As apart of our spotlighting Mikeyy Austin for the week, I asked him who his top 5 favorite indie artists were and why, and here’s who he listed. Check out his picks below.
“Indie” is a loose term used today. A lot of mainstream artist that claim indie are still dependent of outside contributors. So my list has some that are totally indie and some that claim to be. Nevertheless, these artist are pretty amazing:
Ozay Moore:
Ozay Moore is a hip-hop legend to some, and a big brother/ mentor to me. His lyricism, dedication to the culture of hip-hop, and diverse range of artistry is one thing, added by his presence on stage and his ability to move any crowd, Ozay Moore is one of the tops in my book.
Eryn Allen Kane:
If you have not heard her music you are missing out. She is the type of soul/live instrumentation/vocally blessed to be a blessing, music that’ll get me right every time. I came across her music recently while at work, and since then she’s in all of my music playlist.
Chance The Rapper:
Chance is known as indie because he refuses to sign a record deal. Because of that fact, I’ll put him in my top 5. Chance has done amazing things in the past year, and has been dope since his first mixtape. I love his energy, honesty in records, and his boldness to try new things within his music while staying true to himself.
Smino:
Smino is signed to an Indie Label based out of NY and he is one of my favorites as of now. His sound is special, and he’s able to bring the exact same sound to live performances. His soulful vibe is what makes me a fan of his.
Daniel Cesaer:
I’ve been a fan of his for a little while now, and he is the future in my opinion. He has “chill” written all over his music, but it’s music you can feel and identify with. The splash he made with his recent album is well deserved.
Top 3 songs:
My musical influences range from different genres and I’d like to think that’s eveident in my music. No matter what mood I am in, one of these three songs will always shine a positive light in those moments.
1.) Stevie Wonder – As
Stevie Wonder is the greatest song writer in my opinion. Despite his disability, he paints vivid pictures through lyrics and perfect rhythms to back it. “As” is just that for me. He puts me in a place being surrounded by beauty when the song comes in, and by the end I’m singing my heart out. Easily one of my favorite songs ever.
2.) Common – The Light
Common’s upbeat, positive, and soulful music has always made me a fan. He also wins points for being a mid-west artist as well. But The Light is one of my favorite songs by him off of my favorite album of his. Positivity all around with content that you don’t see every day in today’s mainstream rap.
3.) Blu – Cold Hearted
Blu’s “Below The Heavens” is one of my favorite albums. And “Cold Hearted” stands out most out of all the songs on the project. He tells the story of many brown children growing up in inner cities. And despite his experiences, he ends the song by letting listeners know it’s not your experiences that define you. You choose your direction. And in his case, much like mine, he chose music to tell his story.
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