Although nothing is set in stone, the more than 700 students in the growing Facebook event asking Mayfest to bring performer Mike Posner to Dillo Day have reason to get excited — Mayfest e-mailed him on Monday asking him to perform at the annual festival, according to Posner.
“I just put them in contact with my booking agent so hopefully it all works out, but it looks like I’ll be there,” Posner said. “I really want to do it, so if I have to take less money or whatever, I’ll work with this school to make it happen.”
Posner is a Detroit-area native who’s currently a junior at Duke University. He has collaborated on several songs with rapper Big Sean, who performed earlier this quarter at Northwestern.
The performer described his music as “pop music that rappers like.”
“Somebody wrote one time, it was so good, it was like, music you can play in the car but your girlfriend will still ask you what you’re listening to,” Posner said.
Mayfest Co-Chair Diana Richter said that Mayfest couldn’t discuss any Dillo Day artists until contracts are “fully executed,” but added that it is still trying to line up “a few” more artists.
Richter wouldn’t comment on whether the Facebook event had affected Mayfest’s decision in choosing artists. However, Mayfest has “been aware of Mike Posner for a long time” and knows about the Facebook event, Richter said.
Weinberg junior Dan Osher, a distant cousin and childhood friend of Posner’s, said he was happy with the support Posner has received so far.
“I think it really shows how Mike appeals to a lot of different types of music genres,” Osher said. “That’s why so many people like his music.”
The movement to bring Posner to Dillo Day comes in part from Communication junior Zack Johnson, who does a lot of Posner’s marketing.
“I’ve known Mike for a number of years. A lot of promising stuff; we helped him release his past mixtape and we did a lot of promo-ing on campus,” Johnson said. He added that Northwestern is one of the first places where Posner was marketed in the country.
Regardless of whether Posner performs at Dillo Day, he will still be at Northwestern on May 30.
“He’s coming no matter what, it’s just a matter of whether he’s going to be on the Dillo Day ticket or not,” Osher said.
Johnson said that in the past, opening acts have generally been “whoever’s available last minute,” so he’s hoping that if Posner performs, there will be a big draw. However, he said the decision is up to Mayfest.
“I know a lot of students want Mike to come, but in the end the ball’s kind of in their court,” Johnson said.