Earlier this week SXSW announced its full list of performers for 2021.
With 280 artists hailing from 36 countries, the festival offers a taste of exceptional talent from around the world. As the festival is being hosted online this year, international artists who in other years would have had to deal with visas and transportation costs, are at the forefront. This year, ~70% of the artists performing hail from places outside the US, as compared to the ~40% featured in both the 2019 and cancelled 2020 lineup.
Here, in alphabetical order, is Part Two of the 50 artists – from the US and abroad – that we think you should check out at SXSW Online 2021.
You can find all of these artists, and a few other showcase artists we love, on our SXSW Online 2021 LIL Mix.
Check out Part One of our list!
millenium parade
Alternative / Indie | Tokyo, Japan | Listen To: Trepanation
This Japanese creative collective, led by the frontman of J-Pop band King Gnu, combines the creative talents of various musicians, visual artists, filmmakers, designers, and producers. Their live shows typically feature breathtaking visuals, so we’re especially excited to see what they create for their SXSW performance.
Miro Shot
Alternative / Indie | London, England | Listen To: Half Of Us
Miro Shot is more than just a “band”. They’re an “open source collective” of over 450 members who create visuals, music videos, live VR concerts, and virtual concerts – in addition to making great tunes as well. As part of their SXSW Online set, they are featuring Collective members’ NFTs. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, combine blockchain technology with digital artwork. Given SXSW Online’s focus on XR this year, we’re excited to see what Miro Shot will bring to their performance
Nané
R&B / Soul | Austin, USA | Listen To: Blue Velvet
Nané’s tune “Blue Velvet” caught the attention of Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard, and given the band’s irresistible indie-soul groove it’s very easy to see why. Their tune “Quaranteen” is arguably the catchiest thing to come out of this pandemic (unfortunate pun intended).
Nayana Iz
Hip-Hop / Rap | London, England | Listen To: Growing Pains
With a personal music history that includes jazz performance and an early indie-pop band, Nayana Iz’s brand of hip-hop blends genres to create a sound of her own. Born in India, and raised in England, Iz is using her music to better connect with her motherland through her performance production and visuals. This influence is especially apparent in the track TNT.
Noya Rao
Dance / Electronic | Leeds, England | Listen To: Talk
Noya Rao’s “synth-drenched, futuristic soul” feels both old-school and ultra-modern. Drawing from jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music, the quartet synthesizes their influences into a smart, danceable, sound.
Olivia Dean
Pop | London, England | Listen To: The Hardest Part
If Sara Bareilles’ clever pop songwriting were influenced more by soul than jazz it might sound something like Olivia Dean’s music. The BRIT School graduate developed her songwriting chops while studying musical theatre.
ONR
Pop | Glasgow, Scotland | Listen To: Must Stop
ONR is the anthemic pop project of Scottish singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer Robert Shields, who started creating music as a means of dealing with the isolation and boredom of his childhood on the family sheep farm. Latest single Must Stop features a duet with Phantogram frontwoman, Sarah Barthel.
Otoboke Beaver
Rock | Kyoto, Japan | Listen To: datsu . hikage no onna
Coined after a love hotel in Osaka near a band member’s old high school, Otoboke Beaver writes decidedly anti-love songs. The Japanese quartet performs ferocious, high energy punk rock.
Pillow Queens
Alternative / Indie | Dublin, Ireland | Listen To: Liffey
Pillow Queens’ first ever gig was a 2016 benefit show in support of a local dog shelter. This seems a fitting start to a band whose passion for justice and social change are central to their lyrical themes. Their anthemic indie rock combines infectious hooks, harmonies, and socially conscious lyricism.
porij
Dance / Electronic | Manchester, England | Listen To: Dirty Love
English quartet porij came to be out of necessity. After a friend dropped out of a gig, they found themselves filling the spot on the lineup, and had all of one week to create an entire set. Their genre mashing music dances (quite literally) around electronic-pop, jazz, funk, and house influences.
Samantha Sanchez
Pop | Miami, USA | Listen To: NMI
Spanish YouTube beauty and lifestyle influencer, Samantha Sanchez, entered the world of music last year with debut single NMI. The sassy pop rock tune, whose video garnered 1M+ views in less than a week, was written and directed by Sanchez as well.
