Julia Jacklin writes searing, relatable indie folk music. On “Heat Wave,” she sings about a heart-wrenching breakup, with moving lyrics like, “And I hope the love that you find / swallows you wholly / like you said it might.” As a young indie rock star, her music builds on the rage of her ’90s forebears. Her music is raw, rocking, and vulnerable. Snail Mail released her debut album Lush when she was 17, and it shows in the best way possible. Her melancholy music, though suited for the colder months, transcends the seasons and will echo beautifully across Union Park. There is nothing like walking along the ice-skating rink to the epic ballads of Natalie Mering. They are known for changing their sets every time they perform, lending their performances a scrappy, honest quality. Their sets often blend music from their earlier records, like Masterpiece, with the recent and widely acclaimed Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe You.

You may know them from singles like “Paul” and “Simulation Swarm.” Big Thief’s music offers a folky soundtrack to the summer. Listen to his live performance with KEXP for colors that contort reality. His varied instrumentation, each part leaning on the next, evokes a late-night stroll where the sidewalk and the plants growing through it speak to each other about you. Sen Morimoto embodies the lushness that follows rain. The momentum in Mavi’s latest album, Laughing so Hard, it Hurts, is palpable like rosemary in focaccia. The lyrics not only delicately balance on the beat, but also carry it. Listening to Mavi feels like listening to a friend read you their diary, with 808s that make your heartbeat jealous. Catch her set for electronic pop from an artist on the rise. For short earworms, explore her most recent album, “Janky Star,” released to high acclaim. Ives’ songs are known for their brevity: She once commented that she gets “sensory overload” from tracks over two minutes long. She fuses hallmarks of electronic music like the pulsing beats in “Icing on the Cake” and “Lullaby” with catchy and heartfelt lyrics. Known for performing in a mask to maintain her anonymity, she will definitely deliver an engaging and high-energy set. Described by NME as “the best of M.I.A, Cardi B, and Kamiyah rolled into one,” Leikeli47’s inventive approach pushes boundaries in the rap industry.

On “Wash & Set,” she threads tongue-in-cheek lyricism through a New Jersey radio show. Her last three albums, the “Beauty Series,” tell stories about the role of beauty in the Black community. Rapper Leikeli47 puts playful and thoughtful lyrics over infectious beats. In the foreword to an album-companion book, poet Ocean Vuong wrote that “If sound is, after all, a negotiation/disruption of time, then in the soft storm of Set My Heart On Fire Immediately, the future is here.” On “Queen,” each wail (whether produced by voice or by guitar) delivers a fresh catharsis. Perfume Genius’s tracks construct otherworldly sonic landscapes. Check out the artists we’re most excited to see from this year’s lineup. Get ready to discover new favorites and enjoy unforgettable performances. The festival promises a sampling of the best acts in indie rock, afrobeats, jazztronica, rap, and more. From July 21-23, Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Union Park with a diverse and exciting slate of established artists and up-and-comers.

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