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.
Her New Knife (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Her New Knife is a shoegaze/alternative band based out of Philadelphia, PA. The group’s members include Edgar Atencio (guitar and vocals), Ben Kachler (guitar), Carolina Schooley (bass), and Elijah Ford (drums). The band’s recent EP, ‘chrome is lullaby’, released via Julia’s War Recordings, captures a raw, vulnerable allure, offering fans of shoegaze and post-punk a profound connection to their unique sound. Their live performances are a mesmerizing experience, where scraping guitars and relentless, machine-like drums create an atmosphere that is both intense and ephemeral. Each show is an oblique journey, drawing the audience into fleeting and intimate moments. Her New Knife is currently working on their debut LP, expected to release in late 2025.
Invoke (Austin, Texas)
Described as “…not anything but everything: Classical, Folk, Bluegrass, Americana and a sound yet to be termed seamlessly merged into a perfect one” (David Srebnik, SiriusXM Classical Producer), Invoke (Nick Montopoli, violin/banjo/vocals; Zach Matteson, violin/vocals; Karl Mitze, viola/mandolin/vocals; Geoff Manyin, cello/vocals) successfully dodges even the most valiant attempts at genre classification. The multi-instrumental quartet encompasses traditions from across America, including bluegrass, Appalachian fiddle tunes, jazz, and minimalism. Fueled by their passion for storytelling, Invoke weaves all of these styles together to form a unique contemporary repertoire, featuring original works composed by and for the group.
John Francis Flynn (Ireland)
Discussing the album artwork for his second long-player Look Over The Wall, See The Sky, John Francis Flynn admitted to Irish publication Hotpress:
“It was important that it looked well,” says Flynn. “Once it looked cool, it could be tongue-in- cheek. You know the way in other countries on Paddy’s Day, they dye their drinks green for Ireland? I thought, why don’t they just drink Crème de menthe, it’s already green? So I started thinking of it as some sort of sacred liquid, the essence of Ireland. On a more serious note, the point of the album cover is to poke fun at this view of Ireland and Paddywhackery. Everyone has this idea of what Ireland is and it’s a Disneyland version of what Ireland actually is. To live in Dublin is very different to what people see coming over on holidays to Dublin, going to Temple Bar and spending ten quid on a pint, you know.“
The singer and multi-instrumentalist blends earthy vocals, electronics and trad instruments producing unforgettable performances. He masterfully unpicks traditional songs and rearranges them with an emotional force. Simply a master of his craft.
Kap Bambino (France)
Kap Bambino is an electronic musical duo from Bordeaux, France. The group is known for Caroline Martial’s wild vocals and Orion Bouvier’s electronics. The group is also known for their exciting live performances, thus them being a part of the festivals SXSW, Dot to Dot , Martial formed the group’s own independent label, “wwilko”. The group was also featured in Matt Irwin’s film for Armani Exchange. Caroline was listed among the “hottest young models .. in London and New York.” The group has independently toured all over Europe, Japan and Latin America. In 2009, they were a part of SXSW, and their single ‘Dead Lazers’ made BIGSTEREO’s charts for top downloads, placed number 8. They released their most recent album Devotion, which was critically well received. Now they’re back with a savage and wild new album under their belt to be released on Cleopatra Records on March 2025.
luvis (Japan)
A singer-songwriter, track maker, and guitarist from Uji, Kyoto, now based in Tokyo. luvis seeks to connect primal emotions—those that precede words—passed down through generations, to people living today and to those of future eras. Drawing influence from jazz, soul music, alternative rock, folk, and the natural world, his organic sound and distinctive voice captivate listeners. The name “luvis” originates from “luv (love) is,” reflecting his lifelong theme of exploring what love truly means through his creative endeavours.
The title track of his latest EP, Blue Inside You, ‘Higher’, was featured in the 2025 broadcast of EIGHT-JAM’s “Best 10 Songs of the Year Chosen by Professionals” segment and reached #8 on Spotify’s Viral Chart.
Maruja (United Kingdom)
Electrifying experimental punks perform at SXSW while on their debut headline tour in North America. The Manchester quartet Maruja have already created a stir in the UK and EU, gathering a fervent fan base wherever they play. Their music reflects the chaos and the calm of life, these extremes present in both the instrumentation and the vocal. 2024 was a standout year, playing Glastonbury and signing for Music For Nations just two of the many highlights. Their third EP Tír na nÓg is released on 21 February, perfect timing to share with audiences across North America.
Native Sun (Brooklyn, New York)
New York City’s Native Sun blends the raw energy of early punk and garage rock with the melodic sensibilities and depth of art rock. Fronted by Colombian-born Danny Gomez (vox/guitar) alongside Justin Barry (bass/vox), Jack Hiltabidle (guitar), and Argentine-born Nicolas Espinosa (drums), Native Sun is celebrated for their visceral, untamed live shows and Gomez’s socially-charged lyrics that confront reality head-on—channeling disillusionment into action and lovingly documenting the lives of society’s misfits and marginalized. With a DIY ethos and a devoted following, Native Sun is poised for explosive growth with the release of their debut LP.
For more information on SXSW including badges, artists information and schedules please check out the website.
