It’s an exciting time to be a music fan in the D.C. region. Perhaps spurred on by the physical restrictions of the pandemic, local artists have found all sorts of creative ways to record, perform, and share their music. Due to this creativity, rising D.C. stars have received national attention — from D.C.-based alt-rocker Bartees Strange, who’s been named in multiple best-of-the-year lists and had a hand in two other records mentioned in this list, to Prince George’s County-raised R&B singer Alex Vaughn, who was featured in this year’s BET Soul Train Awards. And it’s no surprise: The up-and-comers from this area are incredibly innovative and deserve all the hype.

To compile this non-exhaustive list, we focused mostly on musicians who are actively releasing original music, performing regularly in the region, or have a growing local fan base. For this reason, you’ll notice we didn’t include well-established go-go bands or influential post-hardcore bands that put D.C. music on the map.

Instead, you’ll hear go-go’s influence in the soulful tracks of rappers like Asa Weeks and the 11-year-old Fly Zyah, or echoes of ‘80s Dischord legends in the experimentation of rock outfits like Outerloop and Cinema Hearts. Dig in below, and be sure to follow our Spotify playlist, which features all of these incredible artists and more. –Elliot Williams

Abe Mamet

The french horn is not often heard in a jazz setting, which is a shame because the instrument’s warm tone is readily applicable to a number of contexts. Abe Mamet, a 28-year old Denver native who now lives in Mount Rainier, started playing the horn in elementary school and it wasn’t long before he was improvising. Mamet’s latest recording, The Abe Mamet Trio, came out digitally in November 2021 and was pressed on vinyl in May of this year.

Mamet has a busy 2023 planned. He is aiming to record an album with a quintet and is applying for grants to support a late summer tour. Mamet also contributes to the local musical community outside of playing, writing about the local jazz scene as a contributor to CapitalBop. Mamet’s next notable gig is on January 20 at Rhizome, performing with violinist and frequent collaborator Jamie Sandel. –Sriram Gopal

Airospace 

Anthony Alexander Mathison II, better known as Airospace, might confuse a first-time listener. The 31-year-old musician blends rap, emo, electronica, and jazz on his latest album, “You’re A Liar And You Suck, Who Would Love You?” which is equal parts aggressive and introspective. He’s a world traveler, most recently visiting London to collaborate with U.K. artists. But he has local roots: As a troubled kid bouncing between Southeast D.C. and Maryland, he found peace playing drums at church. He’s come a long way since then, gaining millions of Spotify streams and a promotional deal with Sprite. These days, Airospace focuses most of his creative energy on Polaroids — he exhibited his photography in an exhibit and performance at Shopkeepers DC earlier this month.

“I’ve been out here working for a decade-plus with different musicians,” he says. “Some of them have fallen to the wayside in the sense that they’ve chosen other paths in life because the stress of this is too much. There are others that have passed on.” Given how fast his music career is moving, it’s no wonder he wants to preserve his precious memories. –Elliot Williams

Alex Vaughn

It would be hard to talk about the most exciting up-and-coming local artists without mentioning R&B songstress Alex Vaughn. After signing to the Love Renaissance (LVRN) label last year, she wasted no time leaving her imprint on 2022, particularly in the D.C. region. Vauhgn performed at Broccoli City in May — a surreal moment for the Prince George’s County native: “I’ve gone to that festival many times with my friends,” Vaughn says. “So for my first festival to be on the same stage that I used to watch and watch my peers be on, it was just full circle.”

In October, she released her first major label EP, The Hurtbook, which serves as a personal introduction to the artist’s impressive vocal range and lyricism. Locals loved it, made apparent through her sold out show at Songbyrd Music House in November, where she performed the album in full to a packed house. “I hadn’t put out a body of work in four years,” she says. “So for my first show as a headliner to be sold out, it was crazy.” Vaughn is set on expanding her fanbase in 2023. She’s an opener for fellow D.C. area-native Ari Lennox’s Age/Sex/Location Tour, which ends with four local shows: two at The Fillmore Silver Spring (March 25 & 26) and two at Howard Theatre (March 28 & 29). –Nayion Perkins

Ari Voxx and the Sad Lads

Northern Virginia-based jazz and neo-soul singer Ari Voxx (Ariana Harbin) first came on DCist’s radar in 2020 with her dreamy acoustic track “Moons.” The finalist for a Wammie (D.C.’s local music awards) keeps busy, with frequent shows at local hot spots — including a Dec. 30 performance at Pearl Street Warehouse and an upcoming residency at DC9 (every Wednesday night Jan. 11 through Feb. 1). Voxx has teamed up with guitarist/synth player Jegug Ih and bass player Ryan Boshart, her Sad Lads. With the trio, she leans more into ‘80s-influenced indie pop than on previous projects. “I don’t see a lot of women of color making this kind of music,” Voxx says. “So I think I bring a unique perspective with my songwriting and production.”

