With her powerful vocals, compelling storytelling, and unforgettable performances, Molly Brandt is making waves in the independent music scene. Drawing inspiration from songwriting legends like Dolly Parton and Tom T. Hall, her songs weave tales of heartache, resilience and triumph, delving into blue-collar struggles, dive bar revelries, long car rides, and cold-blooded revenge. With a musical background that includes stints as a classical pianist and jazz vocalist, Brandt found her songwriting voice when she turned to roots music, using a tapestry of Americana styles to tell her vivid, gritty stories. She released her first singles in 2022 and was soon performing at venues and festivals across the Midwest. Brandt captivates audiences with her fiery delivery, memorable attire and evocative lyrics. Her 2023 debut album, Surrender to the Night, blends honky-tonk, countrypolitan and alt-rock influences, and she’ll return to the studio in early 2024 with plans to explore an even broader range of roots music. While we’ll have to wait to hear what this next iteration of Molly Brandt sounds like, one thing we can count on is that it’s going to be unforgettable. “Take a ride with me,” she sings in one song that could be an advertisement for her own music. “Light me up, you know you can’t resist / ’Cause I’m like propane and cigarettes.”Reilly Downes is the Sad Cowgirl of Chicago. An Americana artist hailing from the Texas Hill Country, she cut her teeth as a session musician in Nashville, singing behind some of Americana’s favorite singer/songwriters. Reilly’s music has been described as “easy on the ears, but hard on the heart” by MusicMecca in Nashville. Her songs divert from typical contemporary country and draw on her Texas roots with a sound that "cuts across each track like a rattlesnake, adding some extra honesty and grit.” Reilly's first solo album, Spent, earned her the spot of #1 Americana releases for 2022 as well as features on The Boot among other Americana and Country covering media. Since then, her haunting rendition of “Wicked Game” has landed her radio play, a feature on Spotify’s “Vibes” playlist, and more.