Coke Studio held its first ever Sips And Sounds Summer Festival in Austin on Saturday (July 29). The festival featured performances by The Chainsmokers, Yungblud, Tate McRae, Latto, and Jake Wesley Rogers. Gayle was also on the lineup, but dropped out due to illness.
Celebrating seven years since the release of their hit single ‘Closer,’ The Chainsmokers turned up the heat in Texas even more with a spectacular, visually-captivating performance full of fire, pyro, and lasers. Their party-like atmosphere had the Moody Amphitheater dancing their way through songs like the Coldplay-assisted ‘Something Just Like This’ and their 2017 single ‘Paris.’
While not the headliner, undoubtedly the best performance of the day came from Yungblud. The punk-rock Brit happens to be one of Coke Studio’s 2023 artists – with the aim to have them collaborate and create exclusive musical experiences. Just a day before the festival, Coke Studio released a cover of Primal Scream’s ‘Movin’ On Up’ performed by Yungblud and BNXN. You can watch it by clicking here.
What sets Yungblud apart from most artists is his seemingly never-ending energy. As soon as he hit the stage with ‘21st Century Liability,’ he was running, screaming, and jumping. At first some in the audience that did not know Yungblud reluctantly watched, but by the end of his set and with his undenying charisma many had been turned. He rocked the stage with songs like ‘Funeral’ and ‘Fleabag,’ before closing things out with fan-favorite ‘I Think I’m OKAY’ and his latest offering ‘Lowlife.’
Another one of the day’s highlight sets came from Tate McRae who seemed to have the most fans in the crowd other than The Chainsmokers. The Canadian singer cruised through songs like ‘stupid,’ ‘feel like shit,’ and ‘she’s all i wanna be.’ Like most of the other performers, she mentioned how hot it was in Texas, but that didn’t stop her from showing off her dance moves while sporting jeans. She closed off her set by asking the crowd to help sing along to the song that changed her life, ‘you broke me first,’ and the audience happily obliged.
Before McRae, it was Latto who brought the jams to Sips And Sounds. Despite getting on stage 40 minutes late from her advertised time, she made it worth the wait. Along with her four backup dancers, she braved the heat and gave fans songs such as ‘Lottery’ and her number one collab single ‘Seven’ which features BTS’ Jungkook. She appropriately closed her time with the ‘Big Energy (Remix).’
Earlier in the day, Jake Wesley Rogers mesmerized the crowd with his crispy vocals, glamorous outfits, and big heart. His singles ‘Hindsight’ and ‘Pluto’ were well-received by the Austin crowd which will get to see him again this fall opening for Kesha.
Due to Gayle’s last minute cancellation, Natalie Jane was added. She kicked things off while people were still shuffling into the Moody Amphitheater. Her big vocals pulled people closer to the stage. While her covers of Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever’ and Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ helped with the familiarity, it was her own songs that truly made her shine. ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Ava’ are fantastic.
Away from the stage, fans had the opportunity to enjoy many different cool activations. The Coke Studio allowed them to create their own music and album covers while at the Coca-Cola Ink Studio they got temporary tattoos of their favorite artists on the lineup. Free food samples were also provided at the Coca-Cola Food Truck Park which included restaurants like McDonald’s and Raising Canes. Concertgoers could also trade in their 100% recyclable Coke product bottles for free merch.
