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 writer, reviewing single releases and albums from four underrated artists.
My first artist is Sydney Rose. Sydney Rose began her career by singing in a church choir and creating music on her own. Recording herself singing acoustically and playing guitar in her bedroom, she posted her music on social media and summoned a following of 200,000 people. She then released her debut EP, “You Never Met Me,” in which she discovered both her sound and her true audience through a six-song collection. In consideration of that EP, listeners were drawn to “Phoebe Told Me”—a song inspired by Phoebe Bridgers’s “It’ll All Work Out.” Because of this song, Sydney Rose’s audience became greater. At seventeen, her first professional performance was the opening act for Cavetown at a Lollapalooza stage. Since then, she has joined Chloe Moriando and Addison Grace on their tours. Because Sydney Rose’s music is considered a combination of acoustic guitars and a pop-indie sound, I was drawn to it upon hearing it. I feel as though her music is inspired by artists such as Conan Gray and Dodie and would recommend her songs to people who listen to them. All in all, her breathy vocals and acoustic flair set her apart. The contemporary music scene could never rival the music she creates, as through an intimate connection between writing and storytelling, listeners slowly crumble when hearing her melodies and lyricism. Despite her song “We Hug Now” rising to fame on TikTok and becoming most popular, I believe the lyricism in “the rabbit” and “unmade bed” is truly haunting and unparalleled. It even proves her entire discography is worth the listen.
My second artist is Erin LeCount. She is an English singer-songwriter. Though most believe she has, Erin LeCount has never had any formal music lessons; instead, her music teacher in primary school would let her and her friends hold rehearsals at his music venue, the Hermit Club in Brentwood. This is shocking, as she has written, recorded and produced all of her music herself in her garden shed. Despite rising to prominence once she competed in the first series of “The Voice Kids” in 2017, her performances at acoustic nights led her to sign with “Good as Gold Records.” In 2023, Erin LeCount released her debut EP, “Soft Skin, Restless Bones.” Once her medley of Phoebe Bridgers’s “I Know The End” and Frank Ocean’s “White Ferrari” went viral, many people were drawn to her novel music. This year, she released “Silver Spoon,” which gained a lot of attention, as it made BBC Radio 1’s “track of the week.” In “Silver Spoon”—in all of her songs—there are traces of Adele, Florence + The Machine, Lorde, Kate Bush, and Imogen Heap. In consideration of her inspirations and her ingenious sound, I would describe her music as gothic pop with unpolished, melancholic synth melodies; it is a combination of ethereal vocals and dark, angelic rhythms. Beyond this, her writing is incredibly metaphorical with a focus on perceived truths. “Silver Spoon” demonstrates this intelligent writing perfectly and, though it is well-known, is her best song. The lyric I am most drawn to is, “You grew up grazing your knees, but the fall wasn’t fatal like it was for me.” Being able to connect with her emotional lyrics and vocals keeps me coming back to and awaiting more of her music.
Yana is another artist to keep an eye on. Bulgarian-born and California-raised, her parents had a desire to escape post-communist ideals and, therefore, nurtured her interests in musicianship and her inclination to the arts. Because of this, Yana began singing and playing classical piano, and she discovered her sound. In 2017, she was accepted into Berklee College of Music, spending most of her education focused on her debut project and graduating with a songwriting degree. In 2022, her debut EP, “Hindsight,” had 100,000 streams as an independent release. Her song “Don’t Want Your Love” is incredible. As an homage to her cultural roots, it includes a modern interpretation of “Zaidi, Zaidi,’ which is a Bulgarian folk song. It was the first song I heard of hers and compelled me to listen to the entirety of her discography; it was that good. All in all, her confessional, contemporary-pop ballads have an indie-pop charm that cannot be replicated. Her melodic intuition and stellar vocal control complement her stripped and emotional instrumentals. Yana is an artist I covet; her music is like nothing I have ever heard and truly genuine. When listening to her discography, it is easy to be drawn to “Haunt Me” and “How Long,” but give some love to “Perfect Man” and, of course, “Don’t Want Your Love.”
Last is Searows. Alec Duckart, known professionally as Searows, is an American singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. He began creating music in middle school, posting his songs to SoundCloud. In 2022, his debut album, “Guard Dog,” was self-released; in GarageBand, he did the writing, recording, mixing and producing. In 2023, Searows was the first artist signed to Matt Maltese’s record label, “Last Recordings on Earth.” He released several singles before his first EP, “End of the World,” and in 2024, he released more singles and an EP, “flush.” I would describe his sound as encapsulating the Pacific Northwest. Inspired by Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wire and the Decemberists, his melancholic and acoustic melodies, in combination with hushed vocals, call him to his indie-folk roots. Lush vocals and reverb-drenched soundscapes enhance the emotional impact of the stories he tells through his songs. When I first listened to “Keep The Rain,” I was overwhelmed by Searows’s artistry, and in continuing to listen to his discography, I am constantly impressed.