Watch Voxx and the Sad Lads have an insane amount of fun dancing around in the music video for their wavy surfer track, “Cherry Blossom.” And stay tuned for the group’s first full length album, I’m Ok, Please Stop Asking, coming in spring/summer 2023. Says Voxx: “I’m looking forward to kicking ass next year!” -Elliot Williams

Asa Weeks

Rapper Asa Weeks, of Frederick, Maryland, entered the D.C. music scene just this year when he performed at Pie Shop in April. Since then he’s had an incredible trajectory — he performed at Union Stage in September and returned to Pie Shop on Nov. 27 to play his first show as a headliner in D.C. Weeks stands out from other local emcees by getting personal — he raps about everything from his Liberian heritage to his complex feelings about his rising career.

On Oct. 31, Weeks released a single titled “MOE TOWN,” which he says is about transitioning from someone with a dream to someone who lives that dream. He’s currently working on a collaboration with Yudu Gray, Jr., who’s producing a song titled “BLK GLD” that’s scheduled to drop Dec. 30. The song will touch on themes of navigating love and relationships while embarking on a journey to greatness, per Weeks. He says he has a lot of goals for 2023, including releasing merchandise, performing at bigger venues, and even going on tour. –Dorvall Bedford

Bartees Strange

Not too long ago, Bartees Leon Cox Jr. held a job at Kramers, Dupont Circle’s cozy bookstore, and caught acts like Beach House at the 9:30 Club, he recently told The Washington Post. This past November, the rising star took the 9:30 Club stage himself, headlining as Bartees Strange. And, well, he kind of sounded like the ethereal Beach House — but he also kind of sounded like hip-hop group Death Grips, scenesters like Fall Out Boy and indie force Phoebe Bridgers. Bartees sits calmly in the eye of this genre storm, cherry-picking elements from emo, country, rap, and rock to create his own sound. It’s resonating: Farm to Table, his second album, is one of the year’s best according to Rolling Stone and the New York Times. Next year, he’ll bring his eccentric taste to Canada’s Sled Island Festival as a curator, and we’ve got our fingers crossed for another hometown show. –Ella Feldman

Broke Royals 

For the D.C.-based rock band Broke Royals, it’s all about keeping things local. In fact, their third and latest album, released in July, is called Local Support — inspired by a show they played at Songbyrd Music House in 2017. “I’m in the band playing local support,” Philip Basnight sings in the title track. “Your hands in the air as you dance through the floor.” (He was describing his wife Rebecca Silverstein, then an audience member dancing the night away. She’s now the band’s keyboardist.)

The five-member group recorded their upbeat, 10-track album at Ivakota Recording Studio near Capitol Hill; Bartees Strange (see above) produced the record; and they became the first signees to Byrdland Records, a vinyl label from the same team behind Songbyrd. “The record captures a transitional period for us as a band,” Basnight said over email. “The pandemic forced us to collaborate in new ways, which resulted in some exciting new sounds captured on the record.” Basnight says he’s confident there will be new Broke Royals music in 2023. In the meantime, check out their video series, “Alone, Together,” in which they created songs live on YouTube in the early days of the pandemic. –Elliot Williams

Cinema Hearts 

There’s something perversely delightful about watching a girl in a tiara have a meltdown. From Carrie to Courtney Love, the prom-gone-wrong aesthetic persists, living on today through acts like Pom Pom Squad and Olivia Rodrigo. A few years ago, Northern Virginia native Caroline Weinroth entered the game with Cinema Hearts, the indie rock outfit she fronts in pageant queen glamor. But there’s a catch: Weinroth actually used to compete for those sashes and tiaras.

