Photos by Lola Dogat, Megan Hirao, Katelyn Villon, and Caitlyn Williams
Wonderfront Music Festival returned to San Diego for its sixth year last weekend. Artists like Magdalena Bay, Orion Sun, and Janelle Monáe took the stage across the downtown waterfront, bringing the heat to San Diego’s rainy skies.
Dashing into the festival around 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 17th, I made a beeline for Magdalena Bay, whose set was scheduled for 3:20 p.m. After speed-walking through the long, narrow venue to the back where the large Cypress stage was located, I arrived out of breath but relieved to have made it in time to claim a coveted barricade spot. The misty rain and cloudy skies that had settled over the waterfront added a dramatic flair to the scene. I was soon notified that, due to an artist's late arrival, all shows on the Cypress and Events.com stages would be pushed back. Frustrated but now somewhat settled, I stayed in place and made friends with the other fans around me.
Magdalena Bay, the alternative-pop duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, has been drawing crowds on their Imaginal Mystery tour, which includes several festival appearances, Wonderfront among them. The release of their debut album, Mercurial World, paved the way for well-deserved attention thanks to their conceptual Y2K-inspired marketing and catchy electro-pop hits. Since then, the duo has continued their steady rise with last year’s second studio album, Imaginal Disk, and has since been touring worldwide to bring this mystical record to life. Although Day 2’s winds and cloudy skies caused delays for other artists, they ended up providing the perfect backdrop for Magdalena Bay’s eccentric, synth-driven set.
Matthew, of Magdalena Bay, was first on stage, donning an all-red outfit. Beginning with “She Looked Like Me!,” the opener of the album and the perfect introduction to their set, heavy drums and bass ensued, fitting the growing beat and priming the audience for the set ahead. The windy air made for a personal fan, blowing Mica’s flowing hair in the wind. Continuing, the duo played “Killing Time,” another song from Imaginal Disk, their 2024 album. Killer is exactly how I’d describe Mica’s performance as she danced across the stage while putting on an electrifying show. Meanwhile, Matthew seemed to be chilling on the guitar. In a whimsical, tuned voice, Mica welcomed the crowd to the Imaginal Mystery Tour, with her blue satin two-piece completing the whimsical aura of Magdalena Bay. As soon as they played the album’s most popular track, “Image,” the crowd erupted in excitement. The energy only grew as Mica took intentional dance breaks to showcase her skills on a uniquely futuristic keyboard.
As the set progressed, Magdalena Bay leaned further into their whimsical aesthetic. About four songs in, Mica Tenenbaum donned a sunflower face mask and theatrically lowered her head, referencing the lyric, “Sorry like a flower that never gets any sun / I hang my head down, let the bees do their buzz,” from their song "Vampire in the Corner." Her expressive performance, complete with a pout and slumped posture, highlighted her theatrical talents and commitment to embodying each song’s character. Vocally, Tenenbaum impressed with her ability to deliver shouted lyrics in a tone that remained sweet and well-controlled.
About halfway through the set, Mica casually introduced an instrumental break, giving the band a chance to showcase their skills. After introducing drummer Nick Villa, he launched into an electrifying solo that drew screams of delight from the crowd. Leaning further into the show’s theatrical energy, Mica then appeared wearing a striking yellow character mask with a melancholic frown, matching her emotive cries and creating a theatrical musical moment that held the audience spellbound. The mood shifted as the band launched into my personal favorite from Imaginal Disk, “Love is Everywhere.” The upbeat, vibrant track made even the most somber listener believe in the power of love through their infectious performance. This song gave way to Matthew’s moment in the spotlight, where he impressed everyone with his guitar skills. Mica’s pure joy radiated from the stage, sparking the crowd to jump and sing along with her energy. To close the reign of her iconic blue satin whimsical set, Mica briefly left the stage, leaving the band to their soothing instrumentals that slowly built up to a heavier, catchy tune. She skipped back minutes later to sing, “That’s My Floor,” now sporting a maroon-red set adorned with 3D planets representing the full solar system. A fitting outfit for their work and persona, the bulging planets made for a working accessory to Mica’s dancing.
Mica returned to the stage again following another short backstage wardrobe change, now wearing a pale blue leotard with a sheer ballet skirt over it. Just like her ethereal outfit, Mica shared her raw yet flawless vocals, leaving me in awe. In a final attempt to elevate the performance, she added some prop angel wings, fitting in with the view of her hair blowing angelically in the wind while singing. Ending the night on a full-circle note, they performed “The Ballad of Matt and Mica,” the closing track of their newest record.
After being transported to another world with Magdalena Bay’s captivating set, I headed over to Orion Sun’s set at the Hazy IPA stage for a more grounded but equally powerful experience. Luckily, her set wasn't delayed, arriving promptly at 5 p.m. for a 5:05 p.m. start. Though her entrance and look were not elaborate, her casual yet stylish outfit, dressed up with accessories, made her eye-catching for all fans of Sun. Opening her show on a mellow note with “When I Was in Love” – the first track on her 2024 album Orion – she then launched into “Antidote,” a standout track boasting over 60 million streams. The crowd instantly lit up, dancing and singing in unison with her, clearly energized by the familiar hit.
