“The bands and artists you need to hear before they get big”
Time Magazine posted its list of music acts to to watch for next year, which includes some familiar local names and a few others with scheduled shows in the Twin Cities. Here’s a quick run-down of who’s coming to town and when:
Chance The Rapper – December 9 in Mainroom (8pm/18+)
On his latest release, Dedication 5, Lil Wayne was shown up by a Chicago teenager known as Chance the Rapper. That probably came as no surprise to anyone who heard his debut mixtape, Acid Rap, which is available as a free download. The mixtape shows a prodigious emcee with a real talent for pairing eloquent rhymes with psychedelic, jazzy tunes — a skill that’s earned him some big-name fans who sent the up-and-comer out on tours with Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. This may have been a big year for Chance (born Chancellor Bennett) — but 2014 is shaping up to be even bigger.
Lizzo – December 28 at the Triple Rock (8pm/18+)
Minneapolis rapper/singer Lizzo’s just-released debut album, LIZZOBANGERS, is packed with impossible rhymes and serious hooks — all played out in a 40-minute frenzy. The inventive, quirky rapper — who has a slew of guest appearances under her belt — learned her chops in church and with the Twin Cities hip-hop collective The Chalice. The album features beats crafted by Doomtree Collective’s Lazerbeak — all under the watchful eye of Ryan Olson, who has worked with indie outfits like Gayngs and Poliça. An inventive and outside-the-box emcee, Lizzo is signed, fittingly, to Totally Gross National Product, a label whose roster is curated by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.
Betty Who – January 18 in 7th St Entry (8pm/18+)
This Australian-born, New York-based pop singer released her upbeat debut EP, The Movement, last April. Since then, the 22-year-old — born Jessica Newham — has worked tirelessly to get her catchy melodies stuck in everyone’s heads. It was only after her improbably peppy song “Somebody Loves You” was featured in a proposal video that went viral (over 10 million views and counting!) that record labels came calling. Who will soon join a roster of RCA artists that includes heavyweights like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Kelly Clarkson. Her second EP is due out in early 2014.
Jeremy Messersmith – February 22 in Mainroom (8pm/18+)
Over the past several years, this singer-songwriter has been making memorable music that hasn’t made waves outside his hometown of Minneapolis — but that’s all about to change. With four albums already under his belt, Messersmith has signed to Glassnote Records, home to such artists as Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, and Childish Gambino. If any label knows how to get an ambient-folk-singer–turned–power-pop-crooner on the radio, it’s them. His new album isn’t due until early 2014, but if the first track, “Tourniquet,” is any indication, it will be filled with smart songs that show off Messersmith’s incredible voice.
