Six Austin Artists Defy Expectations
Whether they’re expanding the definition of the album itself, bucking norms, or traversing genres, these local musicians are forging new roads and ridding themselves of cultural expectations.
Creating music is akin to an act of transfiguration. Artists grab onto a feeling, a memory, a story, or a belief and translate the intangible into a sonic storytelling vehicle: a song. In order to elevate the ordinary, the artist must be able to see what is and also imagine what could be. These six musicians may have little in common on the surface, but individually they carry their own unique ability to open up the world to their listeners by bursting through invisible barriers and unveiling new dimensions of emotion and thought. Dive into the stories, creative processes, and art of this array of musicians. While each artist is beautiful in their own right, collectively they are each a thread in the vibrant tapestry of Austin’s thriving music scene.
Out of Time: Mobley
Through synth beats and narrative lyrics, Mobley’s music asks listeners: “What if?”
“Other than the fact that I love music, I’m not particularly cut out to be a musician. I’m pretty shy. I like being at home. I don’t like crowds. I don’t drink,” says Anthony Watkins II, more commonly known by stage name Mobley, with a sheepish smile. Despite this introspective admission of unsuitability, the multi-instrumentalist outwardly exudes the unmistakable demeanor of an artist. With a confident grin punctuating his careful words, this 30-something year old speaks deliberately.
Angling for Truth: Buffalo Hunt
It’s an age-old question at the heart of much philosophical debt. Stephanie Hunt has always been traipsing after truth in her work as an actress, a writer, and the musician known as Buffalo Hunt. Her songs have a moody, musey quality with poignant lyrics that pry at life’s tough edges. “I’m always trying to understand why I don’t understand what I don’t understand,” she riddles.
Born in Austin, Stephanie migrated to Los Angeles for a period to pursue acting. Though she played music and performed with bands in L.A., her own writing was always a refuge—especially from the Hollywood world. “Music was a place where I didn’t have to say other people’s lines, but I could be real and write my feelings and have instant gratification,” she explains. “It’s like writing your own script into a song.”
Connecting Mariachi Roots: Lesly Reynaga
Lesly Reynaga grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, surrounded by family and music. Today, she’s a pioneer in her clan for bringing traditional mariachi to the big stage. With a fierce voice, fiery curls, and radiant presence, she imbues her genre with a unique power.
Lesly attributes her musical beginnings to her abuelita. “She pulled out an old song book and taught me to sing a song. And from then forward, at any kind of school function, they would basically volunteer me,” she fondly recalls. Around age 14, Lesly remembers picking up her mother’s guitar and teaching herself to play.
A Braided River: Deer Fellow
It’s hard to tell where the duo behind Deer Fellow ends and the other begins. Matt and Alyssa’s voices, like instruments, interchange, blend, rise and fall in ways that few duos can achieve. If listeners are lucky enough to catch a live show, they’d be forgiven for mistaking the pair for a full band upon first note.
The vocalists and multi-instrumentalists combine a slate of instruments and techniques to fill out the sound. Matt’s guitar looping techniques, skillful chord progressions, and light percussion, along with Alyssa’s synth backgrounds and bell-clear violin, produce a fulsome sound that is far from the typical folk duo most listeners have come to expect.
Messages: Los Coast
Messages: Los Coast
Experimental, psychedelic beats drive the soul of Los Coast’s melodies, but it is words that form the heart of their music. With frontman Trey Privott’s soulful voice arranged amid funky, energetic grooves, this genre-crossing music is built on little moments that call on listeners to pay closer attention.
Trey’s fascination with words began in childhood when he would scribble down enigmatic shapes approximating letters. “I used to just write and make up languages,” Trey remembers. These constructed languages eventually acquired their own encoded meaning and rhythm. “And then, I think I just started thinking of words as the music. Lyrics are the music,” he explains.
