Bonnaroo Artist | PawPaw Rod
Bonnaroo History | Newbie
Stage & Time | Friday | This Tent | 1:30-2:15pm
Like we’ve been doing for many years now, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with many of our favorite acts from Bonnaroo‘s 2026 lineup. A pivotal year for the fest, this summer’s ‘Roo will see some significant changes after last year’s unfortunate rainout, including infrastructure improvements, a scaled-back capacity, and a smaller lineup (notably, cutting down Thursday’s programming the most). We’ll have to wait until we’re on the farm to feel the full extent of the changes and tweaks, but we’re cautiously optimistic that it will benefit the fest in the long-term, especially in helping make the site more resistant to weather. This will be Bonnaroo’s 23rd installment and 25th anniversary, and even with a more compact lineup, it packs a pretty stellar, eclectic slate of artists, per usual. Back once again in its dependable June 11-14 timeframe, we’re counting down the days until another great weekend on the farm.
As we dig through the entire schedule, we’ll highlight a spread of performers spanning across genres and stages, big and small, new and old, to bring you some of the most interesting, lesser-known, and most highly-recommended among this year’s crop of artists. And as our time at ‘Roo approaches, we’ll also be bringing you some special features and full list-style daily lineup guides, to help you plan your weekend ahead of the fest. While these previews won’t span every artist, and might omit some more obvious must-see acts, we hope they’ll serve as a way to help you navigate Bonnaroo’s gargantuan lineup, and to make the most of your busy weekend at the fest! Be sure to grab your tickets (available in weekend or single-day, with various upgrade levels and add-ons) and camping or parking pass (also available with a lot of flexible options and levels), and read on for our Bonnaroo Artist Spotlight!
LEARN
Born in Hawaii, but raised primarily in Oklahoma, Rodney Hulsey earned the nickname “pawpaw” from friends who claimed he acted like an old man, and thus his stage name PawPaw Rod was born (he also claims the name is meant to honor his own grandfather, who was something of an influence- especially in his retro, stylish fashion choices- on Rodney). Lacking a real dominant regional sound in the midwest- especially when it came to black music- Hulsey instead absorbed bits and pieces of music from each place he lived, also cutting his teeth singing in church, and informed by listening to classic artists like Prince, Bill Withers, the Jackson 5, and The Temptations. Now based in Los Angeles, Rod’s own sound is a truly eclectic mix of genres, channeling hip hop, funk, soul, indie pop, and alt-R&B, with a real nod to retro stylings but still plenty of contemporary flourish (his unique clothing style and visual aesthetic are just as vibrant and retro, and really compliment the vibe of his sound). Aspiring to craft a sort of “soundtrack to life,” PawPaw Rod hit the ground running with debt single “HIT ‘EM WHERE IT HURTS” in 2020, immediately attracting viral attention. He’d immediately follow that up with a string of EPs- 2021’s A PawPaw Rod EP, 2022’s Another PawPaw Rod EP, 2023’s This Must Be a PawPaw Rod EP, and 2024’s Doobie Mouth, amassing hundreds of millions of streams along the way, and further expanding his genre-bending, decade-hopping sound. Despite that streaming success, positive critical attention, placements on several major TV shows and commercials, tours with artists like Still Woozy, and appearances at fests like Coachella, ACL, SXSW, and Lollapalooza, it feels like Rod still doesn’t quite have the mainstream recognition he deserves, but with the recent release of debut full-length Picture Day: A PawPaw Rod Album, his soulful, bold, and impressive work to date, PawPaw Rod is about to be everywhere. Don’t sleep on his Bonnaroo debut!
WATCH | “I Wish” (Official Video)
LISTEN | “HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS”
CONNECT | Site | Instagram | TikTok | Threads | X | Facebook
Leave a Reply