Just for the Weekend, Erykah Badu, Tinashe, and David Oyelowo Took Over Montauk’s Surf Lodge

It’s the end of June in New York City—the air is thick with heat, air conditioning bills skyrocket, and the subway grates’ ventilation starts to smell like it's time to head East. Specifically, so far East until the car pulls into Surf Lodge perched on the shore of Montauk's Fort Pond. Over the past weekend, that’s exactly what Erykah Badu, Tinashe, David Oyewolo, and other fanatics of fun did.

A haven for the relaxed and the rowdy, Surf Lodge boasts a daily music lineup to rival the most popular annual festivals. This weekend saw a particularly star-studded stay, with top-tier musicians, actors, artists, and influencers enjoying what has become a Montauk summer staple.

The festivities began on Saturday night: Erykah Badu took the stage and was immediately recognizable even for the under 5-foot party-goers, thanks to her classic stage hat accessory. Paired with a relaxed grey T-shirt, tattoo sleeves, and thick winged eyeliner showcasing her mesmerizing eyes, Badu commanded the attention of the room. Guests set down their buttery lobster rolls and tequila sodas in favor of throwing their hands in the air, practically bowing down to the Baduizm. While most of her set was focused on spinning tracks, the soul singer blessed the crowd with some vocals, chiming in on the chorus of Lauryn Hill’s “All Falls Down.” She had the whole deck “screlting” (the official term for scream/belting).

Nearing the end of her set, Badu asked the crowd, “Who’s been a nasty girl?” Everyone cheers, partially answering the question and partially in sheer excitement for the next performer: the woman who suddenly has millions on the internet and IRL singing her chorus. Tinashe ascended to the stage, in a full Diesel look, complete with sunglasses and a purse, and was greeted with roaring applause (plus some twerking?).

Bringing the New York City edge to the “edge of the world,” Tinashe danced on the DJ stand, turning the beachy balcony into a full-fledged nightclub. Closing with hits “Nasty Girl” and “2 On,” the performer bonded with the audience, cheers-ing their Aperol spritz’s and playing into the social media frenzy that ensued, every partygoer aiming to get the best angle for their TikTok. Wearing a diamond necklace reading “Nasty”, Tinashe told Vogue “I had the necklace before I had the song! I looked down at it and thought, ‘Wait… I can do something with this…’”

Surveilling her kingdom, Surf Lodge’s fearless leader and owner, Jayma Cardoso, strutted around the deck and restaurant. Summer after summer, Cardoso thoughtfully produces an ambiance that leaves Revolve influencers, sandy surfers, and Surf Lodge veterans feeling like VIPs: she will personally refill any empty Champagne flute.

Rounding out the night, Cardoso, along with actor and producer David Oyelowo, hosted a meaningful beach dinner, raising awareness for the GEANCO Foundation, a philanthropic organization of which Oyelowo is a steadfast supporter and leader of his namesake Leadership Scholarship. The foundation, established in 2005, aims at saving and transforming the lives of children in Nigeria, providing them opportunities through education, mental and physical health rehabilitation.