Juliana Piscina
View all posts by Juliana Piscina September 9, 2026
At one of the largest music festivals in The US, it would seem difficult to create a sense of intimacy amidst such a massive crowd, yet somehow, Amber Mark’s smooth, sultry vocals, strong connection to her fans and undeniable stage presence did just that at Lollapalooza 2026. Her set was a shining example of the festival’s power to uplift and showcase the most talented artists of the year from Charli XCX to Lorde to The Smashing Pumpkins. Completely captivating and in her element, Amber Mark had the audience jumping and singing along through every song making it hard to believe this was her first appearance at the iconic festival.
Known for her genre-blending soul music, Mark brings international inspiration to the forefront of her sound. Mark moved around a lot as a child, living in New York, India, Berlin and Miami. “Every place has a different sky,” Mark explains while admiring the panoramic moonroof of her 2026 Toyota RAV4 Limited.
Before Lollapalooza, before the stages and the tours, Amber Mark’s evolution as a musician began in Berlin, when she held a guitar for the first time. Her mother, a German painter named Mia Mark, had gifted it to her and Amber quickly became enthralled. Teaching herself how to play through YouTube videos and hours of practice, she quickly fell in love with making music.
Akilah Townsend Mark’s career began a decade ago when she uploaded her first single “Space” onto SoundCloud while interning at Roc Nation. With her first EP, 3:33 AM, Mark paid tribute to her late mother, by incorporating sounds and styles of music from the various places that they lived together throughout her childhood, while lyrically exploring themes of grief and longing. Her mother’s influence on her and the love of travel and culture she instilled in her are rooted deeply in her work. Not long after the release of 3:33AM, Mark had drummed up a loyal fanbase, which has only continued to grow.
Her career reached a new level, when she opened for Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet tour, which coincided with the release of her second studio album, Pretty Idea, launching her into a new stratosphere. With a bigger audience and new music pouring out, Mark notes how important long car rides are to her process. With its studio-like JBL Premium Audio System, the RAV4 Limited provides the perfect sanctuary to listen to her music and allow her to be completely immersed.
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Akilah Townsend Amber Mark is no stranger to travel and she gets her best ideas when experiencing new places and incorporating new cultural influences. While touring, she relies on her RAV4 as her preferred mode of transport, allowing her to take in the world around her and give her a quiet place of reflection amidst the fast pace of her schedule. Running errands through Chicago, preparing for her first ever set at Lollapalooza, Mark says, “I’ve been dreaming of doing Lollapalooza pretty much all of my career.” Needless to say, she is determined to do it right.
Lollapalooza’s reputation as one of the premiere music festivals in history cements it as a career-defining opportunity for artists. As a longtime partner of the festival, Toyota provides festival goers with unique experiences such as the Toyota Music Den and vehicle activations for fans to experience the newest line in 6 generations of Toyota SUVs.