Her run as a pageant star — which included a Miss Virginia attempt — is the fodder for Your Ideal, the singer’s Bartees Strange-produced five-song EP, which was released in August. The punk-leaning title track is a catchy takedown of beauty standards. Romantic ballads reminiscent of ‘60s girl groups round out Your Ideal, showcasing Weinroth’s range and vivid songwriting. Keep an eye out in 2023 for a vinyl edition, a tour, and more music — which is “in the works,” the pageant veteran tells DCist. –Ella Feldman

Cumbia Heights

As their name suggests, most members of Cumbia Heights are local to the Columbia Heights neighborhood in D.C. By day, they work at nonprofits — but by night, this nine-person ensemble has been bouncing the walls off of Haydee’s Restaurant and D.C.’s Latin-music scene since 2021. “You got to shake off that work day in some way, right?” says band member Tomas Monnarez.

With nearly all members hailing from Mexico, Chile, Peru, Columbia, and even New Orleans, Cumbia Heights is part of a growing movement to bring the groovy fusions of African rhythms and Indigenous sounds to the U.S. The ensemble features traditional Latin instruments to create a highly-danceable mix of tropical, soul, and rock music. “Since every country has gotten their own take on it, there is no wrong,” says Monnarez. “I think anybody can dance cumbia.”

The band just dropped a single called “Poder del Pueblo,” dedicated to their namesake neighborhood as part of a campaign for social justice and immigration reform. In April, you can catch them in the local line-up for the National Cannabis Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds. Until then, many of their previous performances can be enjoyed on YouTube. -Héctor Arzate

Fly Zyah

This 11-year-old rapper is still on fire (which she asserted herself on her 2020 album, Young Black and Gifted). Fly Zyah radiates positivity — on and off the mic — writing bars about erasing hate and filling the world with love. In 2022, her performances included the Broccoli City festival and the legendary Apollo theater, where she was an Amateur Night winner. Off the stage, The Kennedy Center recognized Zyah as a trailblazer and cultural leader among its “Next 50” honorees from around the world.

She has big plans for 2023. Each Next 50 honoree local to the D.C. region also received a residency at the Kennedy Center. Zyah is using hers to develop a play, Legend, with friends. “We’re looking at legends we look up to and how to become legends ourselves,” Zyah says. She hopes to take the play to schools to lift other kids up with her, and to stages around the world. In terms of music, there will be an accompanying soundtrack for Legend. Zyah also hinted at a forthcoming album, Young Black & Gifted 3. –Eric Falquero

Grady

The self-described “girl-powered, pop-rock trio” Grady has heavy ‘90s and early ‘00s influences. They best describe their sound as the soundtrack to “the homecoming dance in a lost episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” To date, the band has just two demos released on Bandcamp, “Sunnies” and “Big Red,” but their energetic live shows have already turned heads. A lot of their songs are about the female experience and the frustrations that come with that, but lead singer Emily Yaremchuk says the group tries to navigate these topics with more humor than negativity.

They played a November show at Pie Shop and will be performing again on Dec. 31 at Jammin Java for their New Year’s Eve bash with Milo in the Doldrums. The show features a food drive — patrons can donate two canned goods to receive $2 off their ticket. The trio says fans can look forward to plenty in 2023, including a debut EP they’re currently recording, merchandise, and a possible residency tour. Grady also plans to play some additional charity shows with other bands to give back to D.C. residents. –Dorvall Bedford

Hammered Hulls

Sometimes, the most exciting new projects come from people and places that are familiar. That’s the case with Hammered Hulls, a hardcore punk supergroup comprising members from some of the most influential D.C. bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s, including the Warmers, Faith, and Untouchables. Alec MacKaye leads on vocals, and he’s backed by bassist Mary Timony (Ex Hex; Helium), guitarist Mark Cisneros (Des Demonas; the Make Up) and drummer Chris Wilson (Ted Leo and the Pharmacists; Titus Andronicus). Ian MacKaye, Alec’s older brother of Fugazi and Minor Threat fame, produced Hammered Hulls’ first full-length album, Careening, released on the storied Dischord Records.

The group recently finished playing the record up and down the East Coast for fans who couldn’t get enough of the rock veterans. Their biggest bragging point? They might be the last band to record an album at Arlington’s iconic Inner Ear Studios, at least in its previous form: the legendary Don Zientara, who mixed and mastered Careening, reportedly moved Inner Ear to his basement, where he first opened it more than 40 years ago. –Elliot Williams

Heaven Forbid

Heaven Forbid has everything you want in an old-timey country band: dreamy pedal steel, Telecaster guitar, walking basslines, four-piece harmonies, Western wear and a lead singer with a mustache that rivals Dale Earnhardt’s. The self-described “cowboy crooners for urban commuters” were in other bands together before starting the western quintet shortly before the pandemic.

