With under a month to go until the SXSW Music Festival gets underway in Austin Texas, God Is In The TV Zine provides an A to Z of artists to check out. The festival gives a platform for music from all genres and all corners of the world. With hundreds of artists already confirmed for the showcasing event, there will be an official weekly announcement by SXSW between now and the start of the Music Festival on 10 March confirming further additions. This is obviously a long way from an exhaustive list but provides a dip of the toe into the waters of this humongous event.
The OBGMs (Canada)
The OBGMs fuse punk, rock, and hip-hop into an electrifying sound that’s garnered critical acclaim for album The Ends. Known for their ferocious live performances, they’ve shared stages with heavyweights like Death From Above, PUP, and Alexisonfire. Their explosive energy and genre-defying approach make them a force to be reckoned with, poised to leave an indelible mark on the music scene and captivate audiences worldwide with their raw, unapologetic style.
Paris death Hilton (Japan)
Paris death Hilton is a Japanese experimental rock band, founded in 2016,composed of Kuba (electronics), Ken Takahashi (drums/electronics). They are experimenting with massive synths and explosive drums, pushing the boundaries of sonic rock-duo sounds. Known for their intensely physical performances, they reject click sync while skilfully using Abelton Live and various controllers.
Quin NFN (Austin, Texas)
With his energetic delivery and catchy flows, rapper Quin NFN is a shining example of Austin’s emerging hip-hop scene. Hailing from Northeast Austin, in a section known as “Da 4,” Quin made his debut remixing songs by other rappers, including Chicago’s Lil Mouse, when he was 15 years old. Quin NFN’s breakthrough came with 2018’s ‘Talkin’ My S**t‘ freestyle. The video surpassed a million streams in a week, leading Quin to sign to Elliot Grainge’s 10K Projects in 2019. It was originally a one-verse freestyle that Quin came up with off the top of his head. He added a second verse, and the song now has tens of millions of combined streams. After signing, Quin released his debut project, 2019’s 4NUN. The project has racked up more than 115 million streams in the US alone.
Radio Free Alice (Australia)
“I can’t eat you, I can’t fuck you, so why the fuck would I come?”
Those were the parting words of Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe to Radio Free Alice’s band members. Hobbling over to the band tequila in hand as the band finished the early set of their Sydney residency at Newtown’s The Duke, the wiry icon offered words of praise. At the vanguard of a new wave of high energy guitar rock and fast emerging as one of Australia’s most exciting young bands, Melbourne 5-piece Radio Free Alice released their first two EPs Radio Free Alice and Polyester. With an operatic swagger angular guitar driven sound, the Melbourne group emerged with an art school musical palette, painted from a suburban Australian canvas. The band have opened for The Killers, Royel Otis and Sorry. Their captivating live show saw them emerge from Brisbane’s BIGSOUND showcase and SXSW Sydney as one of the breakout artists for 2024, and backed up by NME who included them in their NME 100 list for 2025.
Smag På Dig Selv (Denmark)
One drummer and two saxophonists. That’s the recipe for one of the wildest live bands in the Nordics. It tastes of punk, it tastes of jazz, also a bit of pop, hip-hop, afro-beat and 90’s dance. The Danish trio Smag På Dig Selv (SPDS) is the epitome of instrumental euphoria – dangerous, propulsive, seductive and free. The three friends in Smag På Dig Selv joined forces with their saxophones and drums with a vision of kicking people onto the dance floor and pushing the boundaries of the usual concert experience and genre understanding, and since then they have been roaming the Danish underground, leaving stages, dance floors and audiences in sweat-dripping ecstasy. In March 2024 the band released their debut album SPDS’ to critical acclaim and have firmly established themselves as one of the best live acts in the country moving out of the underground in the mainstream.
Tracei (Boca Raton, Florida)
Meet the vibrant Tracei, a musical force hailing from the sunshine-filled Boca Raton, Florida. Born on May 17, 1997, Tracei’s journey is a symphony of influences, from playing instruments in diverse churches to drawing inspiration from J.Cole, Andre 3000, Biggie Smalls, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Kendrick Lamar. The emerging Florida Rap star strikes the perfect balance between menace and empowerment with her bass-heavy, anthemic songs of self-assurance and devotion to personal boundaries. The juxtaposition is reminiscent of Cash Money‘s peak Pen & Pixel era and a pre-2000s Three 6 Mafia.
Beyond the notes, Tracei is more than a musician; she’s a Johnson C. Smith University graduate, a former collegiate athlete who conquered both fields. Now armed with a social work degree, Tracei orchestrates a unique blend of melodies to create music that not only resonates but leaves a lasting, positive impact on the hearts of her listeners. Tracei uses her voice to advocate for the voiceless through music.
For more information on SXSW including badges, artists information and schedules please check out the website.
