When ONE Musicfest (OMF) returned back to Atlanta last weekend, it felt like the whole city was there! Piedmont Park hosted the festival, and the energy there was palpable. There was never a dull moment thanks to the perfect weather, an abundance of food trucks, and a variety of activations to enjoy in between artist sets.
A “vibe check” station, set up by Martell Cognac, produced a customised drink based on the colour of your “mood” band. Festival attendees were taken aback when Bryson Tiller made a surprise pop-up cameo at the Jack Daniels booth. Even Smino held a meet-and-greet at The Bevel Shop! Naturally, the performances were the main draw. At the 2023 ONE Musicfest, every performer gave it their all, but some, in our opinion, stood out more than others.
Here are the top five performances from the 2023 ONE Musicfest, ranked from best to greatest of the weekend.
5. The Stallion Megan
Megan Thee Stallion, the main event on Day 1, opens the list. Every time Megan takes the stage, it’s an event, and it’s obvious that she is a huge Atlanta fan favourite. During her medley, Megan performed songs including “Savage” and “Big Ole Freak.” Everyone was up dancing the entire time she performed because of her contagious energy; some people in the audience were even dancing more than Meg! It’s evident that the fans missed her, and she paid them back with the weekend’s most enthusiastic show.
4. Tems
Tems has become one of the most well-known people in the world in a short period of time. Whether it’s her heavenly voice, her enigmatic appearance, or her commanding stage presence—all three were expertly on show during her performance at OMF. People rushed to get as close to the stage as they could as soon as the beat dropped on “Higher,” one of her biggest hits to date, which she used to open her show.
She gave a great performance of her recent songs, but she also gave a little something more for her fans from the beginning. As Tems played “Free Mind” and “Damages,” the audience attempted to imitate her stunning accent by singing the songs word for word. Tems more than kept it down for Africa, even though she was the sole Afrobeas performance of the weekend.
3. Brent Faiyaz
To say that Brent Faiyaz’s show was the most anticipated of the weekend is not hyperbole. Everyone was excited to see him perform songs from his recently released CD, which was the feature act on Day 2. Even the most ardent critic had to give Brent his due following his OMF performance; he has a way of winning over people who don’t like him.
He knows exactly who he is to his followers, which makes for an amazing stage presence. The crowd waited for the first beat of his act to begin. and stood by. and hung on. When it was eventually time for Brent to emerge, it leaned perfectly into his ugly image, and when he did, the audience roared! The audience literally sang along to every word he spoke because they were so engrossed in his presentation.
2. Tiller, Bryson
The cult that followed Bryson Tiller might not make sense if you weren’t paying attention to him when he initially came out. However, Tiller didn’t take long to remind everyone of why he is a household name in R&B. With “Sorry Not Sorry,” he began his act, and it was clear that Tiller was going to put on a show! TrapSoul hit after hit, and he brought us back to the beginning. Tiller enthralled the audience with songs like “For However Long” and “Exchange,” making it seem like they were still in 2015.
With his performances of “Wild Thoughts” and “Drove U Crazy,” he reminded everyone why he is a favourite feature artist. His biggest hits to date, “Sorrows,” “Don’t,” and “Right My Wrongs,” flawlessly concluded his set. The most notable aspect of Tiller’s performance was that, unlike other musicians, he sang every song through. Bryson, please, please don’t ever quit doing it.
1. T-Pain
T-Pain’s performance was definitely the greatest of the weekend. T-Pain’s show was flawless. His recognisable auto-tuned vocals had the ideal pitch. He engaged the audience by talking to them the entire time. Even his legendary robotic dance routines were performed. T-Pain’s concert was nonstop action with not a moment of calm.
You also witnessed the reasons T-Pain is revered as a hip-hop icon. He has become popular with all of them! Pain’s career spanning from “Buy You A Drank” featuring Yung Joc to “Got Money” featuring Lil Wayne and even DJ Khaled’s first single “I’m So Hood,” is very remarkable. During his performance, T-Pain transported you back to the precise moment the song he was performing dropped. It was the epitome of nostalgia. And he did just about every one of them! “Cyclone,” “I’m In Love With A Stripper,” “I’m Sprung,” “Blame It,” and so many more that it’s honestly impossible to keep track of them all. We weren’t duped by T-Pain. All you can hope for when you witness a great artist is that.
