Eight Rochester musicians on the rise in 2021
On this edition of the Rochester Rundown, we take you through Isaac’s second annual list of the Rochester artists to watch.
This list goes through the heart of the Rochester music scene — no matter the genre, there is a local artist trying their hand at it. We reached out to local recording studios and music-makers to see who they were excited for, while doing research of our own — scouring DIY music sites like Soundcloud and Bandcamp to see who spent the past year releasing new music, priming themselves for an exciting summer of 2021.
Listen to the full episode
🎧 As a reminder, new episodes of the Rochester Rundown can also be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and other leading podcast services.Here’s a list of eight artists that have either already released new music or are planning to do so in 2021 — but keep in mind, this list is by no means exhaustive.
RUDE (EDM, dance)
Riduan Hassan has spent the past four years quietly making “chill” EDM music in the Med City, racking up thousands of followers on YouTube and Spotify. His new record Enigma is coming later in 2021, pre-empted by the first single “Follow Bliss,” available now.
MoFly (hip hop)
After linking up with California’s Kalan.FrFr, a Roc Nation signee and potential XXL freshman, last year, Mohamed Idris’ hip hop project has taken off. His newest single “How It Feel,” released in early 2021, builds off the momentum from his hit “BabyGirl” — a slick, well-produced track where Kalan backs up the Rochester-based rapper.
Listen on Spotify and Soundcloud
Lil Crazed (hip hop)
Longtime Rochester residents might remember Alex Ou’s escapades in the early 2010, garnering millions of views on YouTube and creating a fanbase that has stuck with him through the entire decade. Now 33 and a father of four, Ou plans to return with an album called Damaged Goods in 2021 — now more mature, but keeping the slick flows that earned him fans in the first place.
Rachel Nunemacher (pop)
Nunemacher, a graduate from the music school at UMD, has the chops to record piano ballads, choral selections, and synth-pop music — evidenced by her latest single, “Emergency.” After recording at Rochester’s Blue Lagoon Recording Room, her first professional singles are slated to come this summer.
Listen on YouTube
My Grandma’s Cardigan (folk, bluegrass)
MGC was poised for a breakout 2020, with countless shows booked and new music on the horizon, but Covid-19 shut most of it down. The group, led by RaeNelle Ostberg and Gina Marcucci, has stuck together, though, and has a new EP in the pipeline before 2021 is finished, alongside a myriad of live videos released throughout the pandemic.
Listen to the live shows on Facebook
Comatose (post-punk, hardcore)
This Rochester quartet released their album A Way Back just 22 days into the new year, and it quickly stood out as a record that is powerful, without being overpowering. While the pandemic has kept the group from playing to a packed crowd, they’ve still fostered a fanbase numbering in the hundreds — waiting for their chance to see these tracks live for the first time.
Listen on Spotify and Bandcamp
Horse Tornado (indie folk/rock)
The success of inaugural single “Make the Bend'' propelled ROCKchester founder Dylan Hilliker’s solo project to regional prominence in early 2021, after spending the latter half of 2020 inside Carpet Booth Studios. His new record The Great Pause is nine tracks of Bon Iver-inspired acoustic ballads, detailing life under quarantine in Rochester.
Listen on Spotify and Bandcamp
Annie Mack (blues, soul)
How could you not be excited for this new record? Mack’s latest EP Testify showcases her impressive vocal chops, while leaving space for the instrumentation to fully support the songs. It’s a change of pace for the Rochester music icon, after leaning on raw power in her live shows, but it helps create a much more well-rounded sound.
