From the high-energy performances at Billboard’s The Stage to the genre-blending sounds of Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcase, SXSW proved why it’s still the spot for showcasing rising and established artists; it’s about discovery, high-energy, and unforgettable moments – and that’s just what I experienced at both these powerhouse showcases.

Austin was a busy city just last week, packed with people from all over the world, looking forward to seeing their favorite artists (or future favorite artists) for an electrifying mix of performances. Whether it was country, soul, electronic, or Afrobeats, each artist brought their own unique energy to the city. 

Day 1: Billboard’s The Stage at SXSW

On Thursday night (March 13th), Billboard’s The Stage at SXSW kicked off with country night – packing the Moody Amphitheater, with cowboy boots and cowboy hats. You can’t blame them, though, because the headliner Koe Wetzel is a native Texan, hailing from Pittsburg, a town in Northeast Texas.

Koe Wetzel was welcomed with plenty of love during his fiery 17-song set that stretched back to 2016’s Noise Complaint, but one of the biggest singalongs of the night came with “February 28, 2016.”  Fans screamed the lyrics at the top of their lungs, “Singin’ la-la-la-la let’s pull over”….. and the infamous line “Who is sober enough to take me to Taco Bell?” If you didn’t know these lyrics before, you certainly looked them up after! 

Wetzel had to show off his Texas pride of course. He had fans roaring when he shouted “Don’t try to tell me Oklahoma’s better… f** that s***, we’re in Texas!” It’s clear we Texans love him back just as much, with him being fresh off a five-week No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “High Road” with Jessie Murph.

Speaking of native Texans, George Birge warmed up the crowd, proudly declaring a University of Texas graduate and yelling, “Feels good to say hook ‘em horns!” He recently had breakout successes with hits such as “Mind on You” which climbed to No. 2 on the Country Airplay chart and “Cowboy Songs,” his first chart topper from last year – which is about him chasing his wife across every dive bar on Sixth Street! His passion for this city shined through his performances with an infectious smile and happy-to-be-here aura. 

Ashley Cooke certainly tapped into her unique storytelling skills and emotional depth with her song “It’s Been a Year,” describing it as one of the hardest yet best times of her life. She also surprised fans with her brand-new song “All I Forgot” featuring Joe Jonas that was released a week prior to this set. “It Ain’t Your Place” was dedicated to exes everywhere with her shouting, “This goes out to all of our shitty exes!”

Day 2: Rolling Stone’s Future of Music Showcase

On Wednesday, (March 12th) Rolling Stone’s second night of the four-day Future of Music showcase was centered around country, featuring performances by Megan Moroney, Stephen Wilson Jr., Larkin Poe, and Brittney Spencer at Austin’s iconic ACL Live at the Moody Theater. 

Brittney Spencer opened the show with a performance that showcased soulful Americana roots of country music and country-pop energy of her 2024 debut, “My Stupid Life.”

Larkin Poe lit up the crowd with their own electric interpretation of Southern sounds, blending together rock and blues. 

Their high-energy performance highlighted their signature style, elements of country music and vivid storytelling.

Stephen Wilson Jr. burst on stage with vibrant energy, pacing back and forth as he fed off the crowd’s energy. 

He launched his set with the powerful one-two punch of “Billy and Cuckoo,” two brooding, rock-infused tracks that vividly captured his hardscrabble roots in rural southern Indiana.

His raw and gritty sound set the tone for authenticity and storytelling.

Many fans flocked to see Megan Moroney, who rocked their own versions of her iconic white cowboy boots and short skirt combo. 

The performance was packed with tracks from both of her LPs, alongside early singles like “Wonder.”

The crowd especially erupted with shrieks when she played her hit “Tennessee Orange”, followed by “I’m Not Pretty” and a powerful set-closing rendition of “Am I Okay?.”

Day 3: Billboard’s The Stage at SXSW

John Summit closed out the final day to Billboard’s trio of shows with some help from Jordan Miller and Nala, the producer. 

