Our Lineup Wish List for Obama's South by South Lawn Festival
Barack Obama has teamed up with creators of South by Southwest to plan his very own outdoor festival at the White House. You heard it hear first folks, Obama is our country’s first inaugural hipster President.
The one-day culture event, creatively named South by South Lawn, will in fact take place on the White House’s Great Lawn. Young innovators from around the nation are invited to be showcased in our country’s capital alongside A-list celebrities and musicians. There’s no word yet on who will be performing, but it’s all going down on October 3rd.
Ever since the Jonas Brothers held a private concert for Sasha and Malia in 2009, the Obamas have continued to make everyone majorly jealous over their relationships with the trendiest musicians. Just this past summer, Barack partied with Jay Z and Beyoncé for his 55th birthday. Casual, right?
If that’s any indication of who may be slated to take the stage at SXSL, then you might want look into flights to Washington, D.C.—like now. There’s no information out yet on conventional ticket sales, but it’s a safe bet that the Secret Service will double as bouncers.
For the meantime, we’ve complied a wishlist of the headliners we want to see at SXSL. All of the musicians have some sort of association with the First Family, and probably won’t want to miss out on the chance to perform at one of the most prestigious venues on the planet.
Beyoncé
This one's less of a wish and more of a gimme. Partying with the President aside, Michelle Obama is a devoted member of the Bey Hive. She proved that she knows every word (and move!) to “Single Ladies” on an episode of James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke.” So chances are Michelle will end up on the stage if Beyoncé does too. Move over Jay-Z, the world’s newest power duo may make their debut at SXSL.
Kendrick Lamar
Kedrick and Barack notably sat down together to discuss serious social topics at the beginning of this year. Then, the rapper performed at Obama’s Fourth of July party. He censored himself thoroughly, proving that he has enough respect for The Oval Office to earn a slot on the stage.
Adele
It’s about time Adele said hello to the White House. Not only is she another one of Michelle’s favorites, but Malia and Sasha are noted fans as well. Having a talented Brit perform would be a solid act of international inclusion on the Obamas’ part, too.
Green Day
Thought the “Basket Case” band had vanished? Yeah, so did everyone else. We were shocked when their new single, “Bang Bang,” appeared on The President’s annual summer playlist. Taking the stage at SXSL would be perfect way to return to the music scene in executive fashion. Better yet, Green Day’s new album is due out just days after the festival is set to take place. Nothing like an exclusive sneak peak for the Pres, am I right?
Chance the Rapper
Malia Obama joined Chance in singing “Happy Birthday” to Beyoncé at Made in America, Jay Z’s end-of-summer festival in Philadelphia. The independent artist met with Barack this year, too, where he was given career advice by the Chief himself. Though all of us at ‘Cuse saw him at Mayfest, a gig on the Great Lawn could really blow his career up. At least we could say that we knew him when...
If at least one of the above artists makes it to SXSL, then it’ll be worth getting to. The one-day festival of music, film, and tech innovation shows that President Obama is trying to go out of his second term with bang.