Stephen Thompson

Sylvan Esso, the duo of Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath, drew cheers for their soon-to-be-released new material during NPR Music's annual showcase in Austin.

We go to SXSW in order to find music we're unlikely to see in our own backyard, find something thrilling, then shout out our fervent support. In this episode, we do exactly that.

Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker had the capacity Stubb's crowd in the palm of her hand at our showcase.

PWR BTTM, once two and now four members strong, brought glitter, humor and bombast to the stage at Stubb's this year.

Alynda Lee Segarra paraded around the Stubb's BBQ stage at our SXSW showcase wearing a homemade T-shirt that read "No Human Is Illegal."

The Texas-born, Minneapolis-based powerhouse Lizzo came with her "Big Girls" to Stubb's this year — and brought a surprising cover song along for the ride.

The former Band Of Horses drummer's songs amble sweetly and gently, propelled by a voice that radiates kindness.

For music lovers, South By Southwest can feel like Christmas, Mardi Gras and Spring Break rolled into one. This week we share some of the discoveries we're most excited to see at this year's festival.

Though Camae Ayewa shrouds her words in shards of sonic confrontation, her message is as blunt and compressed as her music: She's hungry, under attack, fists up, forever in peril.

The Michigan singer-songwriter's first full-length album in six years, Dizzy Seas, comes out May 19. To kick it off, he's released a lovely, brooding six-minute ballad called "Northern Country Trail."

In two deceptively simple minutes, Irish singer Naomi Hamilton constructs an intimate space that's instantly, indelibly compelling.

Last fall, Oberst released a raw solo album called Ruminations. Now, its songs are more fleshed out, completed with a full band and released as a new work, complete with seven new tracks.

In the video for "Patient Zero," from Mann's forthcoming album Mental Illness, James Urbaniak and Bradley Whitford act out the song's sad story.

In the video for "Patient Zero," from Mann's forthcoming album Mental Illness, James Urbaniak and Bradley Whitford act out the song's sad story.

This charming and impeccable bit of pop songcraft is enhanced considerably by the thick brogue of 19-year-old singer Charlotte Brimner.

At 19, the Wisconsin rapper has already developed a distinct songwriting voice to go with a sonic palette that's instantly, identifiably his.

Somehow both haunting and approachable, "A Step" is fueled by Pete Josef's sweet voice and the muted shimmer of the Hang, a cousin of the steel drum. Download the song via NPR Music's Austin 100.

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson plays highlights from The Austin 100, a downloadable mix of SXSW discoveries that includes Tribu Baharú, Jealous Of The Birds, Manu Delago, Tunde Olaniran and Weaves.

Download 100 handpicked, totally free songs from the best new artists performing at SXSW 2017.

NPR's team of pop-culture commentators is live-blogging tonight's Academy Awards. Watch along.