A woman will headline the Summer Meltdown for the first time

For the first time since 2000, a woman will headline the Summer Meltdown festival.

And it’s fitting that the headliner, French electronic musician CloZee, says her music is inspired by nature — the festival is held in the mountain town of Darrington.

CloZee says the wilderness surrounding the music festival — Aug. 1-4 at Darrington Bluegrass Music Park — is exactly where her melodic beats are meant to be heard.

“Being in the middle of nature and the woods is my favorite thing,” said CloZee, whose real name is Chloé Herry, speaking to The Daily Herald via Skype. “I can get weird at Summer Meltdown.”

CloZee, 26, will perform after jam band Umphrey’s McGee, another headliner, Friday night.

CloZee’s signature sound is known as “world bass.” The style combines melodies and drums from cultures around the world, with hard-hitting bass rhythms.

“We’re really big fans of her music,” said Genevieve Clauson, who produces the festival with her husband, Josh Clauson. “It’s uplifting and makes people feel connected to the moment. That’s exactly the kind of experience we like to deliver at the festival.”

CloZee’s performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Electric Forest, making her an inspiration for women because the industry is male-dominated.

“It’s great when women come up to me and say, ‘This is so cool to see a woman headlining and doing their own thing,’” she said. “I’m pretty happy when what I’m doing touches people and inspires people.”

Other headliners include Tipper, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Gramatik, G Jones and The Polish Ambassador.

Longtime festival-goers might notice an uptick in electronic music. Five of the seven headliners this year are electronic — CloZee, Tipper, The Polish Ambassador, G Jones and Gramatik.

The Clausons say the electronic music scene has been exploding.

“It’s been this generational shift for the past five years, where we’ve been slowly starting to offer more (electronic) music,” Josh Clauson said. “Part of what Meltdown fans want is getting down and cutting loose. Acts like G Jones bring that higher-energy vibe.”

Genevieve Clauson added: “The longtime fans are still there, but we want to be welcoming for younger generations.”

More than 40 acts will be at the festival, including Everett’s own TELLERS. Genres will vary between rock ‘n’ roll, electronic, alternative, hip hop, funk, folk, jazz, Americana, soul, reggae and blues on four stages.

One of Josh Clauson’s favorites is Umphrey’s McGee, who he called the quintessential jam band in the U.S.

Much like the jam bands before them — the Grateful Dead, Phish and The String Cheese Incident — Umphrey’s McGee’s technical skills, improvisation and diverse influences have earned them a devoted following.

Josh Clauson is also a fan of Dirtwire, an experimental trio from Oakland performing Saturday night. The trio call their style “swamptronica,” fusing electro with Americana, blues and twang.

“They’re gritty and vibey and people get down to it,” Josh Clauson said.

TELLERS is the only act from Snohomish County. The indie-rock band’s music is moody, emotional and ethereal, with soaring choruses and atmospheric lulls.

The band is fronted by Sarah Feinberg, 35, of Everett, whose vocals can also be heard in local band I Will Keep Your Ghost, as well as her new solo project, Sylvi. She says the band puts an energetic spin on their music for live shows.

“I feel like our songs are a journey,” she said. “It will get quiet and low, then we get huge at times. It’s very dynamic.”

Evan Thompson: 425-339-3427, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @ByEvanThompson.

If you go

Summer Meltdown is Aug. 1-4 at Darrington Bluegrass Music Park, 42501 Highway 530, Darrington. Weekend pass is $305, Friday through Sunday is $265, Saturday and Sunday are $215 and Sunday only is $110. A parking pass is $45.04. Go to www.summermeltdownfest.com for more information, including the performance schedule.