They don’t have a huge catalog online — just three songs and a wonderful Christmas tune on Bandcamp — and some of their livesets on Instagram where you can catch a mix of their originals and classics from Dwight Yoakum, Tom T. Hall, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and more. Heaven Forbid has played local VFW halls, Rhizome, Slash Run, 9:30 Club, and are two shows into a monthly “All Hat No Cattle” gig at the dive bar Public Option on Rhode Island Ave every second Saturday of the month. –Jordan Pascale

Mikiah

On her latest release, Dahlia, Landover-based singer Mikiah hooks listeners right away with the opener, “Do Better,” an anthem punctuated by harmonies that might touch the heavens with her Minnie Riperton-esque vocal range. And by the fourth track, “Soul Tied,” Mikiah’s infectious funk and lyricism make it impossible not to sing along and become a fan. Mikiah understands the foundations of R&B while also weaving in her own storytelling to connect with audiences, just like her favorite artists connected with her.

“The way that so many other artists have made me feel understood when I hear their lyrics and choice of instrumentation has inspired me to believe I can do the same if I share my music as well,” Mikiah says. She performed on U Street with Sofar Sounds DC this month, and she’ll announce more shows in 2023. -Aja Drain

Oddisee 

It’s strange to put an artist on this list who’s as ingrained in hip-hop culture and comfortable in his artistry as Oddisee. But when an emcee and producer stays as loyal to his cult fanbase and reinvents himself as often as this D.C.-area native, he becomes impossible to omit. Though he’s lived in Brooklyn for some time now, Oddisee and his band, Good Compny, just ended the U.S. leg of their tour with a homecoming at the 9:30 Club.

Born Amir Mohamed el Khalifa in D.C. and raised in Prince George’s County, Oddisee has made it clear who he does all of this for: “This is for the county and the areas surrounding D.C., Maryland and Virginia, know I’m with you,” he raps on the 2017 track “Never Not Getting Enough.” An avid runner, he showed love to Rock Creek Park — the namesake for his soulful 2011 beat tape — while in the area this month. A handful of fresh singles indicate that the homegrown rapper’s production and lyrical skills are only sharpening, and that his next album, To What End (out Jan. 20) will be well worth the two-year wait since his last proper release. –Elliot Williams

Outerloop 

Craigslist is a great site to find apartments, gigs, and used household items. But did you know it’s also where some great singers — like Taisha Estrada — find their bandmates? The Northern Virginia-based post-punk ensemble Outerloop formed in 2019 when guitarist Don Potter, bass player Mike Larmoyeux, and drummer Patrick Gough posted a relatively normal looking ad for a local woman who could sing. Estrada had the experience, mostly in jazz and world music bands, and responded. Her style became an oddly perfect fit for the group’s indie rock sound — just check out their spontaneous 2021 Tiny Desk submission, “El Control.”

“We want to make dynamic rock music that’s challenging and original,” Potter says over email. “One way we try to do that is with contrasts — like classically-trained powerhouse vocals against the loud messy guitar, or prog rock time shifts in 2-minute-long punk songs.”

Listeners can get a sampling of this beautiful messiness on their self-titled Outerloop, or at their Jan. 8 show at DC9. –Elliot Williams

Thalia Falcon

Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Thalia Falcon has managed to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. While the rising pop and R&B singer has performed on stages her whole life, she started making music professionally just three years ago. Since then, she’s amassed a massive online following — mostly due to a string of catchy singles, well-choreographed music videos, and TikTok skits that show she doesn’t take herself too seriously.

“I was born into a Cuban and Greek household where the passion for music was naturally a part of my everyday life and in my blood,” Falcon shared over email. “My father had a music career before I was born and throughout the early years of my childhood.”

While her father gave up the musician’s life to be a family man, Falcon says she’s honored to carry his artistic legacy and expects to release more music in 2023. “My dream is for my music to continue being the bridge between different people and cultures,” she says. –Elliot Williams

Other locals to listen to:

ANKHLEJOHN (hip-hop/rap); Cole Larravide (rock); DuPont Brass (funk/hip-hop); Eli Derby (R&B); Emma G (pop); Maya Elizabeth (spiritual/acoustic); Melan (R&B); MLLN (jazz/soul); Nim (hip-hop/rap); NO/MÁS (grindcore); The Raw Band (funk/soul); Spike Nu (hip-hop/rap); Synae (Alt-R&B/pop); Tunnel (indie rock)