A lawn of performers, families and adoring audience members swayed, reaching up to the stage as the sun sets on CAMP: THE NEXT GEN FEST co-founder Edie Yvonne and producer Nicholas Swedin performing “Act of Love.” Behind them, a neon sign read, “You Belong Here.” 

On Sunday, CAMP: THE NEXT GEN FEST brought together groups of artists and fans alike at The Underground Museum in Mid-City, Los Angeles. Organized by Elaine Sir of Seoulfull Media, Yvonne and Lauri Firstenberg, the festival spotlighted nearly 20 emerging and independent artists and bands across a variety of genres.

“We were inspired to create a forum for emerging young artists in the wider L.A. area,” said Yvonne, who also performed at the festival. “We wanted to create a platform for artists to create exposure, but also to build a community and have a space that’s supportive rather than competitive.”

The festival organizers began planning the inaugural CAMP: THE NEXT GEN FEST in early January, receiving sponsorships from brands including Liquid Death and Kinetix Clothing. The team behind CAMP: THE NEXT GEN FEST includes emerging industry talents across L.A.

Working alongside Yvonne, Skylar Florin, a junior majoring in music industry, was an assistant producer of the festival and worked closely with the organizers to guide the production and talent. 

“A lot of the classes that I’ve taken at [the] Thornton [School of Music] really have prepared me on how to connect with an artist and really understand what they need, and even more behind-the-scenes things like production and sound,” Florin said.

In the garden of the museum, attendees gathered on a grass lawn filled with pillows and blankets laid out in front of the elevated stage. As artists arrived, the guests lounged while others enjoyed the festival’s recreation area, which provided card games, community activities and a snack and beverage table.

The event kicked off with the San Fernando Valley-based band What Happened to Peter, who amped up the event with original punk rock songs, encouraging guests to stand and join them in dancing. Between each artist’s set of three to four original and cover songs, a DJ played transition tracks, keeping a consistent flow of musical entertainment throughout the night.

Maya Ixta, a sophomore majoring in music industry, performed a four-song bilingual set consisting of Selena Gomez and Kali Uchis covers, as well as original songs including “Time.” Ixta performed alongside keyboardist Charlie Acosta, a sophomore majoring in popular music performance.

“I love how Latin pop is able to bridge some of those older genres that my abuelitos used to play, and also newer pop sounds and indie pop,” Ixta said. “There’s a different kind of beauty within writing in a different language, so I’m really excited to be incorporating that into my set.”

As a NEXT GEN artist, Ixta said she intends to uplift fellow Latine artists by using bilingual lyricism and creating communities for emerging artists of diverse backgrounds to feel welcomed in the music industry.

The festival reached the pinnacle of its energy when funk rock band Late Autumn took the stage with their cover of “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, bringing audiences to their feet at the edge of the stage. The band also stunned the audience with their unreleased original song “Better Through This,” featuring dynamic guitar and bass solos that sparked cheers and gasps from the crowd. 

In their performance, Late Autumn incorporated Generation Z style and musical executions in their set while drawing inspiration from older rock genres appealing to both younger and older audiences at the festival. The performance’s variety drew a large crowd of supporters. 

“There are so many different variations,” Yvonne said. “What’s special is that a lot of us have so many musical inspirations from the ’90s from our parents and different genres and decades, which are coming together in a new way.”

Singer Carolina Chase put on an indie rock exhibition that shattered the casual nature of the festival, transforming the scattered audience into a wall of people surrounding the lawn, fully immersed in the performance. 

Chase’s performance featured four original songs, which showcased her tension-filled lyricism and artistry as she performed with theatrics while simultaneously controlling her synthesizer track. Among the audience stood artists who had previously performed, as well as family members filming the performance and organizers closely watching in astonishment.

As the first-ever CAMP: THE NEXT GEN FEST, the festival captured an inviting energy suited for the artists, who were performing for a large audience for the first time. The festival may have been small in size, but the amount of artistry explored and impressions made were foundational for creating a long-lasting impact.

“The whole point of being an artist is that it’s a journey that evolves as you get older,” Acosta said. “It’s just life and building your identity. I couldn’t have picked a better place to be with a better group of people.” 

Yvonne said the organizers will revive the festival next year to feature another large lineup and continue fostering a community of belonging among up-and-coming L.A. artists.

“[We’re] creating an environment where everyone feels supported by one another and is also excited to hear one another and hear what is happening in the young L.A. music scene,” Yvonne said. “I hope that this creates a platform for everyone, and that this opportunity will bring many more to come for them.”