Five Rising Acts at Life Is Beautiful Day 1: Ryan Lofty, SZA & More

Day one of Life Is Beautiful in Vegas was led by the iconic presence of Stevie Wonder, but before Wonder took the Downtown Stage at 11 p.m., there were several notable performances. As is always the case, there were a lot of new or emerging artists who stood out. Here were five of our favorites.

Ryan Lofty

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Vegas resident Lofty won his spot at Life Is Beautiful thanks to his tropical EDM sounding “The Mountain,” featuring vocals by Bonx. The song was voted No. 1 via a Wavo and Insomniac Discovery contest. The DJ/producer took advantage of the opportunity with a stellar hour-long set marked not just by “The Mountain,” but by several warm, appealing grooves. He proved himself an artist to watch and deserving of his spot on the bill.

SZA

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The Top Dawg Entertainment singer/songwriter’s soul stylings were a perfect fit to kick off the Downstage Stage on day one of Life Is Beautiful, as her languid and smooth vocal style on tracks like “Child’s Play” and “Babylon” made for an easy segue into the festival during the afternoon’s stifling heat. It was a great kickoff for one of 2015’s busiest festival acts.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

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The band behind the 2009 catchy sing-along smash “Home” hasn’t been as present on radio the last few years. However, as they proved last night in Vegas, they remain a strong live band, led by the presence of frontman Alex Ebert, who made a point of connecting with the crowd by going into the audience and bringing up someone to sing along. Though Ebert and his band were introduced to audiences via radio they have all the makings of a cult live band, from spontaneity to rigorous touring schedules. This is the band in their element, delighting thousands.

Lindsey Stirling

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As an acclaimed violinist who brings an EDM vibe to her very theatrical performances, Stirling stands apart from the masses, which is exactly what you need to distinguish yourself at a music festival. Seeing Stirling is about the whole show, from the dancers to the costumes to the unique arrangements and instrumentation. And while it may not be for everyone, she has built up a sizable following for reasons that were very clear in her 50-minute stint at Life Is Beautiful. She is different, and while that is not always an automatic success, classical dance works for her and her fans.

AWOLNATION

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From the beginning AWOLNATION mastermind Aaron Bruno focused on recreating the intense feelings he got at hardcore shows at AWOL gigs. That makes for some wonderful festival moments as Bruno and his band dive headfirst into anthemic songs like “Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf), “Burn It Down” and, of course, “Sail.” Their 50 minutes on stage were a barrage of energy, screaming along and passion, all of which makes for a memorable turn.