SXSW 2026: Steven Bamidele

 This artist is playing the British Music Embassy as well as the KCRW Day Stage on Friday the 13th.  He also plays ABGB on Saturday as part of a day show called "Sign of the Times". I don't recognize any of the other bands, though.

 Per this bio:

Steven Bamidele is a Nigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, musician and producer. His isolated upbringing has shaped the introspective nature of his songwriting, which pairs with his distinctive reverb-drenched falsetto, synth textures, and syncopated beats to create a forward-thinking soulful sound. Citing the influences of contemporary musical storytellers and genreless creators such as Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator, to Solange, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino, Steven puts social commentary and artistic narratives at the forefront of his music.

"Sitting in the Dark" is his most streamed video. Smooth.

This is his latest release.

 

SXSW 2026: Mac Cornish

This musician is playing the Lone Star day party on Saturday the 14th and Colton House on Sunday the 15th.  Both have good lineups.  

Per this bio:

Born into the confines of Canyon Country, broken through in the Northwest’s emerging enclave, and currently carving out her own niche in Nashville, Mac Cornish embraces all the parts of her journey as she approaches her songwriting. Growing up surrounded by the Santa Cruz mountains, Cornish spent her youth under the canopy of the Redwoods and exploring the expanses of her grandfather’s cattle ranch in the North Bay. Early years found her drawn to the voices that had emanated from the Laurel Canyon legends, cementing a deep love for Linda Rondstadt, Joan Baez, and Gram Parsons. Though she’s boxed her belongings more than a few times in pursuit of country’s muse, her roots in the California.

Here she is playing a set at Dee's Lounge. Good traditional country music.

"Mama Yes I Do" is a two-stepper.

This is nice.

SXSW 2026: Scott Ballew

This Austin artist is playing Waterloo on Thursday the 12th at 5pm. He's also playing Colton House on Friday the 13th. 

The Austin Chronicle has a good article about him.  He's got quite a story. The subtitle sums it up: "Running back-turned-filmmaker reflects on the whirlwind journey that finally got him to songwriting"

"Middle Aged Lazy" is humorous.

This was probably my favorite.

SXSW 2026: Aubrie Sellers

Waterloo Records just dropped their in-stores for SXSW. This is the first artist on the first day. She plays Thurs. the 12th at 1pm.  She was at SXSW in 2016 (preview here) promoting her 1st album.  Per this article:

Nashville artist Aubrie Sellers has officially announced her third studio album ‘Attachment Theory’ which is set for release on March 20 via Casual Records and Carnival Recording Company. This collection represents a significant sonic evolution for the self-proclaimed garage country pioneer as she leans further into a darker, cinematic rock sound. 

She's also playing Sagebrush on  the evening of Thursday the 12th (Shakey Graves headlines).  She's also playing Saxon Pub on Monday April 27th.  

"Little Rooms" is good.

Here is the first release from that new album.  

SXSW 2026: Eliza Thorn

Another Nashville-based country/blues artist for today. She's playing the Lone Star day party on Saturday, Colton House on Friday, as well as a showcase at White Horse and a gig at Devil's Backbone.

Here is her background from this interview:

I’m just kind of this feral rat kid that came from rural western Connecticut. Our little town had one real store, called Eastern Village. It sold sub sandwiches and wraps. There was an antique store, and not a stop light but a yellow blinking light at the time.  Growing up it was all we had, so we spent a lot of time in nature. There was a post-Woodstock group of folks who migrated from upstate New York over here. And my mom was a native New Yorker. She moved to Connecticut because my grandparents had moved to Connecticut to kind of restart life in a more rural environment. My grandma was a playwright in New York City, but retired out of it as I grew up. She had some notable plays. Her biggest was called, Seven, which toured internationally. She wrote books too.

She's led quite an adventurous life on the road. It's worth a read. 

Saving Country Music says:

Similar to other fast-rising country and roots musicians of our era such as Charley Crockett, Sierra Farrell, and Melissa Carper, Eliza Thorn is slightly less interested in “genre,” and more attune to how “era” can help define how her songs unfold, using a wide array of sounds to capture the ideal mood for each one of her original tunes.

Commenters compare her sound to Melissa Carper.  

"Fool" is a good two-stepping honky-tonk song. 

She did a live session at Dee's if you want to listen to a 2 hour show.

"Moonshined" has an old Sierra Ferrell feel.

Here she is live at Acme Feed & Seed.