Finding out that one of the best festivals on the plant was cancelled, a devastating blow is certainly an understatement but for SXSW Festival it was a decision probably no one wanted to make as COVID-19 grips the world.
More than 1,300 artists were expected to perform throughout the nine days and hundreds of those have had to take a serious financial hit form visa fees, flights and accommodation etc.
Here at ICM we prepared two features before it’s cancellation about some of the top alternative rock/pop artists we seriously recommend you should see, have a look below and make sure you check out our indie rock/pop list.
HUNGER
Vienna-based trio HUNGER attracted global attention in 2017 with their single ‘Amused’ which featured on hit Netflix show 13 Reasons Why and more recently the alt-pop band released its debut album Mosaik just a few months ago.
Their anthemic pop and indie infectiousness is fast flowing with emotive passages with deeply moody and melodic synth-pop embodies a visceral cinematic experience. HUNGER are a big European name with their eyes firmly set on taking America by storm.
KENNYHOOPLA
We stumbled across breakout artist KennyHoopla last month when the Cleavland alt rocker released his new single ‘how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//’ and we see him become a ones to watch artist next year.
Known as Kenneth La’ron, the young Ohio lad grew up absorbing a diverse variety of music, art and breakdancing with The Drums, Funeral Suits, Common and Teen Suicide credited as some of his greatest influences.
Now based in LA, KennyHoopla has an EP coming up and when you’ve got his antics and energy, KennyHoopla will be a genre defining musician in the indie-alt scene, just you wait.
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS
What a name! This English alt rock/punk rock outfit’s raw riffs, power and rancour earned them a slot at the BBC 6 Music stage at SXSW; including support from the legend that is Steve Lamacq.
Pigs x7 have blazed a trail across the darker quarters of the underground in the last five years, have made a second album in King Of Cowards which does its damnedest to take consciousness to its very limits – and there’s another one on its way in April titled ‘Viscerals’.
The band entering a new phase as a sleeker yet still more dangerous swineherd and a new approach being taken to its creation. This band definitely needs to be kept under your radar unless it already is.
SARA KING
Alt pop artist and certified Depop seller Sara King is well-worth the listen. From uploading covers on YouTube in 2013, her own brand of R&B and alt pop is soft and dreamy and it’s catching on like wildfire – it all started with her first single ‘Dreamz’ in 2018; reaching more than 1.4 million streams on Spotify alone.
Born and bread in Dallas, Sara King is so cinematic and nostalgic her music gently ensnares you, wrapping itself around you before you even fully realize what is happening. It’s blissful and so, so smooth to listen to I’m sure you’ll love her too.
PILLOW QUEENS
Watch out for Dublin-based quartet Pillow Queens as their emotive rock tunes are gaining serious traction.
The alternative quartet are an ICM Ones To Watch artist this year as Sarah Corcoran (vocals, guitar and bass), Pamela Connolly (vocals, guitar and bass), Cathy McGuinness (guitar) and Rachel Lyons (drums) churn out emotive DIY anthems with an elegant and soft touch.
Their most recent release ‘Brothers’ began the countdown toward their much-anticipated debut album due for release in the autumn of this year. Pillow Queens are growing a strong and loyal fan base and we expect 2020 to be a breakthrough year for the Irish band.
PEACH TREE RASCALS
Deep in the Bay Area of LA, five-piece Peach Tree Rascal are completely unbounded by genre as they combine alt rock, jazz, funk, hip-hop and R&B influences. Their craft of polished, multi-layered instrumentation brim with feel-good melodies.
What started out as just becoming friends in high school has quickly turned into a music group that is truly one to watch out for. Make sure you check them out. It may not be your typical alt rock or pop, but Peach Tree Racal are an exciting new breed of musicians coming through the ranks.
BEABADOOBEE
Born in the Philippines and raised in London, Beabadoobee is the most hyped emerging artist of 2020 and at just 19 years old, she is becoming an impressive global superstar.
Ranked 348th in the world according to her 10 million plus Spotify listeners the next gen singer signed to UK indie label Dirty Hit [The 1975, Wolf Alice, King Nun] and has been assisted by Matty Healy in her musical progression by saying she’s “the most exciting thing in rock” when he gave her the Under the Radar prize at this year’s NME Awards. The year has only barely begun but expect more big things to come.
We hope you enjoyed these artists! Read our SEVEN indie acts you wish you’d seen at SXSW Festival!
