The annual SXSW Music & Arts Festival hosts thousands of creatives from a range of industries such as film, art, music and media. Attendees are granted access to must-see film screenings, technology-focused conferences, musical showcases featuring emerging artists and more. With hundreds of singers on the docket this year, we’ve chosen five who you are not going to want to miss. From March 9 – 18 you can discover the below artists along with many more at SXSW in Austin, Texas.
1. Frank Turner
This English folk singer-songwriter feels more like a rockstar poet than a singer, weaving political and societal issues into his lyrics while maintaining an infectious sound. Ahead of Turner’s upcoming album Be More Kind (due out May 4th) he will be performing his already beloved tracks at SXSW. Catch one of his four sets throughout the week and listen for his album’s title track “Be More Kind.”
2. FINNEAS
The brother of breakthrough artist Billie Eilish, Finneas has taken his musical destiny into his own hands through collaborations with Khalid, Tori Kelly and Sabrina Claudio. His newest single “Break My Heart Again” is a romantic gesture peppered with heart-wrenching sentiments. With a soulful tone and a careful approach to his music, Finneas is definitely one to watch in Austin. He’s slated to perform at Central Presbyterian Church on March 14th.
3. lovelytheband
This edgy trio offer a grungy-cool appearance coupled with bright and electric songs. Led by former Oh Honey member Mitchy Collins, lovelytheband brings a spirited Cali vibe to their hits like “Broken” and have made themselves one of our must-see acts for festival season. The band will be supporting Vance Joy on his spring tour but first, see the guys in Austin at one of their three scheduled sets.
4. Sunflower Bean
A New York City-based band flirting with dreamy sounds, Sunflower Bean is ready for their moment in the sun. With their newest single, “Twentytwo,” the band plays with glittery pop sounds coupled with proud coming-of-age lyrics. Listeners can expect guitar-heavy tracks and their signature retro style on their upcoming sophomore album Twentytwo in Blue. Check them out at one of their two sets scheduled at SXSW.
5. Amy Shark
Since supporting Bleachers and Vance Joy on tour and being named one of Apple Music’s UpNext artists in 2017, Amy Shark has been busy paving her way in music. Shark’s breakthrough hit “Adore” immediately resonated with listeners as an ode to love and more recently, the songstress was featured on the Love, Simon soundtrack, catering to a similar vibe. With her first headlined tour on the horizon, expect more of Shark’s signature quirky-meets-sweet live performances soon. See this Aussie at SXSW at one of her two scheduled shows.
Main image credit: Instagram.com
