5 Must-See Artists at NXNE 2015

By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) –

Ibeyi

Creeps up on you, doesn’t it? Every year, NXNE takes over Toronto with a sprawling lineup full of can’t-miss artists, leaving us poor music fans to ask: who the hell do I see? While the big-name acts at Yonge-Dundas Square offer big-show appeal, NXNE is about catching the up-and-comers before they take over the world, or in some cases – catching cagey veterans in rare, intimate sets. Don’t let NXNE 2015 go by without catching performances by these 5 artists.

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Ibeyi
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Twin daughters of legendary Cuban percussionist Anga Diaz, Ibeyi (pronounced ee-bey-ee) are a modern day fusion of classic Afro-Cuban jazz and modern beatmaking. Their haunting, self-titled album (released earlier this year) is already one of the year’s best, and all of this at 20.

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K.Flay
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At 29, Illinois’ own K.Flay has expanded her repertoire to include the titles of songwriter, producer and author. But at this year’s NXNE, it all comes back to her noisy, explosive talents as an emcee. Don’t miss the self-proclaimed ‘suburban rap queen’ in her element.

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Wreckless Eric
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A key scene in the 2006 flick Stranger than Fiction features Will Ferrell’s uptight character finally kicking loose the shackles of his workaday world by strumming the simple chords of Wreckless Eric’s classic “(I’d Go The) Whole Wide World”. Of course, the 61-year old troubadour has much more to offer, and NXNE is your opportunity to experience that live.

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EZTV
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NOT a musical project by the illegal TV torrents provider, EZTV are a fuzzy, jangly New York three-piece in the spirit of Teenage Fanclub. They’re best appreciated in the heat of the summer, with an icy beverage in-hand, meaning they’re optimized for NXNE.

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Odonis Odonis
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If the original concept behind NXNE is to support a local artist, few in this year’s lineup make that more of a pleasure than local heroes Odonis Odonis. On the heels of their 2014 Polaris nomination, the noise-rock trio will be digging through their robust back catalog. Give them the homecoming welcome they deserve.

NXNE 2015 runs from June 17-21. Buy tickets here.