10 stand-out SXSW acts
From indie-electronic to R&B
The thousands of artists from all disciplines journeying to Austin, Texas, next week for the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals is dizzying to consider, and so are the hundreds lined up to perform at the SXSW Music Festival.
Nevertheless, a few stand out. Here are 10 noteworthy music acts from all genres, backgrounds and hometowns who will take the SXSW stage next week.
Japanese Breakfast
Michelle Zauner became Japanese Breakfast after a song-a-day writing challenge produced a collection of soft melodies released on cassette by Ranch Records. Now the tattooed Philly native has become a popular rising star in indie music, whose sexy croon over simplistic electric guitar will make for a provocative SXSW experience.
Mansionair
A noteworthy name on the SXSW lineup, Mansionair broke onto the Billboard Rock Airplay chart last year with its single “Astronaut (Something About Your Love)” and earned a Grammy nomination for its collaboration with ODESZA. The indie-electronic trio has supported CHVRCHES and Florence + The Machine on major tours and brings a notoriety and a fun electronic presence to the SXSW stage.
Angie McMahon
Despite having only released four singles, the Australian indie rocker’s caught the attention of millions of Spotify listeners, headlined an Australian tour and will trek across the U.S. supporting The Pixies. Her deep, sultry voice is smooth and soothing, and she’s sure to offer a moment of refuge among the chaos of Austin.
The Bright Light Social Hour
The world’s rediscovered romantic love for ‘70s rock finds another home in these four Austin natives. The Bright Light Social Hour is one of the more tangentially-successful groups on the SXSW lineups, having released three full-length albums and licensing their cool psychedelic tunes for works be Nintendo, HBO and more.
Jojo Abot
As language barriers seem to become less important to American ears (thank you, “Despacito” and K-pop), doors are opened for more new voices like Jojo Abot, a Ghanian artist whose Afropunk work blends English and Zulu lyrics. Her presence at SXSW is sure to stand out both sonically and visually, as she’s known to be experiment in her sound, fashion and performance methods.
Bedouine
The revival of Americana by women continues with the help of Azniv Korkejian, an Armenian woman born in Syria who grew up in Saudi Arabia. With a dainty, whisper-like voice and knack for sweet, sleepy melodies, Bedouine is a stand-out as one of the few Americana folk artists on the SXSW lineup.
Omar Apollo
The first-gen Mexican-American is young and hungry, dropping out of college just two weeks in to pursue a music career. The 21-year-old’s bright John Mayer-style guitar riffs under sensual Khalid-style R&B vocals have a silkyness that makes his millions of Spotify listens unsurprising.
Robinson
An award-winning and electric pop artist, Robinson seems made to stand alongside Ellie Goulding, Alessia Cara and Hailee Steinfeld as one of the sweetest female voices on pop charts. Already a streaming powerhouse (without a full-length album), she’ll surely be a recognizable name on the SXSW lineup.
Rob Markman
A Brooklynite who got his start as a journalist interviewing hip-hop sensations like Kendrick Lamar and Drake, Markman’s fulfilling his own artistic dreams with vivid storytelling rap lyrics and 90s-esque beats. Even among a full lineup of hip-hop artists on board, he’s sure to turn heads at SXSW.
Blushh
“Blushh is what you get after your bijillionth quarter life crisis,” the four-piece pop punk group’s bio on the SXSW website reads. It’s endlessly fun to see what emo kids grow up to be, and the woman-led, guitar-driven group will bring just a touch of that leftover angst to Austin in the best way.
