Patti Doud

IN A DREAMY ENVIRONMENT WHERE LONELINESS AND LIMERENCE RULE—Devon Thompson spins a shining web of haunting vocals and melancholic guitar riffs reminiscent of Mazzy Star and the Cranberries. Thompson proves herself to be one of few current artists who is able to execute the delicate balance between evocative lyricism and complementary silky sounds. Her most recent single “Hunger” contains an inexplicably comforting 90s guitar lick with floating synths built around it, while Thompson’s breathy voi...

AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO 2026, we’re spotlighting artists who feel less like trends and more like signals, musicians that shaping the next chapter of pop, alternative and experimental music in real time. Our 2026 Artists to Watch list highlights musicians who feel like they’re operating slightly ahead of the curve, building worlds that invite listeners in while quietly redefining their lanes. These are artists carving out space on their own terms, blending genre, visual identity and storytelling in w...

IN AN ARENA TYPICALLY UTILIZED FOR MID-LEVEL COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL STARS — filled with squeaking mustard-yellow hard plastic chairs, excited fangirl chatter overlapped indistinctly. It felt like an unlikely place for the shining energy of sextet K-pop group P1Harmony, but there’s an underrated talent in molding any old space into one’s artistic world. This special and safe world, built upon itself with intricate stories through each song, album and event, draws in a diverse crowd. Colorful, funk...

IMAGINE A NIGHT WHERE FROSTY ICE LAYERS ON YOUR NOSE — You’re surrounded only by the conifers swaying and the crickets humming while the real star of the show, the brilliant streaks of green, turquoise and purple dance across the sky. While it’s a dream for most of us to witness a natural phenomenon like the Northern Lights, this is a near-daily occurrence for Alaska-based Ralph Castelli.Stream Indie

The 27 year-old artist found his niche producing hits for well-known indie acts like the Neighbourhood, Blu DeTiger, Dora Jar and Glaive. But it wasn’t always like this. Originally starting as a solo artist project, Castelli gained momentum through his synth-heavy, groovy bedroom pop tracks like “Morning Sex,” which currently clocks over 44,000 videos on TikTok.

The GUTS World Tour, a sold out international arena tour, is no small event – the purple-loving popstar Olivia Rodrigo is hitting a variety of North American and European cities over the course of almost 6 months. One of her recent stops was in Columbus, Ohio, where I was able to live the full GUTS experience.


Ticketing Experience


I was in a state of debate while this show approached. With such a high demand for tickets, official ones were completely sold out on the approved partner site,...

IIN THE NOISE OF THIS SCORCHING BRAT SUMMER — electronic club music and sweating drinks, The Backfires cut through clearly with their new, comforting rock releases. The band, made up of frontman Alex Gomez, bassist Matt Walter, guitarist Harry Ruprecht and drummer Max Wanduragala, shines a light on their combined experiences in both the UK and New York City through a smooth blend of 2000s American rock and classic Brit rock. The result is a refined band with a specific aesthetic, fun fan engagement and trendy presence that establishes themselves as a unique entity in music today.

Their lead single, “Brighter Lights”, illustrates a familiar yearning in young adulthood for a greater sense of purpose and success, while “Dressed for a Funeral,” my personal favorite, creates a classic image of confusing reconciliation.

The world’s globalized network has led to plenty of niche communities, whether the central theme of these diasporas is lived experiences or cultural explorations. For Danny Singh, his unique interactions with music led him to a laidback circle of friends, producers and fans who are the definition of “I listen to everything.” While this clique is the perfect audience for Singh’s experimental sound, a talent this expansive deserves to be acknowledged by all. His latest release—the recent smooth, sultry “WYD?”—is the perfect introduction track for the world.Stream Albums

The young artist shows off his sonic diversity through tracks like “KARMASUTYA,” where he sounds straight off a Nine Inch Nails track with his screaming verses. Another standout is the flowy, indie-R&B fusion track “BUDDY,” which could easily be mistaken for a Steve Lacy leak. In the rough rock track titled “WASSUP,” Singh boasts, “This is jersey punk, I just made it up,” which is a great summary of the jersey club beat layered over intense guitar riffs. While the production is stunningly unique, Singh also presents high quality rap flows reminiscent of Trippie Redd and Kendrick Lamar, along with providing strong vocals seen in R&B icons like Daniel Caesar and Brent Faiyaz.

