South by Southwest kicked off this weekend with artists from all over the world bringing their love of music to Austin. Today, Asian artists dominated the festival, bringing their culture to Texas.
Austin’s annual South by Southwest is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, with its film, music, and the thousands of other showcases happening all over the city. Just by walking down 6th street, you’ll hear echoes of rock, indie, country, rap and more, from restaurants, bars and clubs. Austin is transformed into a walkable music venue, leading you from artist to artist. Today, artists from India, Japan, China and more took stage at the festival, bringing an exciting start to the festival.
KEXP’s Eastern Echoes
The day started off with a bang at South by Southwest’s Rivian Park, with artists from Japan, Thailand and China, bringing in their own flair to the stage. First, Seattle’s Chinese American Bear took the stage, where the singer beautifully sang about her experiences growing up in the United States and in Beijing. The band transported you to the singer’s childhood, with a blending of Chinese and English lyrics. The children of immigrants in the crowd cheered along to the song “Feeling Funny”.
Next NISATIWA X NOTEP took the stage, where they blended together electro-pop with traditional Japanese instruments. This set was not one to miss, with one of the band members jumping into the crowd. Rivian Park was transformed into a mini-rave, with everyone dancing and jumping to each song. It was truly impressive. – Isha Merchant
South Asian House
Now, it was time for the South Asian artists to shine at Flamingo Cantina. This venue was packed, with fans forming several lines to get into the venue. But, it was so worth it. DJ Anupi blended Indian and English beats in between sets, already setting the tone for the night to come.
First, Ramya Pothuri performed a beautiful set. She sang about her experiences being a serial dater, and how she eventually met her now boyfriend. Her voice was beautifully soft and indie. Later, Gayathri Krishnan took the stage, blending traditional Indian vocals and neo-soul and RnB. She utilized the raga, a Northern Indian form of singing that blends together notes within a key, while maintaining microtones and vibrato, with no western counterpart. It was amazing to see the Austin South Asian community finding a home in such a big music festival. – Isha Merchant
Valhalla’s Rock Showcase
The night ended with a fun mix of punk rock and alt-rock, with bands Taleen Kali and Glaze taking over. Taleen Kali is a POC female fronted metal band that lived up to every expectation. They rocked the stage, with punk and metal influences, encouraging the audience to go as crazy as possible.
Lastly, Austin native band Glaze took the stage, where they performed a fun blend of alt-rock. They packed the house, with fans cheering them on. – Isha Merchant
I am a student at University of Houston currently studying Strategic Communications. In my free time, I write for different publications as I am extremely passionate about music. I collect vinyls, go to concerts, and play guitar. Some of my favorite artists include Paramore, Kendrick Lamar, and Lorde. On the weekends I make pottery, sew, and spend time with my dog.
