Pop star Daya and rapper NLE Choppa will headline Fall 2024 Lawnparties, which follows the first week of classes on Sunday, Sept. 8. The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) made the announcement via Instagram on Friday, Aug. 23.
The main stage festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. on Frist North Lawn, with a yet-to-be announced student opener playing until 2:25 p.m. Daya will take the stage at 2:45 p.m. for a 30-minute performance, and NLE Choppa will then conclude the show from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
The early announcement caught the student body by surprise, bypassing the typical season of intense speculation among students of who will headline the event.
“We’re striving to stay on top of things,” said Aum Dhruv ’27, a social committee member, “making it easier for people to plan for Lawnparties so working to release info earlier will hopefully help with that.”
Dhruv is a staff Audience creator for the Daily Princetonian.
This year’s Lawnparties will embrace a “fall festival” theme, reflecting the season of transition as students begin a new academic year, with an autumnal aesthetic. This is the second time Lawnparties has been accompanied by a theme, following the 2024 Spring Lawnparties’ “Tropic Like It’s Hot.”
“We wanted it to signify a calm yet exciting year ahead,” USG Social Committee Chair Enzo Kho ’26 explained.
This fall’s event will follow a Lawnparties last semester that was marked by turbulence on campus, when the concerts coincided with the beginnings of weeks long “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” protests.
The selection of both artists was intended to provide students a diverse musical lineup while staying within this year’s budget, according to Kho. Specifics of the setlists are not yet finalized.
Daya is a Grammy award-winning pop artist renowned for her chart-topping 2016 hits like “Hide Away” and “Don’t Let Me Down.” She performed at the University of Pennsylvania’s Spring Fling concert in March and at Duke University’s spring festival in 2022.
NLE Choppa, whose full name is Bryson LaShun Potts, is known for energetic rap tracks such as “SLUT ME OUT” and “Shotta Flow.” Like Lil Tecca, who headlined Lawnparties in the spring, Potts ascended to rap stardom as a teenager and is now 21 years old. In fall of 2023, Potts announced and completed a college tour that included 13 shows at universities across the country. This past spring, he continued the college circuit, performing at other schools, such as the University of Cincinnati and Indiana University. College is a prevalent theme in Potts’ music and branding, including in his 2023 single “College Girls,” and merch emblazoned with “NLE University.”
Alongside the performances, Campus Club will feature a variety of inflatable and lawn games for student enjoyment throughout the day.
Food offerings will include a mix of favorite items from previous Lawnparties, with the addition of new carnival-themed snacks to match the fall festival theme. Students can look forward to a selection of grab-and-go options and food trucks.
“Our goal is to always provide the students the best experience, going beyond what we’ve already done last semester,” Kho told the ‘Prince.’ “We wanted this first big event of the year [to be] memorable for the students.”
Alena Zhang is a staff News writer for the ‘Prince.’
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