the End,” leading into her debut full-length album, the apple tree under the sea, which was released in February 2026. Fans won’t want to miss her eccentric and playful performance on Sunday!
4. Slayyyter
When & Where: Sunday, June 7 @ 1:45 // GOVBALLNYC Stage
Listen: “Mine,” “Crank,” “BEAT UP CHANEL$”
Similar artists: Kim Petras, Charli xcx, Chase Icon
American pop and hyperpop singer-songwriter Slayyyter is known for her Y2K-inspired aesthetic and internet-driven rise. She began releasing music on SoundCloud under the name Slater before adopting Slayyyter in 2018, gaining attention with singles like “BFF” and “Mine.” Her 2021 debut album Troubled Paradise and follow-up album, Starfucker, expanded her musical profile and led to international touring. In 2025, she began rolling out her third album WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA, teasing multiple singles ahead of the March 2026 release. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard charts, followed by a breakout Coachella performance in April 2026. With an energetic, visually driven performance and a growing catalog of fan favorites, Slayyyter’s set is a must-see.
5. Khamari
When & Where: Sunday June 7 @ 5:00 // The Grove Stage
Listen: “I Love Lucy,” “Head in a Jar,” “Doctor, My Eyes”
Similar artists: Givēon, Daniel Caesar, Jordan Ward
Khamari is a Boston-born singer, songwriter, and producer shaping a modern R&B sound that is rooted in emotional storytelling. He studied at Berklee College of Music before leaving to pursue music full-time, and has developed a style that blends contemporary R&B with pop production influence. His debut project, Eldorado, earned over 12 million streams and strong editorial support, including a placement on Spotify’s New Music Friday list. His latest full-length album, To Dry a Tear, was released in August 2025, and he is currently supporting the project with an extensive world tour. With such an intimate and emotionally dynamic performance, festival attendees are really in for a treat.
Tickets for The Governors Ball are limited but still available at governorsballmusicfestival.com.
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