Discover these 10 rising Colorado musicians
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Claire Heywood. Photo: Courtesy of Claire Heywood
If you want a sense of Denver's eclectic music scene, start with the 10 artists in the inaugural class of Sonic Guild.
Who to know: Together, the artists cross genres and defy expectations in all the best ways.
Alysia Kraft: Well-established on the local scene with sold-out shows and opening for big artists, Kraft's 2022 debut solo album "First Light" is described as retro-influenced indie pop.
- 🎵 1 song: "Hamilton Pool"
- 🎟 Live: 7:30pm June 4 at Skylark Lounge in Denver
Bevin Luna: This Fort Collins-based band is led by Luna's gravely rhythmic guitar and vocals and ranges from head-bobbing garage rock to riff-heavy hard rock.
- 🎵 1 song: "Masquerade"
Big Richard: What started as a festival one-off show is now one of Colorado's hottest new bluegrass and Americana bands. The band's four women are a playful, powerful feminist force.
- 🎵 1 song: "All the Good Girls Go to Hell"
- 🎟 Live: 8pm April 8 at the Boulder Theater
Claire Heywood: A lyrical and literary songwriter, Heywood's initial releases leaned Americana but her first full-length album — coming late this year — sits firmly in the indie rock genre.
- 🎵 1 song: "Python"
iZCalli: Pedal-to-the-metal Latin rock and groovy guitar-forward tunes that make you move. This 12-year-old band's catalog is deep and mixes a host of global music influences.
- 🎵 1 song: "Horsie Song"
- 🎟 Live: 7pm March 12 at the Stampede Club in Aurora
Kayla Marque: Denver native Marque comes from a musical family (her uncle was Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind and Fire) and channels deep emotions into ethereal alternative pop.
- 🎵 1 song: "Villain"
N3ptune: A mesmerizing and provocative performer with songs to match. N3ptune — a dancer, songwriter and model — pours everything into the song and the stage.
- 🎵 1 song: "Black Horse"
- 🎟 Live: 8pm March 31 at the Bluebird Theater
The Sickly Hecks: The music is simultaneously a throwback to familiar punk and alternative sounds and new with its pop and hook-driven anthem vibe.
- 🎵 1 song: "Blood Mouth"
Veronica May and the Magnetics: May weaves her piano, guitar and vocal talents together into precise and engaging songs, often invoking her experience with bipolar disorder to destigmatize mental illness.
- 🎵 1 song: "There Is Hope"
- 🎟 Live: 5:30pm Velvet Elk Lounge in Boulder
Zoe Berman: She began writing original music at age 12 and now puts her auto-biographical narratives to piano, guitar and percussion, often in one-woman shows.
- 🎵 1 song: "Lilac Hour"
What to watch: Nathaniel Rateliff is Denver's current hit home-grown act. The next could come from this group.