For nearly two decades, BMI has quietly been one of Lollapalooza’s most consistent tastemakers. This year, the BMI Stage celebrated its nineteenth year at the iconic Chicago festival, once again spotlighting a diverse mix of rising talent across multiple genres.
A statement from the company discloses that the 2025 BMI Stage “featured twenty-four of today's best up-and-coming acts,” with performances that spanned “R&B, rock, country, retro electronic pop, and more.” From bold newcomers to genre-blending innovators, this year’s lineup included ALEXSUCKS, Aliyah's Interlude, benches, Bo Staloch, BLK ODYSSY, Carol Ades, Caroline Kingsbury, Carter Vail, Cassandra Coleman, Colby Acuff, Eddie and the Getaway, Girl Tones, Graham Barham, Junior Varsity, Lekan, Midnight Generation, People R Ugly, Rachel Grae, Sofia Camara, Star Bandz, Winyah, Xaviersobased, Yana, and Zoe Koe.
Beyond the music, BMI added a creative visual element to the experience by collaborating with Crappy Cake Art, a Chicago-based project by artist Anna Lasbury, who specializes in hyper-realistic cakes featuring bold and often humorous messages.
A statement from the company discloses that this collaboration produced “cake art designed with lyrics from this year’s BMI Stage performers,” which were displayed backstage throughout the weekend. In a special activation with Lollapalooza, four lyric-themed cakes featuring BMI-affiliated headliners were hidden around the festival grounds. “Each [cake] offering lucky attendees two backstage passes to the BMI Lounge when found.”
With nearly two decades of history behind it, the BMI Stage continues to be a launchpad for emerging artists—many of whom go on to headline major festivals themselves. And while the sets may be smaller in scale, the performances are often among the most talked-about of the weekend.
To explore the full list of performers and learn more about the BMI Stage at Lollapalooza, visit BMI’s official page.
Photo credit: Frankie Vergara for BMI.
