Pharrell’s Something In The Water Makes Its Virginia Beach Return With Clipse, Grace Jones, Lil Wayne And More

The Pharrell-curated Something In The Water returns to its roots as Clipse, Grace Jones, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, Kehlani, Maren Morris, Summer Walker, Skrillex, Wu-Tang Clan and more descend upon Virginia Beach, Virginia, April 28-30 after spending 2022 on the Washington, D.C., waterfront.

Founded in Virginia Beach in 2019, Something in the Water was waylaid by the COVID pandemic from 2020-21, and relocated for a year to Washington. But it’s back home, and with new co-sponsor Walmart, expects to be bigger and more eclectic than ever.

Among the artists joining Pharrell are 100 Gecs, Aminé, Ayra Starr, Babyface Ray, BADBADNOTGOOD, Black Sherif, CHIKA, Coi Leray, d4vd, Doechii, Feid, FLO, Flo Milli, gigi, Jay Pharoah, Jazmine Sullivan, Jessie Murph, Kamasi Washington, KayCyy, KAYTRANADA, Kenny Beats, Kitty Ca$h, Latto, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Machine Gun Kelly, Masego, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, NLE Choppa, Polo G, Remi Wolf, Riovaz, Saucy Santana, SWV, The Kid LAROI, UMI, Wale, Weston Estate, Wet Leg, YEИDRY, yvngxchris and Pharrell’s Phriends.

Three day passes are on sale now at the festival’s website and an app, along with the website and social media, will feature community activities and other activations leading up to and during Something In The Water. 

Something In The Water isn’t your average multi-genre festival, though it’s certainly got some the of the biggest names across music. It comes with a mission as well – “to unite the community and celebrate the diversity and magic of Virginia Beach,” according to the announcement. 

Empowerment of youth and small business owners is a central goal of Something In The Water and Pharrell, the musician, philanthropist, fashion mogul, and artist who curates the weekend. 

“Something In The Water has created a legacy highlighting the pillars that Pharrell is so personally passionate about shining a light upon and celebrating his hometown community. Musicians, students, artists, activists and more will converge on Virginia Beach to activate and amplify, collaborate and co-author, shift and shape the future,” the statement says. 

For those who can’t be there in person, YouTube is livestreaming the Something in the Water festival all weekend, bringing this moment in music culture to the world’s stage. Something in the Water 2023 will be on Pharrell’s YouTube channel – subscribe and turn on notifications to catch it all in real time. 

Something In The Water is collaborating closely with the City of Virginia Beach and local partners to ensure that the festival expands upon its legacy of community collaboration and goodwill. Festival goers and non-ticket holders will be able to attend free community activations, programming and more available to the public put on with the help of the festival sponsors.

Curated events at Something In The Water include events and funding opportunities through non-profit Black Ambition including a So Ambitious Dinner that wll connect founders and funders and other ecosystem builders and a Pull Up & Pitch competition hosted in collaboration with Black Girl Ventures that will award more than $50,000 to local entrepreneurs. 

In addition to the two primary stages on the beach and the Sunday Pop-Up Church stage, the festival is working closely with local music and entertainment organizers to program the three oceanfront parks located at 17th Street, 24th Street and 31st Street.

Social Supply, Team L.A.M.B & Where the Heart Is, and the organizers of Norfolk’s successful R&B Block Party are working with the festival to bring their individual brands of multi-genre entertainment to Something In The Water. For the three days of the festival, each stage will be free to the public and include a marketplace component of local businesses and non-profits invited to help round out the experience. 

Festival organizers have worked collaboratively with the Atlantic Avenue Association, Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, other local organizations and sponsors to make sure the festival experience extends well beyond the beach. 

As in past years, expect a number of creative collaborations with local craft brewers, restaurants, retailers and local venues. The Virginia Beach Restaurant Association has announced “Something on the Menu” – a citywide dining event April 23-30, 2023, in partnership with the festival. In addition, the festival is proud to support “A Seat At The Table” on April 27th from 6-11 pm, a celebration of Black arts and culture featuring live music, prominent artists, food trucks and more — to benefit the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. hosted by Virginia MOCA. The festival will offer a broader “Community” online directory outlining the numerous ways festival-goers can experience more within the community while the community can experience more of the festival. Expect much, much more to come.

Support + Feed, founded by Maggie Baird, works towards a global shift to an equitable, plant-based food system to combat food insecurity and mitigate the climate crisis. Support + Feed is partnering with Something in The Water and Dr. Eric Esrailian to bring their organization to the community of Virginia Beach with programming & distribution of plant-based meals. Together, alongside SITW they will deliver 5,000+ plant based meals and educational resources to local communities for the next year amplifying the connection between our plates and the climate crisis. By investing in local plant based restaurants and working with community leaders Support + Feed will continue to create impact long after the festival has ended.