Welcome to “Underrated Artists,” an entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering unpopular and unknown artists. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role of a writer, reviewing single releases and albums from four underrated artists.
“The Edge” by Sydney Ross Mitchell had me starstruck. I honestly don’t even remember the first time I hit play on that track but it immediately got added to many of my playlists, seamlessly fitting my music taste. Ross Mitchell is a very talented singer and songwriter whose lyrics echo those of some of my favorite artists, such as Gracie Abrams and Taylor Swift. Alongside her beautiful lyrics such as “And I’ll try not to find a hidden meaning in the way you said “Something has been missing since that summer” touching my soul deeply, her beautiful light voice scratches a certain part in my brain perfectly. “Superblue” is another one of my favorite songs—the chord progressions she uses and the way her floaty voice meshes along with the acoustic guitar and the harmonies she uses in the song is perfectly crafted. In addition, her self-named genre of “Folk Dream Pop” is a genre I find myself being drawn towards. If you find yourself being drawn to that genre of music, along with artists like Lizzie McAlpine and ROLE MODEL, give Sydney Ross Mitchell a listen — I promise you won’t regret it.
During a long car ride, a friend played “Harder2Breathe” by Yuat, and I was immediately intrigued. I continued to listen to his music, diving deeper into his discography and returning to his first single, “Before I sleep,” produced in 2021. Even though Yuat’s discography only consists of one Extended play (EP) and 12 singles, I never find myself bored with his music. While widely unappreciated, Yuat started to climb in my favorites of the month, confusing me with his number of monthly listeners. Even with having less than 20 thousand monthly listeners, his music has moved me in ways that Grammy-nominated songs and artists had never done. In addition, learning that he produces all of his music himself in his room, on his computer astounds me. The chord progressions Yuat incorporates into his indie-folk music astounds me, and his production and use of the computer to put it all together is mind-blowing. His music reminds me of a warm summer night — his lyrics are quite somber, but the beat brightens my smile. This might be contradictory, but despite not being the biggest fan of the constantly raved-about artist Noah Kahan, Yuat resembles him. Yuat’s folk feeling reminds me of the two Noah Kahan songs I can tolerate. I highly recommend that the next time you want to listen to Noah Kahan and melt into the music, give Yuat a listen and let his lyrics and guitar strums take over your headphones.
The third artist, Jordan Ward, brings more genre diversity to these underrated artists. His funky R&B tones and rhythms remind me of trending artists like Brent Faiyaz. With his discography dating back to 2017, finding Ward’s album “FORWARD” was a hidden gem. The way the album is structured, even within the R&B genre itself, has a different sound from song to song, which most artists aren’t musically capable of. In addition, learning that one of my best friends shared this favorite artist was a delight. Being able to blast “FAMJAM400” and “WHITE CROCS” (with Ryan Trey) on our R&B frenzies is the most fun. His beats and smooth voice are like honey to my ears. I’ve always been an R&B enthusiast, but the addition of Ward to my music taste has drawn me more into the R&B side of my music profile, with me continuing to filter through a playlist of SZA, Faiyaz and Ward himself. If you appreciate R&B or are trying to get into it, Ward is a must-have person on your playlist. Even without record-breaking listeners on different streaming platforms, Jordan Ward is a very talented artist, and his music continues to amaze me the deeper I get into his discography.
One of my friends, an underground music enthusiast, brought Pretty Jane to my attention. Without knowing anything about the band, I dove head first. He presented me with the song “Shotgun Wedding,” and I fell in love. Pretty Jane will be right up your alley if you’re a big fan of The Backseat Lovers or Del Water Gap. “In a mosaic of alternative and indie punctuated by unassuming pop appeal,” the band has a plethora of genres that they could fit under. Pretty Jane has a different sort of funkiness that most bands are too timid to attempt to do nowadays, but I think they accomplished it perfectly. My love for Pretty Jane flourished from there, highlighting their funk nature by showcasing their band as “Music that feels like kissing your friends.” With their discography only dating back to 2022, this newer band is only beginning its journey. With them announcing a tour and tour merch coming soon and an EP drop, you should start to listen to them before their large-scale debut. I’m insanely excited for their new EP that drops in 2025 and you should be too.
