Joyce Raposo
Editor-In-Chief
October is the time of year when Texas starts to cool down, but this year’s Mala Luna Music Festival lineup is sure to make this October sizzle. San Antonio’s annual music festival features musical acts from local artists as well as major headliners.
Fans will enjoy some of the hottest Hip Hop and R&B music from top performing artists such as Cardi B, Nicky Jam and Tyler, The Creator. What makes this festival special for the local community is what the festival promoters provide for the Network of Young Artists right here in San Antonio.
The NYA has many alumni who have gone on to become working musicians. The organization prides itself on preparing students for success in many areas of their lives through the cultural performing arts opportunities offered at the school.
Gina Hirsch, Mala Luna Music Festival director, said the proceeds from the festival provide affordable classes in guitar, percussion, voice, keyboard and dance low-income students who do not have the means or access to “traditional” music lessons.
The local non-profit is connected with the music community and the NYA artists who are featured at the festival get the chance to perform for their hometown crowd.
“Mala Luna has invited two young San Antonians, Gracelyn Gomez and Marissa Rose Mejia, to perform this year,” Hirsch said. “They’re actually performing as part of our partnership with Network for Young Artists.”
The partnership between ScoreMore and NYA gives local artists a chance to perform at festivals like Mala Luna. The result is a symbiotic relationship where the community benefits both culturally and financially, and the artists receive some of the proceeds from the festival donation after the event in October to help support their career in the music industry.
All three of this year’s headliners are new to the Mala Luna Festival, but have already made their mark on the music scene. Cardi B has earned two number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 since 2017 and Best New Artist award at the 2018 VMA’s. This is her first performance in San Antonio, and her first performance since the birth of her child Kulture in July of this year.
Nicky Jam has received a total of 105 nominations and 30 awards throughout his career from organizations such as AMA, Billboard Music Awards and Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Tyler, the Creator is a rapper, producer and director in the music industry with several nominations and awards from MTV Video Music Awards and Grammy Awards. But Hirsch said they decided to do things a little differently with the music lineup this year.
“We wanted to really celebrate San Antonio’s heritage, as well as the locals that have been so great to us, by not only bringing the best in hip-hop and EDM, but also incorporating latin and latin-influenced artists into this year’s lineup,” Hirsch said.
A spokesperson for ScoreMore said the goal of festivals like Mala Luna and JMBLYA is to work with student organizations to produce successful events like they have since their early days on the campus of UT, because they are catering to a student audience.
The two-day festival, held Oct. 27-28, offers a weekend of great music, art exhibits, local food vendors and merchants. Along with award winning headliners, the festival will feature numerous other musical guests such as Rico Nasty, Gunna, Smokepurpp, BlocBoy, Lil Pump and the two San Antonio-based NYA youths, Gracelyndd Gomez and Marissa Rose Mejia.
Tickets for the Mala Luna Music Festival are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mala Luna website. Starting price for admission is $79, Weekend Two-Day GA tickets are priced at $109 and VIP tickets are also available for purchase. Check out the website for event and venue details, this years sponsors (including Lone Star and Tito’s) and the full lineup of this year’s artists.
