Zella Day | Photo by Joe Del Tufo | joedeltufo.com
Meet the musicians who will Welcome America on the Parkway this 4th of July
Once again, Wawa Welcome America! will host Philly mainstays The Roots for their 4th of July Jam. Each year the band wows audiences before a scene of fireworks, and we cannot wait to see what they have in store this weekend. The event, which has been host to various events in the city since this past Saturday (6/27), will also culminate with performances from a few other artists, including Zella Day, Miguel, Jennifer Nettles, MKTO, and Twin Ghost. Check out our preview of the performers below!
Now-NonComm alum Zella Day has impressed us with her gently powerful vocals both in the studio and on the stage. The singer-songwriter has been recording for just a couple years now (which we will accept, as she is only 20 years old) but is already captivating listeners. Watch her acoustic performance of “Compass” via The Wild Honey Pie below.
Critically-acclaimed R&B artist Miguel will also join the stage this Saturday. Part of a generation of neo-soul performers (e.g. Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, and their contemporaries), Miguel can make falsetto emotional and powerful without dripping with melodrama. He also won Best R&B song during the 2013 Grammy’s for his single “Adorn”. Watch the music video below.
Country star Jennifer Nettles, known as one half of musical duo Sugarland, has been branching out as a solo artist. Though she has released music on her own in the past, Nettles made a comeback with 2014’s That Girl, which was met with positive reviews, and is planning on a late autumn 2015 release for her second album. Check out video for “That Girl” below.
Pop duo MKTO have a radio-ready energy that is infectious. Having met on the set of Nickelodeon series Gigantic, Malcolm Kelly and Tony Oller decided to take their talents to the recording studio. The two have had success with singles “Thank You” and “Classic” and recently released pop-funk crossover “Bad Girls” — listen below.
Last, but certainly not least, is Philly singer-songwriter Twin Ghost. His music is soulful and bluesy, adding an interesting layer to his acoustic indie sound. Twin Ghost released his first EP in the summer of 2011 and is planning to release his second, Classic, in the coming months. Listen to “Lottie” below.
The Jam starts at 7:30PM on Saturday, July 4th, at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. For more details, head to the Wawa Welcome America! site.