Words and photos by Chloe Catajan
When the clock struck midnight on 1 January 2020, MTV's SnowGlobe rang in the new year with a twist. Fireworks and lasers lit up the music festival in snowy South Lake Tahoe, California, but the countdown did not end with “Auld Lang Syne" and a ball drop as tradition would have it. Instead, the bass dropped.
Skrillex headlined the third and final day of the festival, leading the crowd into 2020 with great momentum. His set began with the melodic, “Midnight Hour," before exploding into an assault of heavy, frenetic beats. The producer's textured sounds went hand-in-hand with flashing lights and pyro that heightened every minute of his set. From 2011's “Bangarang" to 2019's “Mumbai Power," each cut proved to be a certified party-starter that had the audience buzzing nonstop.
SnowGlobe brought together some of electronic music's most compelling artists. The first and second nights were headlined by ZHU and Louis The Child, respectively, both of which drew massive crowds. CloZee, Whethan, and Elohim also put on standout performances that showcased a range of influences and sounds, from world music to ambient to alt-rock.
Hip hop and pop had a strong presence on this year's bill, too. Vince Staples brought a large-scale version of his setup from the “Smile, You're On Camera" Tour to the Main Stage. Staples stormed across all ends of the platform—his energy so immense that fans in the back didn't even seem to need the live video feed to watch the rapper in action.
Feel-good rapper KYLE, newcomer Lil Tecca, and the charismatic, Doja Cat, also put on high-spirited sets that had the different festival stages at capacity. In some cases, there was no separation between stage and crowd. JPEGMAFIA performed his set almost entirely at ground level, face-to-face with fans, while Channel Tres delivered his incredibly immersive hip house sound and choreography.
On top of a solid lineup, SnowGlobe's environment set it apart from other music festivals. SnowGlobe was very welcoming of “totems"—lit up, DIY signage that allowed friend groups to find each other in large crowds. They're an EDM festival tradition that also brought a unique sense of community to the event grounds. The fest also had art installations and a winter sports showcase of pro ski and snowboard demos. While live music is at the heart of SnowGlobe, its entirety felt like a wintry New Year's getaway.
Check out more action from MTV's SnowGlobe Music Festival 2019 below!
Skrillex performs on the Main Stage on 31 December 2019.
Fire dancers perform during Skrillex's set.
Skrillex on the Main Stage.
Vince Staples performs on the Main Stage on 31 December 2019.
Vince Staples on the Main Stage.
Vince Staples on the Main Stage.
Fans at SnowGlobe.
Channel Tres performs on The Igloo stage on 31 December 2019.
Channel Tres on The Igloo stage.
JPEGMAFIA performs on the High Sierra stage on 31 December 2019.
JPEGMAFIA on the High Sierra stage.
JPEGMAFIA on the High Sierra stage.
Kaleena Zanders performs on The Igloo stage on 31 December 2019.
Dominic Fike performs on The Igloo stage on 31 December 2019.
SG Lewis performs on The Igloo stage on 31 December 2019.
SG Lewis on The Igloo stage.
NEIL FRANCES performs on The Igloo stage on 31 December 2019.
CloZee performs on the Main Stage on 31 December 2019.
CloZee on the Main Stage.
A skiier at SnowGlobe.
Louis The Child performs on the Main Stage on 30 December 2019.
Louis The Child on the Main Stage.
Fans at SnowGlobe.
Doja Cat performs on The Igloo stage on 30 December 2019.
Doja Cat on The Igloo stage.
Doja Cat on The Igloo stage.
KYLE performs on the Main Stage on 30 December 2019.
KYLE on the Main Stage.
FISHER performs on the Main Stage on 30 December 2019.
FISHER on the Main Stage.
The crowd at SnowGlobe.
Brownies & Lemonade All-Stars perform on the Main Stage on 30 December 2019.
Graves joins Brownies & Lemonade All-Stars on the Main Stage before his set at High Sierra.
ZHU performs on the Main Stage on 29 December 2019.
EarthGang performs on The Igloo stage on 29 December 2019.
EarthGang on The Igloo stage.
Whethan performs on the High Sierra stage on 29 December 2019.
Fans at SnowGlobe.
Lil Tecca performs on the High Sierra stage on 29 December 2019.
Lil Tecca on the High Sierra stage.
MadeinTYO performs on the High Sierra stage on 29 December 2019.
MadeinTYO on the High Sierra stage.
Elohim performs on the High Sierra stage on 29 December 2019.
Elohim on the High Sierra stage.
Fans at SnowGlobe.
Flamingosis performs on the High Sierra stage on 29 December 2019.
DROELOE performs on the Main Stage on 29 December 2019.
DROELOE on the Main Stage.
The crowd at SnowGlobe.
Scrobble the official MTV's SnowGlobe 2019 playlist:
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Words and photos by Chloe Catajan for Last.fm.
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