With the summer months rapidly approaching, big music festivals are lining social media newsfeeds with announcements of their headliners and SXSW 2018 has recently dropped their next round of artists. Following their tenth artist announcement for the lineup comes this weeks list with a combination of household names as well as some up and coming musical talents hoping to leave a lasting impression on those at the festival.
Taking place March 12 through 18 in Austin, Texas, the tenth announcement included artists such as rapper Talib Kweli and indie/punk artist Ted Leo. SXSW’s latest reveal highlights even more great talent, most notably Bishop Briggs, Dr. Octagon and The Roots among others.
Indie and pop artist Bishop Briggs appeared onto the scene out of nowhere back in 2016 when Rolling Stone named her one of the must know new artists delivering quality music. The acclaimed music magazine described the 24-year-old’s music as being reminiscent of ’90s science fiction film score and Briggs continues to follow that style with her latest album, White Flag. The album’s title track features the rhythmic pounding of chains as Briggs shows off her voice, flipping between smooth and emotionally driven verses to a much more aggressive chorus.
Right behind Briggs in musical anticipation is Ultramagnetic MCs member, Kool Keith, who has been releasing music under the name Dr. Octagon. Somewhat of a concept persona entirely, Dr. Octagon sings of his time as a time-traveling alien gynecologist and in his latest song, “Area 54,” the background effects are really what shine through. With their new music being the first they’ve released in 22 years, their latest album, Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation, is still a mystery to fans and will drop on April 6.
While other names surrounded Briggs and Dr. Octagon on the new announcement, The Roots shine through as one of those bigger names being hosted by the festival. Known for their spot on The Tonight Show, The Roots continue to deliver jazzy, electric vibes with tracks like “I’m Just A Slave” showing off their diversity. The Roots show off their classic “Champion” beats with lyrics, horns and pianos that drive their music forward.
Addition artists worth mentioning for this round of announcements include country star Keith Urban and daughter of actor Will Smith, Willow Smith. Adding these artists and more to their lineup, SXSW continue to release names that span a wide range of listeners for this year’s show. Tickets can be purchased here.
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