These Days

Chicago Artists to Watch

Spring/Summer 2023

In the times of songs fabricated for TikTok sounds and the rise of derivative AI “music,” local scenes remain as vital lifelines to authenticity, innovation, and discernment. This year’s Chicago Artists to Watch Spring/Summer class reflects the breadth of authentic artistry and exciting new ideas happening around us. From their grit to vulnerable songwriting to imaginative melodies, these six artists do more than just make good music. They represent what it means to be yourself in your music and the power to build relationships with audiences who feel connected to you.

D2x, Free Range, Friko, Gayun Cannon, Kayo & Khaliyah X come from various sides and experiences of the city, but they’re united by a promise of what’s to come. Not only for where music is going but how artists can embody their personal character through their work.

We gathered with them all on one gloomy day at South Facing Windows, and their excitement for the moment and the future reminded us all why we do this. Captured through video interviews by the fantastic Audiotree team, feature photography by Mike Salisbury, and write-ups courtesy of a handful of our staff writers, dive in below to learn more about their craft and find your next favorite artist.

- Iman Music

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D2x

Hailing from the South Side of Chicago, Demauris Dixon, more commonly known as D2x, makes music for those seeking the marriage between narrative-driven lyrics and head-bobbing instrumentals. After breaking into the scene in 2018 with "Woop Woop," an aggro, party-ready single reminiscent of the late SoundCloud-era sound, the hip-hop artist looked inwards for a sound that felt more authentic to him and shifted the narrative of his music to embrace a style steered by intentionality, renewal, and soulfulness heard in records he'd listen to growing up. His debut album, The Color Blue, paints the story of a rapper crazed by ambition, donning lines that recall a childhood spent daydreaming about success followed by the intensity of being thrown into adulthood. Though he’s opted for a candid storytelling approach in his newer work, all of which proves his natural ability to take pen to paper as an expert lyricist, his aptitude to get listeners to move is still alive through tracks such as “Adult Swim.” D2x pulls from a variety of genres, including soul, jazz, and even punk rock; citing Frank Sinatra, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, and Pink Floyd as inspirations, all of which shine through within the musician’s discography, whether it’s found in the chorus, melody, or expression.

- Hannah Gonzalez

Listen to D2x on Spotify & Apple Music

Follow D2x on Instagram

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Free Range

Free Range sounds the way wind moves through the leaves of a tree: organic and spontaneous. Singer-songwriter Sofia Jensen stands at the helm of the indie-folk project, and accompanied by collaborators Bailey Minzenberger and Jack Henry, the trio composed the bedrock of what would become Free Range’s debut album Practice amidst the pandemic and diligently worked on it for years. Released at the top of 2023, the album holds the preciousness of years in the making. Infused with the subtleness of fine detail, the trio crafted their own approach to the folk genre, sculpting a soft and layered sound. Acoustic melodies intricately threaded together serve as the backdrop for Jensen’s dream-like musings, evoking memories of stillness within the listener. Good accompaniments include shadows cast from morning light, long stretches down I-94, and nighttime in early June. Over the next few months, you can catch Free Range at the Logan Square Arts Festival, the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, and alongside The Backseat Lovers on their summer tour.

- Halle Mohr

Listen to Free Range on Spotify & Apple Music

Follow Free Range on Instagram

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Friko

Friko is making music that sounds romantically chaotic. In merging light, sweeping strings with darker, flanged guitars, the Rogers Park trio perfectly balances the theatrics of glam rock with heavier shoegaze aesthetics, resulting in a timeless beauty disrupted by distortion. The band’s production feels like throwing a rock at a stained glass window and their lyrics —sensitive and confessional—offer a vessel for the teary-eyed, swollen-voiced listeners who aren’t yet ready to spill the words out themselves. Friko’s latest EP Whenever Forever speaks for anyone who’s suffered from burnout, procrastination, or feels themselves growing apart from a friend. 

