One of the most rewarding things about what we do is being there for the start of a beloved artist’s music journey. Ever wondered what it was like to see Billie Eilish, Moses Sumney, or Soccer Mommy before their rise to fame? A few lucky Sofar audience members can tell you about it.
Check out the list below to see some famous artists who played Sofar, and chose to start their music journey at small, intimate shows.
Jack Harlow | Sofar Austin
This rap artist boasts impressive lyricism and charismatic performances. We fell in love with Jack Harlow‘s Sofar show back in 2017, and we’ve been streaming his music ever since.
Nai Palm | Sofar NYC
Australian songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Nai Palm first played a Sofar in 2012. Since then she co-founded the soulful, futuristic and beloved indie quartet, Hiatus Kaiyote.
Andra Day | Sofar San Diego & Los Angeles
In 2014, San Diego local Andra Day played some Sofar shows in sunny Southern California. Her album was released in 2015 and was nominated for a Grammy for best R&B album. Even more impressive? Andra went on to take the stage for a performance at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Wolf Alice | Sofar London
British alternative rock group Wolf Alice has become a force in the indie world. Anyone who’s seen them live knows they can rock, but they pared it down for a performance of the unreleased song “White Leather” with Sofar London in 2012. Their debut single was released the next year, and in 2016 they were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance.
Noah Cyrus | Sofar Los Angeles
Known for the vulnerability in her performances and songwriting, Noah Cyrus has been working non-stop since releasing her debut single, “Make Me (Cry)”, in 2016, and it shows.
X Ambassadors | Sofar Austin, Chicago & NYC
X Ambassadors now play amphitheaters on the regular, but we saw them in a living room in Austin for an acoustic set of their stadium rock songs. We hosted them across the U.S. in 2012 and 2013, before they released their debut album in 2015. They’ve only been on the rise since!
Anderson East | Sofar Nashville & London
Back in 2012, three years before Anderson East released his single, we heard his raspy vocals at his local Nashville Sofar. Now, he has millions of streams on Spotify, has been featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack (Fun fact: we count Jamie Dornan as one of our original hosts), and dates country superstar Miranda Lambert. There’s a good lesson here: support your local musicians!
YEBBA | Sofar NYC
YEBBA is an American Grammy-award-winning singer, songwriter, and Sofar alum from Arkansas. She’s a crowd favorite and a stunning artist, known for her first single, “Evergreen,” and her viral Sofar performance of “My Mind.”
Leon Bridges | Sofar Dallas-Fort Worth
Leon Bridges was playing open mics around Dallas when he brought his signature brand of retro-cool to a Dallas home in 2014, just a few months before major buzz hit around his single “Coming Home.” Here he plays “Lisa Sawyer” to an intimate crowd.
Tank and the Bangas | Sofar New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco & NYC
Tank and the Bangas’ unique animated mix of funk, soul, and spoken word helped them win NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in 2017, and catapulted them into the spotlight. In that short time, they’ve gone from playing Sofar in their hometown NOLA to playing festivals around the world!
Billie Eilish | Sofar Los Angeles
Billie Eilish has blown up since the release of her debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? in early 2019, building a huge following on social media and collecting billions of streams on Spotify alone. Not bad for a 17-year-old! Billie played Sofar LA in 2016, giving a stunning performance of her song “Six Feet Under.”
Moses Sumney | Sofar NYC & London
Moses Sumney has had a steady presence in the music scene since his first performance with Sofar in NYC in 2014. Over the past few years, Moses has worked with acts such as Solange, Karen O and Erykah Badu. He even joined Sufjan Stevens on stage at the Oscars in March, with his long-awaited debut album Aromanticism dropping last year.
Check out this article for more famous artists who played Sofars back in the day.
Or maybe you’re ready to see the next big names in music? Browse shows near you and catch these artists before they hit the mainstream.
