Here are 15 acts that will be leaving their mark on the festival this year.
South By South West (SXW) has taken over Austin, Texas this week, convening more than 75,000 creative industry types, tech professionals, artists, musicians and fans from across the world.
Although the festival is often criticized for its enormity (namely the over-saturation of corporatized activations), it’s still a meeting place for forward-thinking minds and the Music portion of the event continues to maintain its identity as a touchstone for America’s music industry to mingle and make moves.
As an official artist at the festival this year, SXSW is a moment for me to discover new talent, find professional connections and mingle among some of the biggest names in music. Here are 15 acts (I’ve selected quite a few from Texas) that will be leaving their mark on the festival this year.
Lizzo courtesy of the artist
1.) Lizzo
Lizzo erupted into the mainstream last year, as her hit singles, flute skills and body-positive vibes took the media and the radio for a ride. ( She made it onto Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018, too). Although she’s been to the festival a few times, this is Lizzo’s first year at SXSW with a widely marketed headlining show at Austin’s Stubb’s. T he attention is well-deserved—this artist has been hustling after her craft for years and the hype is long overdue.
2.) Billie Eilish
Rising from the depths of Soundcloud, Billie Eilish released her first single «Ocean Eyes» in 2016, a song she recorded when she was only 14 years old. With a fan base in the millions, the singer has yet to release her debut album (it’s expected some time this year). This year at SXSW, she’s the finale act for Uber Eats House.
3.) Cherry Glazerr
Hailing from Los Angeles, Cherry Glazerr is a newly formed rock outfit, fronted by singer/songwriter Clementine Creevy, in support of their newest album «Stuffed & Ready.» The band is playing a host of unofficial and official showcases, including FADER FORT.