All eyes were on Orion as she grooved across the stage with a captivating presence. She brought a stylish, rhythmic flair to the stage, with dance moves that felt both relaxed and undeniably cool. Her performance was rich with expressive gestures as well as strong engagement with fans in the audience through eye contact and pointing. Her sensual and enchanting energy overflowed into the audience as she inquired about the lovers in the crowd, making a point to note that self-love counts, before transitioning into “Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me),” which showed off her impressive, strong, and steady vocals. Her infectious energy came fully to light as the clouds cleared partway through her performance, giving Ms. Sun some classic San Diego sun for the rest of her set.
The crisp guitar progressions, combined with Sun’s inviting and smooth voice, made for a flawless composition of “These Days.” Orion held her hands in a heart shape toward the crowd in response to their own—a small, thoughtful gesture that deepened her connection with the audience. Between songs, she let out playful “ahhhhs” and crowd check-ins like, “Are we still cool?” before delving into tracks like “Smooth,” which melted into a slick guitar solo. Her voice shone during “Coming Home,” tender and crystal-clear, and later grew richer and more expressive during “Rather Be,” where she leaned fully into the vocals. The energy soared during “Dirty Dancer” as she teased the crowd, “Are there any dirty dancers out there?” encouraging fans to move with her. Keeping the energy high, Sun took a celebratory shot that was brought on stage mid-set. By the time she reached “Night’s Like This,” the energy had yet to falter, and Sun was still mesmerizingly grooving across the stage. “Sweet” soared with a dreamy finish, its rippling, wah-wah-like synth effect elevating Orion’s vocals and creating a joyful, dreamy pool within the audience. Before the final song, she called out, “If you have a joint or a spliff right now, light that shit for me,” and the audience obliged, sparks flickering in the night. As she performed her closer, a light drizzle began to fall, giving a cinematic feel to an already transportive dusk performance.
Refueled and ready for the night’s biggest act, I made my way to the Events.com stage to catch the iconic Janelle Monáe, an artist who’s held the top spot on my Spotify for months with her track “Float.” Janelle Monáe brought the fire to her performance at Wonderfront Day 2 on the larger Events.com stage, where she was given the coveted evening spot. Despite persistent rain and a delayed set, Janelle Monáe managed to keep the audience at bay as she soothed any prior frustration with her spectacular set and performance. Her grandiose costumes paired with swift dance sequences made for a short but mighty performance that left the audience in awe.
Janelle Monáe’s set centered around four main songs, seamlessly weaving in snippets from other tracks in her discography. To open the show, her band, adorned in white suits, emerged onto the stage playing mysterious and sultry melodies. As the instrumental build reached a peak, Monáe joined the stage wearing a striking, sculptural coat adorned with oversized monochrome florals. I shrilled in excitement as she began her first song, “Float,” my favorite of her songs. Janelle brought the song to life with elaborate harmonies showcasing her perfect voice. As the song neared its close, her dancers brought out champagne glasses for a toast with the audience. The toast, however, didn’t make it in town as Monáe broke out into “Champagne Shit,” with her full glass in hand. After a while of dancing with the cup in hand, she threw it away, jumping into joining her dancers in an explosive routine. As the song ended, the sky erupted and rain began to pour just as Monáe was changing into her next outfit, now her suit set with a red beret. After the audience and Monáe had pulled themselves together, she stopped to dedicate her next song, “Electric Lady,” to all the unhoused people and others struggling on the streets, calling out fascism and dictatorship and encouraging her fans to do the same. Her public announcement was welcomed with whoops and hollers of support from the audience. In another attempt to involve the audience in her whirlwind of a performance, Monáe rallied the crowd to respond and engage in a recall with lyrics from “Electric Lady,” which the crowd happily obliged.
Janelle Monáe continued her show with “Lipstick Lover,” a fan-favorite and the album’s second most prominent track in terms of streaming and recognition, following a brief instrumental break that gave way to a jacket change. Impeccable harmonizing from Monáe kept the audience enthralled as they experienced her strong, soulful voice singing. Monáe graced the crowd with her elaborate vocal riffs that wowed everyone watching. Lounging on her stage steps with her backup dancers, Monáe slowed it down, dedicating her next song, “I Like That,” to all the weirdos. After delivering a brief glimpse of the track, Monáe abruptly exited the stage, prompting many in the crowd, myself included, to assume the show had ended. But minutes later, she returned in a dazzling, full-length sparkly black suit, her presence reigniting the audience with renewed fire.
She launched into “Make Me Feel,” dazzling the crowd with playful choreography alongside her dancers. Her post-break performance felt even more alive, as if recharged with purpose. Before continuing, she paused to thank the crowd for standing up against racism and injustice and for supporting reproductive rights, adding, “May we continue to resist fascism, support the babies in Gaza, and protect the unguided.” She emphasized that she tries her best to fight for these causes through her music, a statement met with roaring support. Closing the set, she transitioned into her most iconic hit, “Tightrope,” now infused with a vibrant, island rock beat, dancing in perfect sync with her ensemble. Monáe didn’t just end the night with a performance; she left behind a message of joy, resistance, and power.
As the night wound down, I ended my day back at the Hazy IPA stage for Neon Trees’ set, staying through the entire performance and soaking in the energy as they closed with the classic “Everybody Talks.” Singing and dancing along with my friends felt like something out of a movie. I was suddenly a teenager again, back in San Francisco, with the misty rain echoing the thick fog that blankets the city. Even though the post-show darkness brought a cold and hurried walk out of the festival, I left on a high with my heart full from a day of unforgettable music and memories.