School of X
Alternative / Indie | Copenhagen, Denmark | Listen To: Bad Love
Borrowing a name from the 60s anti-establishment art school in Copenhagen, Danish producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist (he is the drummer for MØ) Rasmus Littauer strives to emulate the progressive, inclusive, and labeless-ness that the group espoused.
Sinead O’Brien
Alternative / Indie | Limerick, Ireland | Listen To: Most Modern Painting
Irish poet Sinead O’Brien lists musicians and writers equally among her influences. The punk rock spoken word poet loves to chase uncertainty, a sentiment that led to her eschewing her “cosy” settled existence and eventually pursuing this musical project. This preference for unpredictability also presents itself in the tense but introspective nature of her music.
Sir Woman
R&B / Soul | Austin, USA | Listen To: Highroad
The latest creation of Kelsey Wilson (Wild Child, Glorietta), won Best New Act at the 2020 Austin Music Awards. The project’s Motown-influenced debut was released last October.
Sofía Valdés
Pop | Panama City, Panama | Listen To: Oceans Away
Panamanian singer-songwriter Sofía Valdés started creating music after a therapist suggested she learn guitar to help develop her coordination and concentration. Since then, Valdés has continued to dive deeper into the musical world of her creation, crafting heartful and introspective pop. She is a current student of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
Sorry
Alternative / Indie | London, England | Listen To: Starstruck
Moody, funky, and deliciously creepy, Sorry synthesizes jazz, trip-hop, grunge, and post-punk influences with their previous life as a Jimi Hendrix cover band to create a sound that is wholly their own.
Squid
Rock | Bristol, England | Listen To: Houseplants
Squid first met as musicians at a university jazz night, and the genre’s influences can be found in the syncopated post-punk the quintet creates. They’ve described their upcoming debut, Bright Green Field, as “really fucking weird.” Given that this is coming from a band who has penned an entire tune dedicated to the existential dread brought about by houseplants, we’re very excited to see just how weird things can get.
Sycco
Pop | Brisbane, Australia | Listen To: Dribble
Sycco (pronounced “psycho”) is the musical project of singer-songwriter and producer Sasha McLeod. Effortless and summery, her tunes combine electronic production with McLeod’s soulful vocal performance.
Tessellated
Reggae | Kingston, Jamaica | Listen To: I Learnt Some Jazz Today
You may recognize I Learnt Some Jazz Today from Apple’s 2019 AirPods ad Bounce. The tech company is known for highlighting under-recognized artists of incredible talent, and Tessellated is no exception. The Jamaican artist is influenced by the dancehall and reggae music ubiquitous in his home country, and combines them with elements of hip-hop, jazz, fun and R&B.
The Chats
Rock | Sunshine Coast, Australia | Listen To: The Clap
The Chats’ self-described “shed rock” was borne while jamming in a friend’s bong shed (hence the chosen descriptor). The Australian trio, known for their chaotic live shows, were scheduled to perform at Coachella last year prior to it being postponed.
The Lazy Eyes
Rock | Sydney, Australia | Listen To: Where’s My Brain???
Australia is becoming well-known as a bastion for psychedelic rock music, and Sydney quartet, The Lazy Eyes, carry this mantle with excellence. The frenetic Where’s My Brain??? is the first single from their upcoming second EP.
Theon Cross
Jazz | London, England | Listen To: Brockley
London-based tuba player, Theon Cross, is known for incorporating jazz, funk, dubstep, grime, and hip-hop into his performance. In addition to performing at the Jazz re:freshed showcase during the SXSW Online, a virtual avatar of Cross will be performing as part of the festival’s XR programming.
Vaundy
Alternative / Indie | Tokyo, Japan | Listen To: Fukakouryoku
Vaundy is the creative project of a twenty-year-old singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Though still a university student, his songs, and their corresponding music videos which he directs himself, have garnered millions of views. Vaundy’s genre-defying electronic pop combines jazzy chords, rap and sung lyrics, and catchy riffs.
Walt Disco
Alternative / Indie | Glasgow, Scotland | Listen To: Cut Your Hair
Scottish sextet Walt Disco revel in the theatrical, flamboyant nature of the musical world they’ve created – a world where new wave, glam rock, art-pop, goth, and post-punk influences distil into sexy, danceable expression.
Y2K92
Dance / Electronic | Seoul, South Korea | Listen To: Bi-elijah
Y2K92 is the project of Simo and Jibin, both South Korean electronic artists who grew up in different eras. They channel their diverse musical influences – old school hip hop, industrial, and electronic music into their unique sound.
