With writing and reporting by Alany Rodriguez, Dani Friedman and Kirsten Calabrese
South by Southwest, the music industry’s version of the Olympics, returned to its original format in Austin, Texas following a nearly three-year in person hiatus due to COVID-19. The "Live Music Capital of the World" was not left short of a week filled with exciting showcases featuring new and veteran artists.
The Recording Academy’s GRAMMY U team experienced SXSW's live shows and panels, and met some of the official SXSW artists. Inside the GRAMMY U Social Media Lounge, the team discussed artists' careers, what music they are listening to and their musical inspirations. Below are our 10 favorite moments and takeaways from South by Southwest 2022.
1. Young Thug & Gunna Opened The Stage
Opening the Samsung + Billboard-sponsored "The Stage,” Gunna first performed a solo 30-minute set before bringing out Young Thug (to palpable excitement from the crowd) to perform their hit single "Surf," off of Thug’s So Much Fun album. Following his solo set, the dynamic melodic rapping duo powered back together to perform their top collaborative songs, such as "Ski," "Hot" and their most recent viral hit, "pushin P."
2. Shawn Mendes' Touching Fan Moment
Following an opening set from Latin pop artist Sebastian Yatra, GRAMMY-nominated artist Shawn Mendes literally emerged from a cloud of smoke and opened his set with the dreamy lead single from his third album, Wonder.
Also held at “The Stage,” Mendes’ performance consisted of 11 songs, three of which were live debuts from Wonder, as well as Mendes' recently released single, "It’ll Be Okay."
Mendes spotted a fan from the crowd with a poster asking to perform "305" alongside him, and accommodated the request by bringing an extra mic onstage for an impromptu acoustic rendition. This touching fan moment was shared extensively on TikTok, though the internet went into a full frenzy following Mendes' debut of an unreleased (and previously unheard) song, "When You’re Gone."
The show wrapped with the crowd roaring along to the lyrics of past Song of the Year nominee "In My Blood," whose buildup led to a climactic smoke cannon explosion. Reflecting on social media later that night, Mendes posted a video mentioning that he "felt the love in Austin," a feeling mutual for both artist and crowd following the last night at The Stage.
3. Paris Jackson Shared Her Inspirational Moments And Dream Collabs
Before she hit the stage at the Scoot Inn for her very own SXSW showcase — where she showed off some newly acquired electric guitar skills — singer Paris Jackson stopped by the GRAMMY U Media Lounge Wednesday afternoon to talk about her creative process.
Jackson shared that the inspiration to write comes naturally, and she takes advantage of those moments whenever she can rather than forcing ideas and lyrics out. When asked about her dream artist collaborations, she gave special praise to Manchester Orchestra and shared her experience growing up with their music.
Reflecting on her first SXSW as an artist, Jackson noted that the experience has been challenging but also a shaping factor in her career.
4. Tayla Parx Brought Incredible Energy To The Stage
Tayla Parx, the Recording Academy’s LA Chapter Board Member and GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter, made an appearance at the GRAMMY U Social Media Lounge between her performance at the Dr. Martens Presents showcase and her show later that night.
Parx said she was "most excited to connect with [her] fans again" at SXSW, as it was her first time performing since the beginning of the pandemic. Her late-night performance at Speakeasy Ballroom was an incredible display of her talent, featuring a band and two dancers for a fully choreographed routine. Although it was nearly 2 a.m. by the show's end, there was no lack of energy in Parx’s performance.
5. MUNA Showed Excitement For A "New Chapter"
Electronic-pop band MUNA has been making waves across the music industry, continuing their momentum during their third trip to SXSW. The band played a number of shows during the festival, including a headlining performance at Mohawk presented by Saddest Factory Records and hosted by Phoebe Bridgers.
The following day, MUNA stopped by the GRAMMY U Social Media Lounge for an interview. MUNA said their forthcoming self-titled album represents a new chapter in their music, bringing more happiness and light to their discography. The band added that they are excited to do their first true headline run and to connect with fans post-pandemic.
6. KALI Encouraged Young Artists To Follow Their Gut
Teen indie artist KALI stopped by the GRAMMY U Social Media Lounge during their first SXSW appearance. The 17-year-old multi-instrumentalist discussed the advantages of being a young artist and the confidence that comes with trusting yourself.
"I think that a lot of people my age feel this pressure to figure out what they want to do, and I don’t really feel that pressure because I trust my gut enough," said KALI, adding that they look up to artists such as Paul McCartney and Phoebe Bridgers. "In the industry, it is very important to stay true to that and I feel like I am doing a good job so far."
KALI is currently on tour with Claud in the U.S. and is prepping the release their second EP.
7. The Woman Behind Women That Rock
Former GRAMMY U New York Chapter Representative Andie Aronow visited the GRAMMY U Social Media Lounge to discuss her company, Women That Rock, prior to their showcase event at Mohawk later in the week.
A graduate of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University, Aronow described her transition from student to GRAMMY U Representative to music industry professional and adjunct professor as "surreal."
Women That Rock is dedicated to supporting up-and-coming women and non-binary musicians. At its second-ever SXSW showcase, Women That Rock artists ranged from acts with hundreds to tens of thousands of followers, with Sir Woman as one of the showcase headliners.
8. Eddie Benjamin, A Bieber Supporting Artist, Got Seen
The Porsche-presented showcase "Unseen" invited new artists to perform. Among the performers was rising Australian singer Eddie Benjamin, who is supporting Justin Bieber on his Justice world tour.
Accompanied by his electric guitar, Benjamin performed his top singles such as "Weatherman," and "Running Away From Home," in front of a dancing crowd. Obvious from his cadence performing live, his musical influences include legendary artists such as Jimi Hendrix.
9. Phoneboy's Performance At The Texas Chapter Block Party
On March 16, the Recording Academy’s Texas Chapter hosted a block party at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Austin. The event featured a special performance by Phoneboy, a band from the Stevens Institute of Technology who were the winners of the Texas Chapter Block Party GRAMMY U performer national contest.
Members of the New York Chapter, the indie-pop band gave a remarkable performance and charming stage presence in front of leading music industry professionals and artists. Their song "Hey, Kid!" had the crowd pumped up for the rest of the energetic night.
10. Don Toliver Uplifted The Crowd At SXSW's Close
Don Toliver closed out the action-packed week of live music at his Rolling Loud SXSW headlining slot. He took the audience for a melodic ride, performing both upbeat and more relaxed songs, taking the audience to space with a captivating performance of "Moon," which he featured on off of Ye’s Donda album.
The Houston native was not shy about jumping around the stage. During his performance of "After Party," the stage filled with smoke and you could feel the crowd’s uplifting party spirit.
With 'Hrs And Hrs' Of Dedication, Muni Long Is Rising To The Occasion With Love
