The hype with Garrett Borns, AKA BØRNS, has officially gone viral, and everyone is wholeheartedly on board his candy-coated, dopamine train. It’s no surprise that he’s been featured in practically every festival around the world after reaching paramount success so quickly, but how does a rock star to his degree acclimate to such environments and make the absolute most out of every festival experience? Prep work for such lofty events “requires meditation on a Himalayan mountain surrounded in pink salts,” BØRNS claims. It seems that the overused phrase “You do you” could not be more applicable here. In addition to that, he admits that his pre-festival rituals include “A good amount of staring at clouds, having a beverage and then having another beverage and staring at clouds again.” This strategy is certainly working in his favor.

Despite such deep contemplation, BØRNS fully embraces the festival experience. “It's probably the most primal and high energy way of sharing your music,” he says. “Everyone is there for the same reason, and it breaks the mold of the proverbial live show.” In fact, the 24-year-old Michigan native has his own vision of what a festival would look like if he was solely in charge of creating it: “It would be surrounded by lots of trees and sweet oxygen-bearing ferns. Everyone would be required to wear a costume to get in, and there would be zip lines from stage to stage.” Count us in!

After listening to his blissful set at Sasquatch! Music Festival, we got the full scoop on this electric lover’s five favorite festival experiences to date.

Down the Rabbit Hole 2015

Down the Rabbit Hole was a beautiful fest in Holland on these rolling green hills. We performed in a circus tent and then jumped in a lake and ate crepes while The War on Drugs finished the night.

Falls Festival 2015

Last January, we flew to Australia for Falls Festival all around New South Wales. Those were some of the most stoked crowd we've ever played for and it was a hot dust party the whole time.

Lollapalooza 2015

Lollapalooza in Chicago last year was my first time attending and playing. We had a nice stage canopied by trees on a blistering summer day.

Hangout Fest 2016

Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores was right on the ocean. It was pouring and code red weather warning, so everyone had to evacuate the festival. But then the sun miraculously busted through the clouds.

Bonnaroo 2016

Bonnaroo this year was a total blast — lots of contagious energy buzzing around the tent that night.