The Sing Out Loud festival is an annual festival hosted in Saint Augustine, Florida. With headline acts Beabadoobee and Hozier, along with sets from Sombr, David Kushner, Gigi Perez, and Brenn!, Vance Joy, The Teskey Brothers, Father John Misty, and Maren Morris, the lineup made for our favorite Sing Out Loud yet.
One of the festival’s biggest sponsors was Live Wildly, whose mission to connect people with nature came through in the event planning. Merchandise was made with recycled materials, plastic cups were returned to assigned boxes, and facts about Florida’s diverse landscape were displayed on the main screens.
While the festival had grown from its small local roots, it still felt like St. Augustine. Local conservation charities set up tents with information necessary to preserve St. Augustine’s beautiful landscape. Two local artists opened each day of the festival, giving St. Augustine’s. Local artists also created the festival merch through a t-shirt design contest, with proceeds supporting the community’s essential conservation efforts.
But three acts really brought the festival to life. Here are the top three sets of Sing Out Loud 2025.
- Brenn!
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Back in 2022, I took my daily break in the bathroom during class, where I met with my best friend. I remember she was obsessed with this new artist she found on TikTok, Brenn!. As we sat on the sink counter, she played his song, “4runner.” I loved it. I then went through a three-month stage of being obsessed with him, and he became my favorite white boy of the year. Fast forward four years, and I had somewhat forgotten about Brenn!, but here I was at the Sing Out Loud Festival seeing Brenn! again. Not only had his voice improved, but his lyricism had also become even better. With a mix of modern pop music and folk, he has a unique yet comforting voice.
@brennnnnnnn via Instagram Brenn! found his love of music in a high school band, which he later left in 2022 to sign with a record label. After his first song, “4runner,” gained 500k streams in one day, he went on to release his first EP in 2024. During the festival, he mentioned his tendency to mentally check out of relationships while he is in them. This tendency is reflected in a multitude of songs that describe different, relatable tropes from relationships.
To be quite honest, we considered putting Sombr in this third place. Sombr is a bit more popular and has some catchy songs. Nevertheless, Brenn!’s music felt more lively and grounded. He had a fantastic stage presence, was hilarious, and had a powerful voice. Upon further research, we found his TikTok, which features him in the car making great content that anyone can relate to. If you’re looking for what to listen to, I suggest starting with “4runner,” continuing to the “Upstate,” and ending with “Franklin House.”
- Gigi perez
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The second spot goes to Florida’s own GiGi Perez. She found herself in this spot for her emotional, heartfelt performance. Gigi opened her set with a speech about how she was looking forward to performing in Florida “all year.” As a Florida native, she was coming home. She sang about her Florida upbringing in “At the Beach in Every Life,” a song about her beach town, which was intimate to the Florida crowd.
@singoutloudfestival via Instagram She brought out her younger sister, Isabella Perez, to sing “Sugar Water.” The song details their childhood and longing for the simplicity of youth while also coming to terms with the trauma the sisters experienced. Isabella was seen with teary eyes, singing the song she had co-written with her big sister. During this time, it began drizzling. The light rain added to the emotional atmosphere.
As an older sister, GiGi’s hit songs were especially emotional. The song “Fable” is about Gigi’s older sister, Celeste, who tragically passed in 2020. “At the Beach in Every Life” features voice messages from Celeste. Both describe the special relationship between sisters and the intense loss that accompanies it. The addition of Isabella made the performance a special one for the sisters, as well as special for the audience.
Her voice was just as powerful live. Her powerful voice, heartfelt lyrics, sister guest star, and movie-worthy rain drizzle made it an unforgettable experience.
- hozier
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The, at the time, 23-year-old who changed lives with his first single, “Take Me to Church.” A song about the devastating yet exquisite experience of being gay in this world. If his infamous discography doesn’t speak for itself, he has done shows in over 13 countries and has about 41 million listeners. He deserves this spot for many reasons, not just because he’s my favorite artist.
@hozier via Instagram For one, how he makes the listener feel. His music encompasses an array of topics, all interconnected in their own ways. With a mixture of pop, folk, and soul music, he is a creator, or what others call him, “Irish Jesus.” His unique voice captures your mind, body, and soul. Anytime I listen to his music, I feel not just for myself, but for others; understanding my experiences aren’t my own to bear alone is what makes his music so special.
Another aspect that is incredibly important to talk about is his political stance. Back in 2018, he wrote a song alongside Mavis Staples about Nina Simone, a civil rights activist in the US. This song outlines the importance of protest for an array of voices to be heard and the creation of change. Throughout his performance, he mentions a variety of activists, all of whom honor the causes he is passionate about. In the performance we watched, we saw multiple statistics on the monetary expenditures of different countries, such as the amount of money spent on war this year, the Lockheed Martin Share Price, and the number of children displaced due to conflict and violence between 2010 and 2023. Later on in the set, he shared his views on the current state of the world. How, as an Irishman, he stands with Palestine and hopes for their statehood. He also expressed his support for women’s control of their own bodies, and gay and trans rights. It’s fascinating to see an artist take a firm stance on political issues especially in a world divided.
Hozier has a presence that is incomparable to anyone else at the festival. He even went into the barricade area and spent two songs singing right in front of us. We both agreed this was the first time we had ever felt such awe. His graphics on the screen during each of his songs are eye-catching, and the number of people on stage is also worth mentioning. He introduces every person on stage and gives thanks to those who help with the show by name, which exemplifies an integrity we don’t see in many artists today. Overall, Hozier earned our first spot, not just for having a beautiful voice, but also for how he made the audience feel.
Overall, Sing Out Loud 2025 was an unforgettable experience. With top-three performances from Brenn!, Gigi Perez, and Hozier, we left in awe. The nostalgia of Brenn!, the relatability of Gigi Perez, and the awe of Hozier made these artists stand out against the impressive set list.