On Sept. 19, Mississippi State University’s Bulldog Bash Instagram posted a cryptic announcement about releasing big news the next day at noon. People thought the suspense was over on Aug. 27 when the curtain dropped to reveal Natasha Bedingfield as the headliner, but the Bulldog Bash Committee had another surprise up its sleeves.
Bulldog Bash 2025 will feature not one, but two headliners this year, with reggae fusion artist Shaggy joining Natasha Bedingfield at Humphrey Coliseum on Oct. 3.
Sneha Cherukuri, a senior biological sciences major and the director of Bulldog Bash 2025 said she thinks having two headliners will make this years Bulldog Bash special despite the location change.
“We have been planning a double headliner from the beginning,” Cherukuri said. “We wanted to see how we could make this concert experience special with all the changes of it being in the Hump and thought it could be fun to do a double headliner for an exciting concert experience.”
Known for hit songs like “It Wasn’t Me,” “Angel,” “Oh, Carolina” and “Boombastic,” Shaggy blends elements of reggae, dancehall and pop music.
Originally born Orville Richard Burnell in Kingston, Jamaica, Burnell received the nickname ‘Shaggy’ in high school because of his hair, which he admitted in an interview with The Project.
After working as an MC in New York and serving in the United States Marines, Shaggy went on to receive record deals. He now has over 20 million monthly listeners as one of the top three streamed reggae artists of all time on Spotify. He has also sold more than 40 million album units, according to his website.
A two-time winner of a Grammy for Best Reggae Album, Shaggy is sure to entertain Bash goers with his deep voice and show presence.
In addition to his many accolades as a celebrated musician, Shaggy received the Jamaican Order of Distinction in 2007, and he has consistently used his platform to promote his heritage.
For those who have secured their tickets to Bulldog Bash, they will listen to both Natasha Bedingfield and Shaggy perform. These co-headliners are sure to make Bulldog Bash 2025 memorable with their different music styles.
Cherukuri also said that both artists will have the same amount of time to perform, making the event a true double headliner with both of these performances following the opener Sonic Voyager, the band that won Battle of the Bands on Sept. 12.
While concert attendees did not learn about Shaggy’s role in the show with a banner drop at the famous reveal in front of the YMCA plaza, they now have two performances to anticipate. With so many surprises from the location change to this second headliner, Bulldog Bash 2025 is shaking things up this year.
