These Days
Chicago Artists to Watch
Spring / Summer 2021
Every year since 2018, These Days had been able to bring together a new group of our favorite Chicago artists for an in-person event that included interviews, photoshoots, and artists interacting with each other —many for the first time. In just three years, planning and executing the Artists To Watch list had become the staff’s favorite internal tradition and the most anticipated piece amongst readers. Then 2020 happened, and like most traditions, the pandemic upended our usual course of action, forcing us to reimagine how to capture and present the newest class. However, it never crossed our minds to skip this beloved feature.
The names on this list make for one of the most exceptionally talented and sonically diverse groups we’ve ever presented. Some are on the fast-track to mainstream appeal. Some have yet to release a proper debut project. They all deserve to be recognized for the exciting ways they’re molding Chicago’s—and hence, the world’s—culture. We eventually decided to have artists show up to the South Facing Windows studio at staggered times for photoshoots and conduct interviews via Zoom. We’re thrilled to talk about these artists and once again highlight all the realms in which Chicago’s music kicks-ass in. - Pedro Gonzalez
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Adan Diaz
Satisfying self-reflections that bleed nostalgia
For Adan Diaz, becoming a professional musician has always been the goal. Still, it wasn’t until L.A.-based label Godmode took interest in the song covers he would upload online that he realized his dream was within reach. Adan creates a comforting, warm soundscape for his quickly growing audience through soft-spoken vocals and consonant chord progressions. With frequent references to Portillo’s and the local skatepark, it comes as no surprise that Adan often finds inspiration in his environment and everyday sights. Whether you’re a young kid seeking relatable lyrics or an adult looking to reminisce on your high school days —there’s something for everyone to resonate within Adan’s music.
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Alex Banin
Landscapes of gritty, honest & dazzling emotion
With a consistent and impressive 2020 behind her, Alex Banin steps into 2021, determined to maintain her momentum. Banin’s raspy and mellifluous voice creates a landscape of gritty and honest emotions, which have led her songs to appear on major playlists and garnered the artist well-deserved recognition. She’s already turned down a few offers in order to release her upcoming EP on her own terms. Alex’s commitment and direct involvement in all the creative elements of her art are as natural as her approach to music, resulting in breathtaking visuals and sounds that seamlessly communicate with each other. Though she is constantly elevating and expanding her sound, an Alex Banin track or video is always easy to recognize because of her authenticity. Seeing how far Alex has come in just a couple of years leaves you at the edge of your seat, eager to see what’s next.
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Henry Verus
Raw yet comforting croon & an aching soul
With an awing determination to put forth and give his complete authentic self to the world, Henry Verus’ careful approach to his craft has propelled him to stand out as an exciting new act. The 17-year old singer/songwriter/producer is now just shy of a year since writing and releasing “Alone!,” his first single that garnered the attention of thousands of listeners through brutally honest lyricism, a mesmerizing melody, and comforting acoustics.
For Henry, it’s all about authenticity, which is why his music is noticeably visceral as the subjects of his songs are able to recount specific emotions and feelings relating to love, lust, and introspective realizations. Only a few months into 2021 and Henry feels confident that this is his year. In the coming weeks, he plans to drop a new single, mentioning it’s one he believes will be received well, while also revealing intentions of releasing a cohesive project around summertime. Between wrapping up his last year of high school, the strides he’s been making with his music, his interests in fashion and even starting his own art collective, Henry’s surely got a lot going on. For now, it’s all about taking in the moment and being present for the upcoming milestones he’s on track to hit in the coming months.
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Horsegirl
A field of fuzzy guitars & dizzying tranquility
Blazing onto the scene with their time-transcending rock sound, Horsegirl is already beginning to make noise on the national level, and it’s hard to ignore. Made up of Nora Cheng, Gigi Reece, and Penelope Lowenstein —who seem to have found each other thanks to fate—Horsegirl is a love letter to what once was and a promise of what can be. Different pieces of their individual personalities reflect in one another and make up their harmonious relationship. From finishing each other's sentences to merging their lives for the sake of the band and their connection, this trio has given in to the growth of Horsegirl as a unit. Reminiscent of DIY scenes that once were and a haunting spirit of rock from decades past, the band is determined to bring this feeling back on their own terms and spread it throughout their generation and those to come. For them, it comes down to community and a shared love of music, which, when paired together, often results in magic. In 2021, Horsegirl seeks to continue harnessing that alchemy, and what they do with it will be worth the wait.
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Kara Jackson
Poetry painting a new portrait of folk
Kara Jackson’s music often feels like the warm embrace of a friend. With their soothing contralto voice, endearing lyrics, and guitar licks, some of their songs make you want to slow dance at a wedding, and others are perfect for hiding under your blanket on a cold winter night. Through their masterful songwriting, Kara can adorn even the most basic sentiment in ways that feel transcendental and make you feel them tenfold with their singing. The former national youth poet laureate had a busy 2019 fulfilling the duties that come with that honor; publishing a chapbook, releasing the tender A Song for Every Chamber of the Heart EP, and starting freshman year of college all the way out in Massachusetts. So, even though the pandemic radically changed the course of their 2020, Kara embraced the forced stillness back at home in Oak Park to be intentional and focus on their debut album in between virtual classes. To say it’s a record we’re excited for would be an understatement.
