One of the most FUN events in Austin during SXSW is the MTV Woodies. Last year being my first year, I wasn't sure what to expect - but now with the return of the event this year, I know the exact in's and outs and setup.
Today, MTV made the big announcement of what performers and presenters will be at the Austin American Statesman Lot during the show, next Thursday 3/16 - check it out below!
New York, NY (March 9, 2017) – MTV today announced the full roster of performers set to take the stage during the 2017 edition of the “MTV Woodies.” The show will air LIVE on Thursday, March 16 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT from Austin, Texas during South by Southwest Music Festival.
Rick Ross, Desiigner, D.R.A.M., Lil Yachty, Jidenna, Khalid and Starley will grace the main show stage along with presenters The Chainsmokers, A$AP Ferg, Young M.A and Bibi Bourelly. Prior to the one-hour live telecast, Terrence J will host MTV’s emerging artist “Woodies” music festival beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET with performances by D.R.A.M., Lil Yachty, Young M.A, Bibi Bourelly, MUNA and PVRIS. Festival performances will air on MTV Live and be available via livestream on woodies.mtv.com.
“Shit, it almost gives me a woody to know that I’ll be performing at the ‘Woodies’. Shout out to MTV, shout out to South By South West. Spread love!” - D.R.A.M.
“I'm so excited to be performing at the 2017 Woodies! Just last year I remember seeing Kehlani perform and it's surreal to think that a year later, I have an album out and I'm performing alongside so many other great artists.” - Khalid
Throughout the week, fans have been voting for their favorite artists across four categories exclusively on Snapchat by taking a screenshot of their favorite artist. Voting for the “Cover Woodie,” “Songwriter of the Year” and “Woodie to Watch” has closed while “Woodie of the Year” voting ends today. Fans are encouraged to join the conversation around their favorite Woodies artists as part of an “MTV Woodies” and REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups engagement campaign anchored in fans “co-signing” artists who they think are about to break. Kicking off today and extending into the “Woodies” broadcast on March 16, fans will be asked to cosign their favorite performer from this year’s “Woodies” festival lineup, using a custom hashtag paired with a microphone emoji (i.e. #WoodiesCosignARTIST + 🎤) which qualifies them for a chance to win a free music subscription.The top mentioned fan cosign will be revealed on-air during the LIVE 2017 “MTV Woodies”.
MEET THE 2017 “MTV WOODIES” ARTISTS:
Bibi BourellyThe 22-year-old singer and songwriter introduced the world to her remarkable sound and undeniable spirit with her debut dual-EP “Free The Real.” Growing up in Berlin, Germany and Washington DC while trouble-making with her friends became the backdrop for her creative evolution, which led her to write massive records for the likes of Rihanna, Usher and Selena Gomez. With two EPs behind her and a lifetime of fearlessness ahead, Bourelly steps into this next exciting phase of her career with a debut album on the horizon.
DesiignerAfter the release of his debut single “Panda,” 19-year-old Sidney Royel Selby III went from a local Brooklyn hook-man to a breakout rap star with a multi-platinum, No. 1 Billboard single, followed by a record deal with Kanye West’s GOOD Music / Def Jam Recordings. In April of 2016 the track landed a No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, and in May it earned a RIAA platinum certification leading up to Desiigner’s debut mixtape New Engliish. By December “Panda” had become the year’s most streamed song with 1.6 billion streams across all platforms. In 2017, Desiignerreleased his blistering new single “Outlet” and announced his first headline tour, “The Outlet Tour,” kicking off in April.
D.R.A.M.Hailing from Hampton, VA, singer/songwriter/producer D.R.A.M. (which stands for Does Real Ass Music) has become music’s latest break out star. His hit single “Broccoli (feat. Lil Yachty)” is now certified 4X Platinum & was recently nominated for a Grammy. His debut album “BIG BABY D.R.A.M.” which features guest appearances from Erykah Badu, Young Thug & Lil Yachty, was released in October 2016 and landed on nearly every year-end list including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, NPR, Complex and more. For more information on D.R.A.M., please visit: www.bigbabydram.com.
JidennaJidenna’s debut album The Chief released on February 17, 2017, a collection of new material aggregated with his hip hop “Long Love the Chief” and dance-pop “Little Bit More.” Often described as a millennial version of Andre 3000, with the lyrical acumen of Kendrick Lamar and worldliness of Stromae, Jidenna cultivates a singular approach to arts, culture, and community, refining his elegant, funky take on hip-hop –a genre he defines as Swank– that brings together sociopolitical content and personal narratives in sounds that get his legendary soirees turned up.
KhalidKhalid, who is classically vocal trained, drew on his experiences moving often growing up and living on two continents to create his viral smash “Location.” Khalid released “Location” before high school graduation and it garnered over 1.52 million plays in under two months, along with critical praise from music tastemakers such as Pigeons & Planes, Earmilk, and more. It is currently Top 10 at Urban Radio and #64 on The Hot 100. Khalid released the music video for “Location,” “Shot Down,” and most recently “American Teen,” which has 250,000+ views to date. He recently released his debut album American Teen and wrapped up his first-ever headlining tour in the US and Europe.
