Juice Jam is still happening. Here’s the lineup

A day after announcing that “things might look a little different” this year after budget cuts, UU said Friday Juice Jam is indeed back in full fashion.

In the lineup, UU announced Ashe as the show’s headliner, with R&B artist Jordan Ward opening. Ashe, an indie electro-pop artist, is best known for her 2019 breakout hit song “Moral of the Story,” which was featured in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You.

Jordan Ward, a dancer turned singer, released his Billboard charting album Forward in 2023. He was nominated for a NAACP New Artist Award for his work on the album last year.

In direct contrast to last year’s paid concert in the JMA Dome, UU said this year’s Juice Jam on Sept. 20 will be outdoors in the University Quad and will be free for Syracuse University students and SUNY ESF students. Students can use ‘Cuse Activities to get a QR code to attend. 

Last year’s concert headlined Quavo, with openers Maisie Peters and Smino, and was plagued with problems. The original act of R&B artist PartyNextDoor was replaced with rapper Lil Tecca, who soon dropped out a few days before the concert due to a medical concern. 

Initial social media reaction to this year’s concert lineup is mixed. With some commenting, “Who?” and one saying, “We had Quavo last year?” while others have been more positive, with one praising Ashe as the first woman to headline Juice Jam.