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LAN Party
An enchanting, digitized arrangement of sound
With the release of their debut EP, PLUR, this past year marked a significant milestone for electronic artist LAN Party. It kicked off with a partnership deal with Majestic Casual, the popular Youtube channel, which packaged the project under its label. As a child of the digital world, LAN Party introduced and guided listeners through an enchanting, digitized arrangement of sound across the EP’s four songs. It takes a certain expertise to be able to convey such intense emotions through sound, especially on tracks where vocals are less emphasized–but there’s no doubt in saying that this is a skill that LAN Party has successfully achieved in their still youthful career.
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Serena Isioma
A leading light of a new generation
Serena Isioma doesn’t care much for genders, and even less so for genres. The 20-year-old singer is a leading light of a new generation of artists who are breaking through by being unapologetically themselves. Serena particularly shines with an undeniable charisma that’s infused in their music and personality. To put it plainly, they are the archetype of the new decade’s rockstar. At once, they are the coolest person in any room they walk into while also making you feel like the coolest person just by listening to their catalog. Oscillating between rap, indie-pop, psychedelic tunes, and everything in between, Serena has had no trouble connecting with a growing and loyal fan base. In 2020 they released two EPs that showed their versatility and promise. In a year full of gloom and loss, few songs made us feel as alive and vibrant as the first EP’s title track, Sensitive. The follow-up, Leo Sun Sets, captured emotions and experiences many of us felt during the tumultuous past spring and summer with records that are lowkey confessions one second and develop into wayward situations the next. Serena is now working on a proper debut album with a release date yet to be determined.
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Shawnee Dez
A soaring, layered, undeniable aura of cool
Whether it’s organizing a community bike ride or stacking harmonies, Shawnee Dez creates with intention, seeding her nurturing spirit into all that she does. Her Pre-Juneteenth Black Joy Bike Ride in the summer of 2020 attests to this nurturing, altruistic part of her character, both as an artist and individual. Shawnee aims to unify her community through active participation on the ground while valuing the connections she forms along the way —always centering care. And it’s that same care and warmth that imbues her music. Even a single titled “ICEY” captures Dez’s intoxicating, soulful voice and her versatility as an artist. Moving into 2021, she vows to allow herself to exist with or without permission from the world, and we can’t wait to have a front-row seat.
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Stranded Civilians
Brimming with pureness, replay value & impressive lyricism
Hailing from the city’s North Side, Stranded Civilians, comprised of Tony Santana and Aubry, are part of the lineage of the integral role duos like Kidz In The Hall and The Cool Kids have played in Chicago hip-hop. After a string of mixtapes and EPs, Stranded Civilians made a splash last summer with the drop of their debut album, Nirvana. Tony and Aubry showcased wisdom beyond their years by making a project that embodied the deeply personal spiritual growth they experienced in 2020. With Aubry’s Midas-touch production as the backbone of the album’s structure, both he and Tony quite literally bring you into the minds of two college students discovering their place and purpose in the world. They hit the mark on replay value with impressive tongue-twisting lyricism and quotables, harmonious composition, outstanding features, and a thesis that will make you reflect on your own life’s path. As they plan to keep leveling up, tap into the stage they’re at right now and become in awe of what they will be able to accomplish later down the line.
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Listen to Stranded Civilians on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Stranded Civilians on Twitter & Instagram
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OG Stevo
Unmissable melodies & a “run-it-back” catalog
When it comes to Chicago’s hip-hop culture, the South and West Sides have been at the forefront of the scene basically since the early aughts. However, toward the back half of the 2010s, it’s been the city’s North Side that’s seen an uptick in new leaders of the city’s sonic landscape. One of these rising stars is Rogers Park rapper OG Stevo, whose 2020 proved to be his most successful year as an artist so far, thanks largely to his hit single “Don’t Scuff ‘Em,” which garnered regular spins on local radio stations and became his first video to hit 100,000 views on Youtube. As the antithesis of an overnight sensation, the success of the track is the culmination of OG Stevo honing his craft for the last three years. Since first appearing on our radar in 2018 with his breakout single “Lemonade,” Stevo has consistently shown evolution with his trap sound. Listening to his music, it’s the flawless delivery of his melodic flow combined with hard-hitting bars that catch your ear. OG Stevo makes music that will make you run back the track halfway through listening to it in order to take the time to fully appreciate it, ensuring your ears catch every 808-infused note and quotable lyrics.
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FURTHER LISTENING
CREDITS
Interviews by: Pedro Gonzalez, Alejandro Hernandez, Ellie Naughton, Iman Music & Carlos Castillo
Produced by: Eric Montanez, Patrick Welby, Brent Butcher, Carlos Castillo & Pedro Gonzalez
Photography by: Michael Salisbury
Captured at South Facing Windows (Chicago)