Lil YachtySelf-proclaimed “King of the Teens,” Lil Yachty's debut mixtape Lil Boat dropped March 2016. In April 2016, Yachty collaborated with D.R.A.M. on the Grammy-nominated "Broccoli", which peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. He featured on Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book mixtape, released in May 2016 and on June 10, 2016 he announced he had signed a joint venture record deal with Quality Control Music/Motown/Capitol Records. Lil Boat was named among the top albums of 2016 by Vice’s Noisey and Yachty was profiled in Forbes ‘30 Under 30.’ He was also picked to be a creative director at Nautica, appeared in the "It Takes Two" video with Carly Rae Jepsen for Target and was featured in a Sprite commercial with basketball legend Lebron James. Not bad for a 19-year-old.
MUNAMembers of MUNA, Katie Gavin (lead vocals/production), Naomi McPherson (production/guitar/synths/vocals), and Josette Maskin (lead guitar/vocals), have written and self-produced all of their own music to date. In November, the band also made their television debut performing “Loudspeaker” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Additionally, MUNA has been featured on Noisey, Ladygunn, Nylon, V Magazine, in Flood Magazine. Pitchfork stated, “Singer Katie Gavin and guitarists Naomi McPherson and Josette Maskin sound deliciously accessible, but beyond the surface they ambush your heart with urgent ideas.” The Los Angeles Times said, “Muna is brazen in its ambitions”. The band just wrapped up their first-ever headlining tour in support of their debut album, About U, which is available now. Recently, MUNA released the music video for the first single off of the album, “I Know A Place”, which The FADER called “a must-listen” and Noisey called it “insanely catchy”. They also performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Fans can also catch MUNA this summer at Governors Ball in New York City.
PVRISThe Boston-based trio of vocalist Lynn Gunn, guitarist Alex Babinski and bassist Brian MacDonald, were most recently on tour for White Noise, a debut album with over 113 million Spotify streams and 32 million YouTube views to date. The band toured with Fall Out Boy and Awolnation, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s “Emerging Artists” and “Trending 140” charts and launched a headline tour that saw them play to packed houses around the world. Led by 21-year-old vocalist Lynn Gunn, the band is putting the finishing touches on a much-anticipated new album, due out later this year, followed by an arena tour with Muse and 30 Seconds To Mars.
Rick Ross“Untouchable” is the best way to describe Rick Ross’s decade-plus run at the top of rap. Along the way, he achieved five Billboard Top 200 #1 debuts and three #2 debuts, received four GRAMMY Award® nominations, graced the cover of Rolling Stone twice, and made history more than once. His debut single “Hustlin’” became the “first mastertone ever certified RIAA platinum before the associated album had been released.” He sold millions of singles and albums and cemented his status as one of rap’s biggest and brashest voices. Moreover, he founded Maybach Music Group home to Meek Mill, Wale, and more. Signing to Epic Records in 2016, his “untouchable” streak continues with the March 17 release of his ninth full-length “Rather You Than Me.”
StarleyStarley’s breakout hit “Call On Me” — a record written as a symbol of hope for herself at a low point in her life — serves as an appealing introduction to this Australian singer-songwriter. Her potent sound is a mix of warm indie folk and dynamic dance-pop powered by her affecting melodies, emotionally resonant lyrics, and soulful voice that makes each song sound intimate and vital. The debut single has opened many doors for Starley, including resurrecting her desire to be an artist and leading her to a deal with indie-dance label Tinted Records. They connected her with Australian DJ duo, Odd Mob, with whom she scored the multi-week No. 1 ARIA Club track “Into You.” “Call On Me” is resonating with fans around the world, having racked up over 300 million Spotify plays (between the original acoustic-driven version and a remix by Melbourne DJ Ryan Riback). It has cracked the charts in several countries including the U.S. where it’s climbing Billboard’s Hot 100. It has gone double platinum in Sweden, platinum in Australia and Canada, gold in the UK, Germany and the US and so forth. Adding Epic Records to the team, through a connection with powerhouse producer, Salaam Remi, Starley is currently writing songs for her debut album.
Young M.ABrooklyn's history as a bastion of progressive, young hip-hop talent remains unchallenged with the entrance of 24-year old Young M.A, a female whose work manifests itself as a triumphant reminder of music's ability to uplift. Young M.A’s current smash single “OOOUUU” is RIAA certified 3x platinum. With the record tearing up the clubs, she’s seen support from the likes of Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, 50 Cent, and Nicki Minaj. Young M.A just released her latest track, “Hot Sauce,” which will be featured on her upcoming EP ‘Herstory,’ due out end of March. M.A is also scheduled for a 30-city tour with 21 Savage later this month. The “MTV Woodies” is a yearly event that spotlights an eclectic roster of emerging artists across musical genres. The 2016 line-up boasted Anderson.Paak & The Free Nationals, A$AP Ferg, BØRNS, The Chainsmokers, CHVRCHES, Jack Garratt, Jidenna, Kehlani and Lukas Graham. Past “MTV Woodies” performers include Wiz Khalifa, Twenty One Pilots, Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea, Steve Aoki, Foo Fighters, Odd Future, The 1975, Childish Gambino, Santigoldand Mac Miller. Official sponsors of the "2017 MTV Woodies” broadcast include Cricket Wireless, Doritos®, Pepsi®, REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups and State Farm®.