From basement shows to opening at Thalia Hall to a headlining tour across North America, Friko’s humble recordings are beginning to make noise outside city limits. Young in age and in years together as a band, their rapid progression has been impressive to watch. They’ve become one of the newest darlings of Chicago’s indie-rock scene. With a sound so epically layered and lyrics that heal, Friko feels grander than one could ever imagine the three-piece band could become.

- Ellie Naughton

Listen to Friko on Spotify & Apple Music

Follow Friko on Instagram

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Gayun Cannon

Gayun Cannon makes music for the night. Maybe it’s because when most people are asleep, Gayun channels their early morning paroxysms into emotionally wrought compositions that blend pop and R&B. Or maybe it’s because Gayun’s sonic influences—jazz, soul, and bossa nova, to name a few—are genres meant for late night jaunts to smoky clubs. 

Hailing from Chinatown, Gayun soaked up much of their musical influences growing up in a Black and Asian household. “My dad played a lot of blues and soul music such as Etta James, The Jackson 5, Minnie Ripperton, and Al Green […] seeing him perform all the time made me desire to follow in his footsteps and be on a stage as well,” Gayun says of their dad, esteemed Chicago blues guitarist Toronzo Cannon. Gayun also culls inspiration from their Chinese heritage, weaving Chinese instruments into dream pop tracks “And My Crystals” and “M.A.T.A.” “My mother, on the other hand, exposed me to Chinese music, such as Faye Wong and Teresa Teng, which made me want to combine both of my cultures into my music.”

By marrying these eclectic influences and adding their own touch of contemporary pop a la Lana del Rey or Caroline Polachek, Gayun is a Chicago artist to keep on your radar.

- Kira Leadholm

Listen to Gayun Cannon on Spotify & Apple Music

Follow Gayun Cannon on Instagram

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Kayo

As far as Kayo can remember, the likes of Phil Collins, Elton John, NWA, Jay-Z, and many more eclectic artists were all a constant growing up in his household on the South Side. In fact, it was Hov’s The Black Album that ultimately sparked his desire to pursue rapping as a career.

Honest, ambitious, and with undeniable gravitas, Kayo infuses his sense of self into his music, matching transcendent hip-hop sounds with deeply personal stories and reflections. Putting so much of yourself out there can be taxing, but Kayo finds himself driven by a higher mission. “When you have purpose, it’s like an espresso shot,” he says. “I wake up with so many ideas and thoughts and plans.” It was that mindset that pushed him to spend countless hours recording his debut album at Feature Form Studio and culminated with the release of It Was Fun While It Lasted in January 2023. The excellent 12-song LP is a poignant and polished creation that reflects the many sleepless nights, dreams and sacrifices poured into his work.

- Allie Antonevich

Listen to Kayo on Spotify & Apple Music

Follow Kayo on Instagram

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Khaliyah X

As an R&B singer and super-fan, Khaliyah X likes to lean into midtempo grooves and stacked harmonies reminiscent of the genre’s golden era but presented in a present-day context. Using her sweet-natured personality and honeyed vocals, the South Side native sings and writes songs about modern relationships and the range of experiences one lives through them with a Chicagoan sensibility. Growing up listening to the likes of Brandy, Aaliyah, and Jill Scott, Khaliyah has been developing her sound since she first started singing at just eight years old. In 2022, Khaliyah delivered Just for the Summer, a breezy EP that pays homage to Chicago’s best season but also documents her “grieving a situationship.” The project touches on being ghosted (“Silly Games”), setting ground rules with a “Sneaky Link,” prioritizing her mental health (“Healing”), and celebrating her newfound freedom from the relationship (“We Outside”). Her voice’s light and breezy tone perfectly captures the essence of a Chicago summer and the movies we all live through it. Lately, Kaliyah has been showcasing her talent at numerous local shows and events, including performing the national anthem at a Chicago Bulls game, a significant milestone that could very well be foreshadowing the success ahead.

- Pedro Gonzalez

Listen to Khaliyah X on Spotify & Apple Music

Follow Khaliyah X on Instagram

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Secondary & BTS Photography