Hometown Music Series – Indianapolis Area

anna.koenig

Indianapolis, IN is a city right in the middle of the state with just under 900,000 people. The city is no Nashville, New York City, or Los Angeles. It mostly serves as concert venues for artists on tour who will come for the night, perform, and leave the next day. That being said, downtown Indianapolis and Broad Ripple are a little bit of a different story. There are many restaurants, bars, and pubs in the city and surrounding areas where you can find live music.

Although most of the artists you can find are super small, likely unknown, there are a couple that I found I really like and would recommend!

The Wldlfe – Anderson, IN

Finding The Wldlfe through the process of getting to know the music in my town may be one of my greatest successes. Before I actually spent time looking for local artists, I hadn’t heard of any of these people. The Wldlfe stuck out to me as a band that almost perfectly matches everything I look for in music. They have toured with Nightly in the past and are currently on their own tour across the country! Their song “Blood Orange” was the one that really did it for me when listening. If you like indie bands like The Band CAMINO, Valley, or Nightly, you should definitely check them out!

Christian French – Fishers, IN

When I found out that Christian French was from my neighboring town, I was floored. A Fishers, IN native, French has carved out his own space in the pop industry. His music aims to bring a level of honesty of what it’s like to struggle in your 20s to the table, and that’s one of the things I love most about his lyricism. “thank god” was my most played song this past November and December because it’s a really groovy song about growth. A lot of his songs are like that: hard hitting and honest. Definitely check out his latest project, The Space Between!

JAC – Indianapolis, IN

If you’re a fan of The 1975’s sound, you are sure to enjoy JAC’s music. Very synth heavy with fun percussive touches, JAC was a breath of fresh air for me. His album 3-6-5 really surprised me when I listened to it in full. I’ll be honest, I had no expectations, yet I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it is. It’s just fun, lively, bright, and colorful like the album cover suggests. I highly recommend checking him out if you’re looking for a hidden gem!

Forstory – Indianapolis, IN

So, Forstory only has 18 monthly listeners on Spotify, and personally I think that’s at least 300 too few. Synthpop. Synthpop. Synthpop. That’s their sound and it’s done so beautifully. Lead singer, Sydney, was actually their photographer before she became the voice of the music. Her vocals are almost hauntingly beautiful and makes the group stand out for sure. Although it contradicts the heaviness of some of the synths they choose to use, somehow it all works for a really cohesive sound. They are a reminder of how cool it is when different instruments come together.

Kayla Phillips – Carmel, IN

There is something so special about listening to a recorded track and feeling like you’re listening to live music in person. That’s how Kayla Philip’s music tends to feel for me. Her vocals feel like honey and blends perfectly with the tone of any song she releases. While listening to any of her tracks, especially the more acoustic ones, it feels like her voice reaches into your soul and guides you through the song with her. For her young age, the control and emotion she holds in her voice is out of this world. Check out her recent releases “Indiana” and “Apartment!”

Though Indianapolis isn’t a mega-music city, there are many hidden gems that are worth checking out. Honestly, before I looked for artists in my area, I didn’t think there was anything. Through this project I was able to see the talent that’s right outside my window. No matter where you live, music is everywhere, even if you can’t see it. You never know what might be out there!

Check out these artists in the playlist below: