Introducing WNXP’s Next Up, our new series focused on emerging artists and new projects. It’s WNXP’s mission of Music Discovery onstage! Join us April 26 at Brooklyn Bowl for our first show featuring Nashville’s Brian Brown, Elke and VEAUX. Stay tuned as we’ll have more from these local artists in the coming weeks! Buy your tickets here!
BRIAN BROWN
Who is Brian Brown? Rapper and Nashville native Brian Brown released his first full-length project Journey in 2020, and since then, he’s journeyed across the many stages in Music City from Acme Feed & Seed to Journey’s three year anniversary show at Drkmttr. Brown expanded his audience beyond Nashville by opening for artists like Freddie Gibbs, Girl Talk, and the legendary MC Scarface.
Why we’re so excited: Three years later and still honing his craft as one of the most talented MCs in Nashville’s emerging hip hop scene, Brown kicked off 2023 with a new four-song EP titled Two Minute Drill. The EP’s opening track “NBA Jam” received high praise from Pitchfork, and his latest single “Better Days” was featured on the CW TV series All American. Brown is also set to play Riverbend Music Festival in Chattanooga alongside Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Maren Morris, and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.
ELKE
Who is Elke?: Elke is the artistic moniker of the now Nashville-based Kayla Graninger who makes hard-to-pin-down rhythmic indie rock. Her latest EP My “Human Experience” varies from aggro punk (“Call of the Void”) to ethereal mood music (“Milk-Dipped Cloud”) to syrupy pop (“My Sweetheart”).
Why we’re so excited: Elke’s recently played enormous stadium shows internationally opening for fellow locals Paramore, wowing crowds with her impressive vocal range that spans a rich, warm alto to higher register tones. Raised on proportional doses of doo-wop and psych rock, she can jump sonic styles as abruptly, effortlessly and effectively as she changes her hair color. Elke tells WNXP, “It’s really cool to be able to express yourself in a way that’s not put into a box of genre.” We love that she’s keeping us on our toes.
VEAUX
Who is Veaux?: Colorado transplants who made the move to Nashville on somewhat of a whim inspired by something Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic said in an interview. Since moving here, they’ve quickly made friends and fans, stacking collaborations and steady releases of alt-pop that swims between genres in a wonderfully undefinable way.
Why we’re so excited: After releasing one of our favorite local tracks of 2022 “Dark Planet,” Veaux followed with “Future News,” “Golden” and others, building a playlist of proof that they’re pop chops are deep. They’ve also been proving that they are FAR more than a studio project, including a great performance during WNXP’s Second Anniversary show and brand new session from the Sonic Cathedral.