The Head in the Clouds festival brought musicians, some popular in their home countries in Asia, and some already seasoned on American stages to Los Angeles this past weekend in an event that celebrated Asian performers, culture and community.
The event brought musicians like popular girl groups Katseye and XG, among other performers like Dabin.kr, Rich Brian, and Be:First to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, while also partnering with an American nonprofit to make music education accessible to young people.
NBC 7 San Diego
NBC 7 San Diego South Korean rapper Dabin.kr performs at Head in the Clouds festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Aug. 14, 2026. (NBC 7 San Diego)
Music Will is the largest nonprofit music program in American public schools. It aims to make music education accessible for all students, regardless of their background or financial status. The nonprofit reaches more than one million students annually and gives these students opportunities to perform on large stages in front of thousands by partnering with different music festivals, such as Head in the Clouds.
At Saturday’s festival, the nonprofit partnered with Toyota to host a special stage for students from John Marshall High School in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood.
The high schoolers were given the opportunity to perform with Korean American rapper, Dankadan, on their Toyota Den Stage. Music Will’s Chief Growth Officer, Janice Polizzoto has seen firsthand how students manage to find community within their programs.
“I truly believe that all kids should have access to arts and music in their academic career. What we hear from kids when we go into classrooms and visit — it’s how much music means to them. Music is a really great source to support their social, emotional learning in addition to their creative self-expression. Being in our program whether they’re in a classroom band or form their own band, kids get a sense of belonging. When they are in music and they play with their classmate, they find their tribe,” Polizzoto said.
Both Music Will and Head in the Clouds seek to provide young musicians with access, opportunity, and a moment to shine. That spirit of opportunity and community is what made Head in the Clouds a fitting stage for Be:First as they grow their presence globally.
Japanese band Be:First aims to represent their home country in U.S. performance
NBC 7 San Diego
NBC 7 San Diego Japanese boy band Be:First poses for a group photo after a press interview at the Head in the Clouds festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Aug. 8, 2026. (NBC 7 San Diego)
Be:First is a six-member Japanese group that blends pop, hip-hop, and R&B, making them one of Japan’s most successful contemporary music acts. Formed in 2021 through the audition program The First, created by producer and rapper SKY-HI, the group consists of Sota, Shunto, Manato, Ryuhei, Junon, and Leo. Since their debut, they have earned multiple chart-topping hits in Japan and expanded their global reach by collaborating with artists including ATEEZ, Janet Jackson, and, most recently, Flo Milli and ALT Jacob.
Following their first world tour in 2025, Be:First continued their international expansion with an appearance at Head in the Clouds, one of the world’s largest festivals dedicated to Asian and Asian diaspora artists. The festival has become an important platform for showcasing Asian talent to global audiences, making it a fitting stage for the group’s growing presence.
Their Head in the Clouds performance was the group’s first ever show in the U.S.
Head in the Clouds
Head in the Clouds Japanese boy band Be:First performs their first American show at the Head in the Clouds music festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Aug. 8, 2026. (Head in the Clouds)
Following their performance, NBC San Diego caught up with Be:First to talk about taking the festival stage, connecting with fans around the world, and what’s next for the group.
“We want to do something unprecedented as Japanese artists. We want to introduce people around the world to the greatness of Japanese music and Japanese culture. We hope to share what makes J-pop special with audiences who may not have experienced it before. Above all, we want to teach ‘Bestie’ fans, as Japanese people who haven’t seen anything like this before, the greatness of music and culture of J-Pop itself,” the group told NBC San Diego.
“Head in the Clouds brings together so many incredible artists with Asian roots,” they said.
“We hope more Asian artists and Asian music can continue to reach audiences around the world,” the group said.
“Our international EP ‘WATCH ME’ will be released on Sept.18, and we’ll be promoting it through our world showcase tour. We hope people around the world listen to the songs and connect with the project. Most importantly, we hope everyone stays healthy and that we can successfully complete the showcase together,” they said.
