Review By Chloe Diehl, Steven Burgess, Israel Lerma
This year, KTRU had the opportunity to send out three of our board of directors to conduct press for the concerts occurring at SXSW 2026. While we all have seen well over 60 artists collectively, we wanted to highlight the top 10 artists who performed during SXSW.
10- KOJ: This Liverpool rapper brings a new sound to the United Kingdom’s rap scene. His witty lyrics, backed by aggressive, march-like drumbeats and a funk bassline, prompted the crowd to start headbanging throughout his set. KOJ perfectly blended rap with an aggressive rock instrumental, creating his own UK Drill genre.
9- Diles Que No Me Matan: Diles Que No Me Matan is an experimental group that creates the truest form of etherealism. They orchestrate elaborate instrumentals, incorporating saxophone riffs, a harmonica solo, and an electric bass played with a bow, all supporting the haunting chants of the lead singer. As they crescendoed into their outro, amplified by swelling woodwinds, the performance moved both me and the crowd to tears.
8- Yakiyn: Opening up for Top Dawg Entertainment, Dallas musician Yakiyn carves his own lane with mixed Texas Hip-hop sounds, R&B, and electronic sounds. With his famous mask, your boyfriend f*cking sucks slogan, and performing with-in the crowd, his energy stands out providing an immersive experience leaving his unique mark.
7- Lucid Express: Hong Kong’s Lucid Express is a Shoegaze powerhouse unlike any other at this year’s SXSW. Slamming the audience with reverb soaked guitars and subtle vocals, Lucid Express invited their crowd into a sonic daydream. Our shoes were indeed gazed after Lucid Express’ remarkable performance.
6- Water from your Eyes: Water From Your Eyes is a collaborative project between Nate Amos of This Is Lorelei and Rachel Brown of Thanks For Coming. The pair’s dynamic feels uniquely matched, yet effortless in how it comes together, allowing them to create truly avant-garde music. Their song “Playing Classics” stands out as one of their most distinctive and addictive tracks, blending a piano riff with a sleazy guitar line and Brown’s signature robotic voice. I almost wish they had stretched that song out for ten minutes.
5- Don Toliver: The future of hip-hop hailing from Houston, Texas, Don Toliver blends a melodic trap sound with psychedelic R&B. Following his critically acclaimed album Octane, with majority recorded in the Mount Wilson observatory, Don uses his floating vocals, live guitar, and altered intros to provide an out-of-this-world tone for his Octane tour to come.
4- Knats: This young band from the United Kingdom has the chops that everyone is sleeping on. Playing high-energy jazz, each member of Knats showcases their musical talent with precision and confidence. Being able to shine alongside rising artist Geordie Greep proved that their age doesn’t hold them back from performing at such an impressive caliber.
3- Ray Vaughn: The up and coming top dawg himself, Ray Vaughn from Long Beach provides an exciting voice that keeps the West Coast runnin’. His insane lyricism and rapping ability live, had me captivated, as his songs range from the west coast lifestyle to more introspective personal messages of the troubles of life. His intimate performance showcases his intentional passion with his words that forefronts as the West Coast’s next big name.
2- Jack Johnson: Hailing from Hawaii is legendary singer-songwriter Jack Johnson performing a 24-track set at Austin’s Stubs Bar-B-Q. During a time of deep pessimism and division among the masses, Johnson’s music has a healing component that artists can rarely tap into. Out of any performer at SXSW, Johnson is a master at bringing people together through his optimistic songwriting and warm personality. We are confident that no one left Johnson’s set without a smile on their face (it’s basically impossible).
1- Jasmine Jethwa: Climbing to our #1 spot is London-based artist Jasmine Jethwa. Delivering powerful performances at SXSW with a guitarist by her side, Jethwa proves you don’t need flashiness to be unforgettable. Gracing audiences with her stunning voice, complimented by her humility, Jethwa is a rare talent that cannot be dismissed. Out of any of the up-and-coming talent at SXSW, Jasmine Jethwa gets KTRU’s pick for most essential artist to check out from this year’s line-up.