ABOUT THE EVENT

Raised in St. Louis, Jordan Ward is one of music’s rising stars. Developing an affinity for music and dance at a very early age, Jordan polished his skillset after first trying his hand as a choir member before transitioning into musical theater. His influences include a diverse roster of music luminaries ranging from Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and more. After first experimenting with rap, Ward later focused on singing and dancing, and moved to Los Angeles to chase a career as a dancer once he turned 18. Ward's precocious dance abilities earned him gigs as a dancer for Justin Bieber, Becky G, Janet Jackson and Beyonce, as he appeared in Bey’s Homecoming documentary for her epic Coachella performance.

In 2017, Ward began his musical quest after releasing his EP, A Peak at the Summit followed by the full-length, Valley Hopefuls and stellar EP, Remain Calm which included the infectious single, “Lil Baby Crush”. It wasn't until his 2023 critically acclaimed debut album, FORWARD, that Ward became the talk of R&B and Hip Hop. His project was propelled by singles "WHITE CROCS" and "FAMJAM4000", and the deluxe track “MUSTARD” featuring 6LACK. Ward’s momentum has remained consistent through global touring with JID, Smino, 6LACK, and sold out solo headline runs across Europe and North America (twice). His recent output has also been co-signed by Tyler The Creator, Sza, Rolling Stones (The Best Albums of 2023), Complex Magazine Best Songs of 2023), NPR, and more.

VIEW FULL 2024 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

ABOUT NEXTNOW FEST

Started in 2014, Clarice Presents’ annual NextNOW Fest is an inspiring arts experience that celebrates imagination, creativity and community. In addition to the core festival nights at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, we’re thrilled to continue partnerships with student-led groups, academic departments and university-based arts venues to hold festival events throughout campus.

NextNOW Fest is a signature event in University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative, which leverages the combined power of the arts, technology and social justice to address the grand challenges of our time.

FUNDING

NextNOW Fest is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. Additional support is provided by Terps After Dark and the University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative. NextNOW Fest's Silent Disc-Glo event is supported by UMD's Student Entertainment Events; and the Vital Signs Mini-Grants Showcase is supported by the Venable Foundation and Pepsi.