Evann McIntosh

Character Development is more than just Evann McIntosh’s transfixing new project; it’s their way of life. Written and recorded primarily in the breakout 16-year-old star’s suburban Kansas bedroom, the collection mixes dark alt-pop and dreamy R&B with streaks of hip-hop, jazz, and funk, calling to mind everything from Prince to Billie Eilish as it grapples with growth and evolution, gender identity and sexuality, freedom, and self-expression.

The writing here is as insightful as it is unpredictable, alternating between earnest poeticism and playful acrobatics, and the production is similarly adventurous, with McIntosh’s longtime collaborator Jesty Beatz once again wrapping her performances in lush, magnetic arrangements. Even at its most densely layered, though, the project remains a work of pure intimacy, a poignant and revealing portrait of modern adolescence from an artist unraveling the mysteries of their psyche one song at a time.

Character Development follows McIntosh’s acclaimed 2019 debut, MOJO, a digital juggernaut that racked up more than 33 million streams in part due to the viral TikTok success of lead single “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Ones To Watch hailed the music’s “self-awareness and vulnerability,” while WWD praised McIntosh’s “maturity and vision,” and Vogue HK declared that they were “ready to conquer the world.” The record also caught the attention of esteemed indie label Mom + Pop, who signed McIntosh over Zoom in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Past Shows


Feb
27
th
2022
First Avenue
Feb
27
th
2022
First Avenue

THE MARÍAS

The Marías Present: CINEMA
with Evann McIntosh and Ogi
Oct
23
rd
2021
7th St Entry
Oct
23
rd
2021
7th St Entry

Evann McIntosh

The Character Development Tour
with Panther Ray

More Shows

Apr
24
th
The Fitzgerald Theater

Varietopia with Paul F. Tompkins

Apr
26
th
7th St Entry

The Bright Light Social Hour

Mar
22
nd
Fine Line

Russian Circles

with Pelican
Dec
27
th
7th St Entry

Jaki Blue

with KAYCYY and Sophia Eris