Jordan Miller dropped some crowd-pleasing classics like “No Scrubs” from TLC to get the crowd warmed up, and later, Los Angeles-based producer Nala took over the stage with her cool persona and cool blend of tracks that had heads bopping. (She also played later that night at the afterparty in downtown Austin!)

When John Summit arrived on stage in his white pants and white t-shirt, his presence caused a roar of cheers and screams that echoed through the intimate venue. Summit is used to playing big venues like Madison Square Garden, so I’m grateful I was able to experience his set in a more intimate venue like Austin’s Moody Amphitheater. Fans were packed from the front of the stage to the grassy area in the back and even nearby parking garages for those that couldn’t get their hands on a sold-out ticket. The fans turned out, with roughly 5,000 concert-goers – making it one of the biggest crowds to ever assemble at the venue. 

Thousands of fans sung in unison to the well-known songs, dancing hard when the beat drops with their sunglasses on at night and staring at the artsy psychedelic visuals. One of my favorites of the night was when he performed “Shiver” which had the place electrified with energy, making it a performance for the books. (I haven’t been able to stop listening to this song since!)

He performed his big songs and lesser-known songs, but he also leaned into remixes with the Subtronic and Tape B’s wobbly edit of Sage the Gemini’s “Gas Pedal” – which really had people moving – and his own recently released remix of Anyma and Ellie Goulding’s “Hypnotized.” 

Summit loves bringing vocalists out during his live shows (according to his producer) so when he brought out Australian singer-songwriter Cloves to the stages to sing their January track “Focus” and invited South Africa-born, U.K.-based vocalist Julia Church to close the show with their song “Go Back,” the audience went wild with energy. 

Day 4: Rolling Stone’s Future of Music Showcase

On Friday, (March 14th) Rolling Stone’s fourth and final night of the Future of Music showcase featured Nigerian superstar Rema and rappers Anycia and Samara Cyn, and midwestern emcee AJ McQueen.

AJ McQueen brought lyrical hip-hop and deep spirituality to his performance, weaving religious themes into his soul-infused music. His connection to faith was evident throughout, giving his set an emotional depth that resonated with the audience. He performed several tracks from his latest album, “Sorry Ma, I Was Distracted.” 

Tennessee-born Samara Cyn had fans hype with her crystal-clear tone and charisma that drew from her 2024 album “The Drive Home.” The crowd got hype to the song “Rolling Stone,” proving she’s made her mark and is in fact one to watch!

Anycia was all about crowd engagement. She made the audience feel like they had a friend on stage, constantly handing out compliments and even giving a fan the mic. She had the crowd singing along to “WHAT DID I DO?” Teasing an upcoming release, she told fans, “Keep your eyes open ‘cause that’s coming sooner than you think.”  

The highlight of the Rolling Stone showcase was undoubtedly Rema, who had the entire venue dancing non-stop. The afrobeats star exploded on stage like a rockstar, sending the crowd into a frenzy with his track of intense drums and guitar for “AZAMAN.” 

His hit “Bounce” had fans shaking it on the floor, and when he called out, “Whatever energy you have left — take off your shoes, take off your wig, take off your bras, I wanna see y’all go crazy!” the crowd erupted. 

Rema’s electrifying energy turned casual listeners into dedicated fans, and certainly made some new ones as well. (I know I wasn’t the only one who went home to download some songs of his that night!) I left that night in awe of his star power and irresistible beats. It was clear why he’s considered one of the most exciting artists in Afrobeats today.

The energy and talents were incredible at both the Billboard’s The Stage and Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcases. If only I could have caught all the performances from artists like Benson Boone (Rolling Stone), IVAN CORNEJO (Rolling Stone), and Grupo Frontera (Billboard) – but hey, I’m not complaining!

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Cover photo courtesy Billboard The Stage at SXSW

Leean Vargas is the Highlight Reel newsletter editor at Texas Lifestyle Magazine and an honors graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. She is a concert enthusiast who loves traveling, photography, good food, and discovering new hangout spots in her beloved city, Austin, Texas.