Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Welles

As we’ve been doing for the past several years now, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with many of our favorites acts from from Bonnaroo‘s impressive 2017 lineup. 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, or most highly-reccomened among this year’s crop of artists. Though we’ll be jumping around, we’re loosely working our way through by day, and we’ll also be bringing you some special features and longer guides along the way, to help you plan your weekend before the fest. While these previews won’t span every performer, 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 on the farm!

Grab your tickets right here if you haven’t already, and keep reading to learn more about our Bonnaroo Band of the Day…

LEARN

Newly a Nashville resident by way of Fayetteville (and before that, Ozark), Arkansas, Welles is the musical outlet/band name of talented artist Jehsea Wells. Though he’s been making music for many years, harboring an early affinity for (and obvious influence from) The Beatles, Jehsea only recently released his debut under the Welles moniker, an EP called Codeine. Yet, already, the 23-year-old is drumming up mountains of positive press and drawing comparison to rock legends, as he heads into 2017 with high-profile appearances at Governor’s Ball and Bonnaroo.

With an earnest, growling voice and a knack for penning personal, poetic, and honest lyricism, Welles adopts a style that draws from nostalgic, psychedelic, and grandiose tones fused with grungy, alternative, and modern indie sensibilities. It’s hard, as a brand new artist, to create a footprint that feels so significant and urgent already, but with his striking introduction and rock authenticity, he’s not just an amazing addition to Nashville, but to music as a whole. Welcome Welles to town and to Bonnaroo with a first-day tent set.

LISTEN | “Life Like Mine”