Bia and Kamaiyah Give Electric Performances at Big Show

  • Students enjoy the carnival games set up on the University Library Lawn while waiting for Big Show to begin on April 8, 2023. Photo by Sonia Gurrola

  • Fans cheer as Kamaiyah performs some of her greatest hits at Big Show 2023. Photo by Sonia Gurrola

  • Kamaiyah hypes up the audience with an energetic performance at Big Show 2023. Photo by Sonia Gurrola

  • "This has probably been my favorite crowd I've performed in front of all month," Bia said during her performance at Big Show, on April 8, 2023, on the University Library Lawn. Photo by Sonia Gurrola

  • Concertgoers dance on the University Library Lawn to Bia's rapping performance as the show ends with confetti that showered the crowd. Photo by Sonia Gurrola

The University Library Lawn was transformed into a music festival scene on April 8 for CSUN’s annual live music bash, Big Show. Excited students streamed through security checkpoints and lined up early for a nosh at several food trucks, played lawn games and collected freebies at tents that lined the lawn.

Students challenged each other on the giant Connect Four set and played volleyball in the center of the lawn, as DJ Dylan Naber and then DJ Andrew Cantu warmed up the crowd. Monique Garbitt, a freshman psychology major, said she’d been looking forward to the Matador tradition all semester.

“This has been so fun. I love the energy and vibes — it feels like a music festival,” she said. “I can definitely see myself making this a yearly thing with friends.”

Big Show is organized by Associated Students (AS) Productions. This year, AS selected CSUN’s first female double bill, Puerto Rican rapper Bia, featuring California native Kamaiyah.

Kamaiyah opened the show with a high-energy performance and even invited some students on stage to dance with her. “I’m loving the energy from this crowd!” she yelled. Senior Lisa Grant was one of those students invited on stage.

“That was honestly the highlight of my semester. It was so fun and even though I’m graduating, I’m still coming back to the next Big Show!” Grant said.

After Kamaiyah’s electric performance, students started chanting for Bia. Once the rapper took the stage, the crowd danced and sang through her entire set.

“This has probably been my favorite crowd I’ve performed in front of all month,” Bia said. She ended the show by having the crowd shout her trademark “Bia Bia!” while confetti rained down over the audience.

Bia, born in Massachusetts, debuted on the Oxygen reality TV show “Sisterhood of Hip Hop” and was featured on the 2016 single “Safari” by J Balvin, and “Best on Earth” by Russ in 2019. She also released the single “Whole Lotta Money,” which later was released as a remix featuring Nicki Minaj and reached the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Kamaiyah is an American rapper and singer from Oakland, Calif., who released her debut mixtape, “A Good Night in the Ghetto,” in 2016. She released her second mixtape, “Before I Wake,” in 2017, and in 2020, she released her “Got It Made” mixtape — but on her own label, GRND.WRK.

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