January

Variety

2024 was a very busy year for Variety. Within the same week of announcing the band, they released their debut single, “Plover,” followed quickly by “The Light” and “Pooling Rain” in February and March. While all songs were beyond enjoyable, the notable differences between the four left fans intrigued by the future of Variety’s sound.

 After a brief hiatus between their next single, fans were more than ready to hear that Subtropical, would be the first single from their debut album. Released in November 0f 2024, Subtropical solidified Variety’s place in the Austin music scene.

February

Anastasia Hera

Our February KUTX Artist of the Month, Anastasia Hera, released her wide-ranging and ambitious album, Way Outside, at the end of 2024. Hera’s recording and stage shows have earned her many raves (from the Austin Music Foundation, Sonic Guild and others), but her work is also multi-faceted. Despite the challenges of being a single mom, she has also built up her non-profit organization CAKE (Creativity Abundance Knowledge Elevation), guiding and educating other women looking for careers in music. 

March

Gus Baldwin & The Sketch

After many years of winning the hearts and ears of Austin music lovers both as a solo artist and as a member of the psych outfit Acid Carousel, Gus Baldwin’s name has been in the mouths of bookers and promoters for years, and more recently, he formed Gus Baldwin & the Sketch. And while it still has the tight, catchy hooks of Acid Carousel, the Sketch hangs out in the garage: it’s fuzzy, bold, and full of adrenaline.

Their debut album The Sketch came out in January. It’s punchy, danceable, and it might take you back to the iPod commercials of the mid 00’s. And as highly anticipated as this album has been, the wait was worth it; the sketches were turned in because they were ready; not because it was 11:30.

April

Next of Kin

The trio, made up of Lili Hickman, Madison Baker, and Caelin bring a breath of fresh country energy to the Austin music scene they’ve been part of individually for years. All three came from musical backgrounds and knew early on that music, particularly singing, was part of their destiny. Each member has been writing their own music from an early age. While Hickman, the firstborn of Austin music stalwart Sarah Hickman, was practically born into the Austin music scene, Baker followed a more traditional trajectory of running away to Austin from your small town, and Caelin was brought to Austin through the suggestion of a fan of hers, legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave.

While establishing themselves in the Austin music scene individually, the three fell in love with each other’s music, and each pair within the trio became fast friends. In 2024, Next of Kin released their debut single “Jekyll & Hyde,” to high praise and frequent airplay, portraying the same magic that brought together the Highwomen and Dolly, Linda, and Emmylou.

May

Half Dream

Austin’s Paige Renee Berry has had music at the center of their life since before they could talk. The Knoxville, Tennessee native began writing their own music in college, and when they moved to Austin in 2015, Berry co-founded the folk duo The Rosaries. In 2018 Berry started taking their own solo music head-on but quickly fleshed out their vision with a full rock band and renamed the project Half Dream. Since 2018, the group has released an EP and full-length, toured the East Coast, and been an official SXSW artist.

July

J’cuuzi

Austin’s J’cuuzi are about as avantgarde as you can get. Or as I like to call them pop-vantgarde. They’re too electronic to be post-punk, too post-punk to be considered electronic, and a hair too melodic to be straight noise rock. But it’s hot, wild, and maybe a little dangerous, like a jacuzzi.

Their live shows match their songwriting: performing on a stage made to look like a scantily clad apartment filled with its members strutting outrageous, matching homemade costumes that could be described as sideshow couture. All the while, their insatiable high-octane energy locks you in.

August

Grace Sorensen

Fresh off her debut full-length BLUEPRINT, the Austin R&B/soul singer Grace Sorensen has made it abundantly clear she is a force to be reckoned with. Well before her debut LP dropped, Sorensen quickly became an integral part of Austin’s R&B and rap scenes — including a guest appearance on BLK ODYSSY’s debut album, BLK VINTAGE, and a recent single featuring Austin rap heroes Magna Carda for some guest verses. She’s also been an official SXSW artist, performed at ACL Festival, AND opened for Diana Ross—a crowning achievement for the young singer and for the city as a whole.

September

The Point.

Austin’s The Point released a deluxe edition of their album Maldito Animal, while wrapping up a summer tour alongside a slew of big names across the musical spectrum.

On the album, which contains two new songs, Jack Montesinos and Joe Roddy pay tribute to the diverse, talented and wildly entertaining world music scene that helped raise them. Lifelong Austinites with deep family ties to the city’s music community, the pair met as junior high students with a shared love of funky blues riffs and Hammond B-3 organs. Their connection quickly morphed into a series of musical collaborations that continue to this day.

In 2023, The Point added French drummer and onetime Austin cab driver, Nico Leophonte, who helped introduce the band to Algerian and West African music that became a signature style on Maldito Animal.

October

Teethe

In 2020, longtime friends and collaborators Boone Patrello, Grahm Robinson, Madeline Dowd and Jordan Garrett officially joined forces to form Teethe after years of sharing stages around North Texas’ vibrant DIY circuit. That same year, the quartet released a gorgeous self-titled debut album that bucked the trend of overlooked pandemic-era releases, racking up millions of streams and earning the band a reputation for poignant lyrics and spare, haunting compositions.

Now, four years on and a move to Austin under their belts, Teethe has released a new album, Magic of the Sale. This latest release ramps up the emotional intensity and production values to create even more nuanced sonic landscapes. Imagine Elliot Smith backed by the atmospheric arrangements of the Texas instrumental outfit Balmorhea for an idea of the gut punch on tap.

November

Judy Blank

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Blank fell in love with classic American cinema. She first made waves in Europe, touring club circuits, playing major festivals, and charming crowds with her offbeat storytelling and sharp wit. But her obsession with the American dream never faded, pulling her to Nashville, where she recorded her ‘70s-inspired coming-of-age debut album, Morning Sun. The record gained international recognition, earned praise from Elton John, and won her an RIAA Gold Award for her jagged-edged folk ballad Tangled Up in You.

After making the leap to the U.S., Blank quickly expanded her cult following, touring across the country with SUSTO and Wild Child. The Dutch DIY enigma opened for Noah Kahan & Flipturn, supported Michael Marcagi & Katie Pruitt on their European tours, and even played Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion. Her singular, genre-defying artistry didn’t go unnoticed – this year, she was signed by Rounder Records, who released her new LP, Big Mood, in August.