Boston’s We Make Noise Festival Announces 2024 Lineup

The We Make Noise Festival announced Boston’s own OOMPA, Cakeswagg and Naomi Westwater will perform at the one-day fest on Saturday, August 24, 2024 in the heart of Boston at Downtown Crossing. Now in its second year, the festival (formerly known as “Beats By Girlz”) will feature more than a dozen women and gender-expansive artists across three stages. The event is produced by Mass NOW and We Make Noise, an organization that has worked for more than a decade to empower women and gender-expansive artists by creating an inclusive space in Boston for celebration, community, and artistic expression. The free day of music is open to the public and no tickets are required, but supporters can register now at wmnboston.org/fest.

The We Make Noise Festival is about more than just music. The event also includes visual art galleries showcasing the work of diverse artists, digital interactions exploring feminism and activism, and the Boston Women’s Market hosting a space for local vendors.

“This will be a celebration of the great, diverse local talent that makes Boston such a unique place to live,” said Boston folk artist Naomi Westwater, one of the event’s organizers. “From the artists to the vendors, makers, artisans and more, We Make Noise Festival will elevate the voices and showcase the talents of often overlooked and marginalized communities.”

The daytime festival headliner is Boston-born hip-hop artist OOMPA. Her engaging and interactive performance style has earned her national acclaim for her brilliant blend of insightful lyrics and captivating beats. She is a beacon of the Boston scene and culture through both her own music and her business acumen. She recently founded the artist collective and cultural agency OutLaud Entertainment in 2023, which aims to support the creative and economic advancement of independent artists and cultural workers in Boston and beyond. Oompa is a three-time Boston Music Award winner and has received an unprecedented 14 nominations.

Roxbury’s own Cakeswagg is a leader on and off stage for Boston’s rap community, performing for nearly a decade. Famous for her freestyle skills and unique style, Cakeswagg has also been a vocal supporter of youth throughout Boston, winning multiple Boston Music Awards.

Also performing is queer, Black, multiracial Massachusetts singer-songwriter Naomi Westwater (they/she). A master storyteller, their songs fuse folk, poetry, and spirituality. Naomi directs the Boston chapter of We Make Noise and is part of The Club Passim Folk Collective, where she produces Re-Imagining Lilith Fair, a celebration of the feminist music scene of the 90s with an intersectional lens for today. She was nominated for a 2021 and 2022 Boston Music Award for Best Singer-Songwriter and has been featured on The Boston Globe, Under The Radar, WBUR, WGBH, and The Bluegrass Situation.

The festival features performances by Lisa Bello, 1-800-SHORT-KING, Amanda Shea, Kühlname, Daniela Gómez, Analise, Kim Moberg, Gabriella Simpkins, dogtailcorners and more.

We Make Noise Boston supports women and gender-expansive artists and music makers through initiatives like the festival and We Make Noise Boston Camp, an annual songwriting and production camp designed by and for women and gender-expansive people. The We Make Noise Boston Camp offers gender-minority artists the opportunity to work with, write, and produce songs for a featured artist for three days.

The festival is presented by Mass NOW with the assistance of the City of Boston. Mass NOW has been one of the leading multi-issue, multi-strategy feminist organizations in the Commonwealth for over 50 years.

In addition to the festival, We Make Noise Fest will take over the unCommon Stage on August 17. More information about the performance can be found at unusualstage.org.

We Make Noise Fest will take place on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at Downtown Crossing from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Register now at wmnboston.org/fest.