Emerging Artists At Hangout Fest
The Beaches
The Beaches is a four-piece alternative rock band formed in Toronto. Their viral 2023 single “Blame Brett” has over 47 million streams on Spotify and spent four weeks at number one on Billboard’s Canada Rock chart.
Forming in high school in 2013, The Beaches have gone from viral success on TikTok to sold-out shows. But this all-female group had been making a name for themselves in Canada for over a decade before their international breakthrough. The group kicked off a headlining Canadian tour in 2020 after releasing several EPs and a debut album, Late Show, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were dropped from their label and the rest of the shows were canceled.
Fast forward to the present day, The Beaches have over 3 million monthly Spotify listeners and are currently on their Blame My Ex international tour, with a stop at Hangout. And their Friday set is not going to be one to miss; their heavy-guitar and unapologetically feminine indie sound ignites the crowd into scream-singing along to every lyric with the band like you do when filming TikToks with friends.
See The Beaches at the Shoreline on Friday night to experience the Internet’s favorite all-girl alt-rock group.
by Normandie Hatfield
The Stews
The Stews are an up-and-coming alternative rock band sure to blow you away. Their standout track, "Make It Out," has garnered nearly two million streams on Spotify. Yet, their recorded works pale compared to their live shows' raw energy and magnetism.
The band started in their college days at Auburn University, but their talent quickly outgrew small-town Alabama. They left school to meet the demands of fans across the nation. They quickly graduated to playing sold-out headline sets in the likes of New York City, Nashville, and Dallas. This four-piece band is on a fast track to being a breakthrough act. In 2023, they played a set at the iconic festival Bonnaroo, and now they join a stacked lineup at Hangout Fest.
The Stews sacrifice no skill in their energetic and passionate live shows. Lead singer and guitarist Preston Hall is nothing short of astonishing. The band’s frontman is soulful, bluesy, and in many ways reminiscent of classic rock.
Guitar aficionados, psychedelic rock fans, and those who just want to brag about seeing the next big thing live should be sure not to miss this show. Catch them on the Main Stage on Friday.
by Georgia Lingerfelt
Brenn!
Brenn!, the dynamic 19-year-old folk-pop artist hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is gearing up to play for audiences at Hangout Fest with his soulful melodies and captivating storytelling. Brenn! has already captured the hearts of fans across the South with his viral hit “4runner.”
Known for his unique blend of folk influences with a Southern charm, Brenn!'s music evokes imagery of coming-of-age adventures, camping under starlit skies, and cruising down back roads in a Carhartt-clad embrace of nature. His infectious energy and genuine authenticity have earned him a devoted fanbase eager to experience his live performances.
Catch Brenn! as he takes the stage at Hangout Fest, where he promises to deliver a performance filled with passion, energy, and the undeniable charm that has quickly made him one of the most promising emerging artists in the industry.
by Natalie Jamali
Knox
Knox began his musical journey by performing at local open mic nights and trading textbooks for guitar chords. Eventually, his passion for music grew so all-consuming that he made the bold decision to leave school and move to Nashville in January 2019. It was during the isolating days of the Covid pandemic that Knox's dedication to his craft truly shone through. Amidst the uncertainty, he poured his energy into perfecting his sound, catching the attention of industry insiders like John Harvie, who helped propel Knox's career forward.
In 2022, Knox signed a publishing deal, marking a significant milestone in his musical odyssey. Fueled by a desire to connect with audiences on a deeper level, he released his debut EP, "How to Lose a Girl in 7 Songs," in February. Among its tracks was the infectious hit "Sneakers," which quickly amassed over 28 million streams, catapulting Knox into the spotlight.
Notably, Knox's song titled "Not The 1975" garnered attention for its catchy tune and its homage to the iconic band. In a surprising turn of events, Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975, responded to the song with enthusiasm, praising Knox's creativity and musical talent, even jokingly saying, "Congrats on the song! Give me a million dollars." This playful exchange further amplified the buzz surrounding Knox's music, solidifying his status as a rising star in the industry.
Adding to his repertoire, Knox recently unveiled his latest single, "Change Your Mind." With its captivating melodies and heartfelt lyrics, the track showcases Knox's evolving musical style, which has already begun to make waves in the industry. Excitingly, Knox will be taking his electrifying performance to the Hangout Fest, where he is set to captivate audiences with his stage presence and catchy tunes.
by Natalie Jamali
Hemlocke Springs
Born and raised in North Carolina and pursuing her master's at Dartmouth, the up-and-coming artist Hemlocke Springs said in a TikTok video that her life did a complete 180 when she had least expected it.
Hemlocke’s journey began with her interest in Garageband, an Apple software application that allows users to create their own music. She started making DIY pop songs in the comfort of her bedroom. In an interview with Complex, she confessed that she had a habit of quietly uploading her songs on Soundcloud and then removing them in a repetitive cycle.
It wasn’t until she released her song ''gimme all ur luv” that she decided to drop her music publicly. Soon after dropping “gimme all ur luv,” she started posting TikTok videos with the hopes of gaining a larger audience.
In October of 2022, she took the next step by teasing snippets of the chorus of her then-unreleased song “Girlfriend” on TikTok. Hemlocke made a few jokes on social media that it was actually teasing the bridge of the song that made it viral.
When “Girlfriend” released the following November, it was instantly trending all over TikTok. Fellow fans consider Hemlockes’ music to fall under subgenres of “bedroom pop”, “dream pop”, and deserving of its own genre of “Hemlocke pop”. Her fans express that her music reminds them of other artists like Jack Stauber and early 2000-s Marina And The Diamonds. In interviews when being asked about her genre Hemlocke simply replies “just regular shmegular pop.”
Since then, Hemlocke has gone on to play tours with artists such as Muna, Ashnikko, and Doja Cat. Her fun and uplifting sound is perfect for everyone's summertime playlists.
Many idolize Hemlocke for her unique signature sounds and aesthetics shown through her music videos and fashion. She is inspirational for proving that DIY artists can get the recognition they deserve in the music industry.
by Halie Jones