Your Outside Lands 2025 Festival Guide: Breakout Artists and Compelling Experiences

Golden Gate Park’s beloved music and arts festival is just weeks away, and Outside Lands 2025 promises a packed weekend of standout performances and unforgettable experiences. With tickets still available and after-hours night shows lighting up the city, we wanted to round up this year’s breakout and must-see acts to help you gear up for the three-day celebration, taking place August 8th – 10th.

Breakout Artists

Since her debut in 2019, American pop act Gracie Abrams has swiftly risen to become an international sensation. She is known for her emotionally rich lyrics and magnetic stage presence, all of which have helped Abrams earn two GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Following a sold-out North American tour and supporting dates on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Abrams released her sophomore album The Secret of Us, which broke records across continents and delivered hits like “Close To You” and “That’s So True.” Abrams is now a Chanel ambassador, and remains eager to enchant fans with her vulnerability, artistry, and global reach. It will be interesting to see her live show translated to Outside Lands.

British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith first earned critical acclaim for her debut Lost & Found and collaborations with global icons like Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Now 25 years old, she continues a meteoric rise following the release of her second album, Falling or Flying. She takes full creative control with her latest project, produced by longtime friends DAMEDAME*. She will bring a blend sleek R&B, UK funky, and raw alternative sounds to Golden Gate Park. Expect lyricism centering on introspection and resilience, capturing the complexities of coming of age in the spotlight, affirming Smith’s place as a premier soulful storyteller.

Don’t miss 27-year-old American bedroom pop and folk artist ROLE MODEL, who will perform tracks from two albums. His more recent Kansas Anymore is a deeply introspective follow up of his debut album Rx, which was steeped in the highs of love. Now grappling with heartbreak and growth, the artist rebuilt the album from scratch, channeling loss into a folk-inspired, emotionally rich collection of 13 tracks—including standout singles “Oh Gemini” and “Deeply Still in Love.” ROLE MODEL also collaborated with Noah Conrad and Scott Harris, transforming grief into melody, crafting what he considers his strongest work yet. It’s a turning point for the artist—one of closure, reinvention, and pride in turning pain into connection.

After five years of creative quiet, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt reemerged with the album Here in the Pitch, a bold sonic departure steeped in orchestral grandeur and intimate vulnerability. She is known for her mystical acoustic stylings that draw influence from Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, ’60s pop, and the dark undercurrents of California’s folklore to craft a sweeping collection of tracks that balance glockenspiels, baritone sax, and haunting vocal layers. Starting with percussion rolls and aching vocals, Pratt embraces fuller production and shadowy storytelling, stepping into new vocal terrain and artistic clarity. She is a not-to-miss artist, as her triumphant evolution proves, silence can be as powerful as sound, and the darkness often carries its own kind of light.

Chicago-born pianist and songwriter Neal Francis has hair like Peter Frampton and the potential to deliver one of the grooviest live sets of the weekend through the delivery of piano-based tunes laced with New Orleans influences. His lush orchestration and hypnotic rhythms are intertwined with raw vocals, proving that the deepest musical magic is born from risk, struggle, and endless takes back to zero. His latest record with a fitting title, Return to Zero, is his most adventurous and emotionally raw album to date. It was forged amid a whirlwind of nearly 400 live shows, and the record fuses psych-rock grit with ’70s funk and dance-floor swagger—crafted entirely through analog methods, with no digital shortcuts. Festival attendees will enjoy tracks baked with exhaustion and creative euphoria that explore heartbreak, obsession, and artistic perseverance.

Compelling Experiences

Outside Lands 2025 is set to light up Golden Gate Park, not just with chart-topping music, but also with a dazzling array of immersive experiences. Festival goers can groove to house and techno at the open-air SOMA dance floor or celebrate queer and trans joy at Dolores’, the vibrant Polo Field club. Love will be in the air again as “City Hall” returns, offering weddings and recommitment ceremonies throughout the weekend.

Drink enthusiasts can explore fan-favorite beverage spots like Beer Lands, Wine Lands, and Cocktail Magic, or hit the Bacardi dance floor and unwind in Bulleit Bourbon’s Frontier Lounge. Grass Lands continues to welcome cannabis consumers with chill vibes and curated offerings.

Numerous vendors are stepping up the flair with interactive booths; from La Croix, Tequila Don Julio, Ketel One, Aviator Nation, White Claw, NERDS, and many more—rounding out a weekend built for celebration, connection, and unforgettable memories.