First 5 acts announced for RBC Bluesfest 2020

RBC Bluesfest organizers today announced five preliminary acts to be featured at the 2020 edition of the festival.

WHO/WHEN: Jack Johnson, July 14 – Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and environmental activist Jack Johnson has won countless humanitarian, conservation, and music awards, including the prestigious Brit Awards ‘International Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ (2006), surpassing a field that included nominees Arcade Fire, John Legend, and The Pussycat Dolls.

Vance Joy, July 14 – Introduced to the world via the instant classic ‘Riptide’, Vance Joy consolidated on that first impression with further anthems ‘Mess is Mine’, ‘Georgia’, ‘Fire and the Flood’ and ‘Straight Into Your Arms’.

Jade Bird, July 14 – A London-based singer/songwriter with a powerful voice, Jade Bird offers a delightful mix of folk, pop-rock, and rustic Americana. While still in her teens she joined the roster of influential indie Glassnote Records, eventually charting with “Lottery” and “Uh-Huh,” in advance of her 2019 debut album.

Marshmello, July 16 – Marshmello’s star continues to rise as the famously masked artist breaks boundaries across the industry. With chart-topping singles and collaborations with the likes of Bastille, Selena Gomez, Migos, Khalid, and Logic, Marshmello has clocked a staggering 2-billion+ streams across Spotify alone.

Lil Tecca, July 16 – Prior to debuting on the Hot 100 chart with “Ransom,” the 16-year-old rapper gained a following with buzzing hits like “Love Me,” “Did It Again,” and “Molly Girl.” “Did it Again” charted at #4 New & Hot Worldwide on SoundCloud and has over 14-million plays at #16 in the Top 50 Worldwide.

The 2020 festival runs from July 9 to 19.

Organizers also announced a ‘pre new year’ Holiday sale that begins Tuesday, December 3 at 10 a.m. and runs until December 24 at midnight. The sale will include early-bird pricing on day tickets (July 14 and 16), VIP day tickets, Clubhouse passes, full festival passes, and u19/u25 passes (under 19 and 25 years old). The offer is available on-line only at: www.ottawabluesfest.ca

Mark Monahan, the festival’s executive and artistic director, points out that the early announcement for these acts, along with the ticket offer, is once again a nod to the Holiday spirit. “It’s an idea we introduced last year, and it was extremely well received,” says Monahan. “We found that Bluesfest patrons not only want a head start on their own tickets, they also like having tickets to give as holiday gifts. We’ll still be coming out with much more in the new year,” says Monahan, while noting that fest fans should keep in mind that buying early guarantees best pricing.

In closing—and in keeping with the festival’s not-for-profit charitable status—festival organizers will also be instituting a matching-funds initiative on ‘Giving Tuesday’, December 3. #GivingTuesday is a global movement for giving back and supporting the incredible work of charities and non-profits that make our world a better place. Patrons taking advantage of the pre-sale opportunity on Tuesday will be encouraged to donate on that day to raise funds for RBC Bluesfest’s music education programs, such as Blues in the Schools and Be in the Band. The festival will match all charitable donations received as part of this initiative.  For more details, please refer to www.ottawabluesfest.ca .