Students react to OzFest entertainer

OSWEGO, N.Y. – Oz Fest 2023 has booked PARTYNEXTDOOR as the headliner for the May 5 event. 

The artist announcement for Ozfest 2023 leaves students at SUNY Oswego mostly positive with some mixed reactions. 

“I think he’s a really good act, I think he’s strong, I think he has something that we aren’t expecting,” said Rickey Strachan on PARTYNEXTDOOR coming to perform in the Deborah F. Stanley Arena in the Marano Campus Center at SUNY Oswego. 

The announcement was made March 31 in Hearth Lounge in the Marano Campus Center. Artist selections tend to come with some mixed reactions, as last year seemed to be out of the control of the students. 

Strachan and the Student Association Programming Board, or SAPB, wanted to provide students with some creative control with an email being sent in October with artists that were possible for booking. 

“Sending in those surveys, getting those responses and really reading them and trying to do what was best and what was possible for the Oswego community,” Strachan said.

Since the pandemic, booking artists has been more difficult for SAPB as TikTok has been a big influence in taking an artist to another level. With PARTYNEXTDOOR, the SUNY Oswego community has responded more positively to this selection compared to last year. 

“It’s something I would definitely consider checking out,” said SUNY Oswego student Garrett Chan.

 Chan also said that this event has received more attention and praise compared to last year. 

However, there are mixed reactions regarding this event, as Oswego student Collin Knapp said he “wasn’t blown away” by the choice, but agrees that he’s a good musician and that he listens to his music.

 “He’s not someone that got me on the edge of my seat when I heard he was gonna be performing,”  said Knapp.