Brown took the stage flanked with pyrotechnics and played a range of high-energy hits from “Famous Friends” to “One Mississippi.” Halfway through his set, the tempo slowed, and he spoke directly to the audience. “How many of you go through depression?” he asked. “Don’t be scared. How many of you? I go through it.”
The singer shared how he and his wife have helped each other through their struggles with mental health — a heartfelt intro before he dove into his hit song “Memory,” a collaboration with singer-producer Blackbear. Written by both Brown and Blackbear along with Andrew Goldstein, Joe Kirkland, and Ernest Smith, the genre-crossing pop ballad challenges the stigma around depression and anxiety.
While his set wasn’t joined by any of the burgeoning artists he’s recently collaborated with — there haven’t been many at the festival so far — the headliner did bring out his only guest of the night. “Everybody always brings a special guest to these things, but can I bring my wife out?” he said as the crowd erupted in cheers.Brown recently co-hosted the