In the heart of Wicker Park, Chicago, I met with the glittering quartet of youngsters that make up Neptune’s Core. The band consists of two sets of sisters tackling the ups and downs of their youth, united through music. The eldest sisters, Sofia Ritcher and Kaitlin Cywinski, took the lead in organizing our portrait session and striking up conversation. The younger sisters, Hannah Ritcher and Jackie Cywinski, were able to fill the space with laughter and smiles between photos.


I couldn’t hel...

AMONG THE SPARKLING NEW WAVE OF FLOWING JAZZ POP (Clairo, Luna Li, Alice Phoebe Lou), Scottish native Linzi Clark has introduced herself with a persona unafraid of experimentation. Her repertoire consists of haunting vocal runs, swaying basslines, and dubious metaphors that transport her listeners back to the eclectic niche worlds built by icons like Kate Bush. However, what really makes her stand out in the sea of soft-spoken Lana del Reys is Clark’s ability to pull off a perfectly structured pop record that not only interests the audience but allows them to travel through the sonic experience as a friend and guest on the Linzi Clark musical planet, which twinkles in the sky each night if you look real close.

Her most recent release, “The Couch,” is a melodic reflection of memories and how materialistic items take hold of them, through a metaphoric (and literal) couch. Likening this couch to a fabricated murder scene, Clark guides us through a changing moment in life. We spoke to her about this record, and all things encompassing the Linzi Clark world and the stars that sparkle around it.

As we were tackling a five hour drive home from a concert, my friend Grace asked, “did she just say ‘get it hot like Papa John?'”


I laughed and played the song again until we were sure that it was the correct lyric. We replayed the song a few more times until we found ourselves bouncing and dancing along to Chappell Roan’s “Femininonenon.” These joyful moments, which Grace and I like to call ‘core memories,’ summarize Roan’s new album, Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.


Establishing hers...

In today’s day and age of internet success, it can be hard to discern talent and passion from a viral moment. While we’ve seen social media’s ability to make success more accessible for independent artists, it’s also saturated music discovery into an overwhelmed hodgepodge of noise. Breaking through the static is rising popstar Devon Again, who’s creativity and experimental attitude makes her a shoo-in for success.


I first stumbled upon Devon’s music when Spotify suggested her lusturious and...

On a sunny, 70 degree day, where round cotton clouds hung lazily above our heads, my friends nursed their hangovers with sunglasses and New York Times word puzzles. I leaned in to the the sun like growing plant, while our conversations of Beerlympics, post-graduation plans and reviews of recent dates were backed by Royel Otis’s soundcheck. A perfect Saturday for catching an indoor/outdoor show, grabbing a tallboy, and letting the music memorialize this moment in...

In the heart of Nashville, an abundance of rising bands await their big break. But for Overlook, this moment may be coming sooner than they think.


This unique quartet consists of guitarist & lead vocalist Carson Bull, bassist Sam Bellavance, guitarist & vocalist Jim Haines, and drummer Colin Christenson. While originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, the group has an interesting history and dynamic that draws in an audience. As we’ve heard from many other bands, the ability to perform live makes...

Music critics and labels alike have been struggling to find what clicks with young audiences and how to create the next big star. While it seems obvious to most of us music fanatics that a relatable, organic experience is the preferred starlet fixation, there are so many different routes and aesthetics to take. Cool and collected, sharp-tongued and stunning, Reneé Rapp shows us her unique path to music and how she makes successful pop unique.


Almost Famous Zine had the opportunity to chat wit...

Evidence supports robotic surgery as a safe approach to upper urinary tract procedures in infants 6 months or younger.
While robotic surgery has risen in popularity and feasibility for procedures in both older children and adults alike, there has been little data to determine whether it’s a safe possibility for young children and infants. But now, researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have published evidence supporting robotic surgery as a safe and feasible vehicle for upper urinary trac...

Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is a rare condition occurring in about 10-15% of twin or triplet pregnancies that share the placenta (monochorionic pregnancies). It occurs due to an imbalance in blood circulation between the twins, resulting in one baby transfusing a significant amount of blood to the other. As a consequence, the donor twin becomes smaller and has low amniotic fluid, while the recipient twin grows well but experiences cardiac overload and excess amniotic fluid (polyhydr...