Ones2Watch Home

With Austin City Limits only days away from filling Texas' Zilker Park with music by some of the best artists the world over—and for two weekends straight—these days should be spent worrying about how to secure last-minute passes and where exactly you'll be getting BBQ this year, not stressing about who to see. And that's exactly why we're here. These are 12 acts not to be missed at 2024's Austin City Limits.

Chapell Roan

When & Where: Sunday, 6:45pm @ American Express

Given its proximity to some of the best BBQ in the country, Austin City Limits is a uniquely southern affair, but this midwest princess is set to bring her indelible brand of pop to Austin, Texas. Chapell Roan is arguably the breakout artist of the past year, with 2024 seeing the inevitable super star draw in record-breaking crowds at festivals across the country. It’s not hard to see why; Roan’s iridescent pop is vulnerable, euphoric, and best experienced live.

Royel Otis

When & Where: Friday, 5:10 p.m. @ Miller Lite [W2]

Royel Otis may have found newfound acclaim with a pair of viral covers but don’t disregard their impressive, growing discography. While we certainly will be more than ecstatic to hear the Australian guitar-pop duo’s aforementioned covers of The Cranberries’ “Linger” and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor,” Royel Otis’ 2024 debut album, PRATTS & PAIN, is more than worthy of its own heaps of acclaim. The sprawling 16-track project bottles a keen sense of adventure through jangly sonics and a house show-like fervor to deliver one of the best projects of the year. 

Kevin Abstract 

When & Where: Sunday, 5:45 p.m. @ IHG Hotels & Resorts

Give or take three hours from Kevin Abstract’s native Corpus Christi, and Austin City Limits can be seen as a sort of homecoming show for the former BROCKHAMPTON frontman. Outside of being a founding member of the best boy band since One Direction, the Texas rapper and singer is a critically acclaimed solo artist in his own right. His music blends elements of hip-hop, indie, experimental rock, and easygoing pop to deliver a uniquely sonic vision that is anything but one-dimensional. From the adventurous and divisive departure of Blanket to his recent collaborative effort with Lil Nas X on “Tennessee,” Abstract is paving a path all his own.  

Barry Can’t Swim

When & Where: Friday, 6:30 p.m. @ Tito's Handmade Vodka

If all you want to do is dance and forget about all your worries for an hour, then promptly make your way to a Barry Can’t Swim set. The Scottish electronic music producer and DJ has steadily been stirring up quite a buzz with a live set that is best experienced, felt, and grooved to. For those wondering where to start with Barry Can’t Swim, might we suggest his excellent, kaleidoscopic album 2023 album When Will We Land? or his dance-inducing Boiler Room set?  

The Marías

When & Where: Friday, 7:30 p.m. @ T-Mobile

The Marías may just be the sexiest band playing Austin City Limits this year. Fronted by María Zardoya, the Los Angeles band’s music is a cinematic experience unto itself, soundtracking tales of love, lust, heartbreak, and longing through a hazy lens of distinctive jazz-R&B-infused indie pop. Listening to The Marías feels like walking into a hazy jazz bar stuck out of time and space and locking eyes with a lover you can’t quite remember but can’t quite forget. 

Malcolm Todd

When & Where: Sunday, 2:00 p.m. @ T-Mobile

Fans of artists like Steve Lacy and Dominic Fike, will likely find a kindred spirit in the intoxicating music of Malcolm Todd. The Los Angeles multi-instrumentalist and producer effortlessly blends impressive vocals layers and R&B-leaning production sound to create a take on pop-R&B that is sweeter than honey, even when he’s spilling out his heart. Earlier this year saw the release of Sweet Boy, a comprehensive look at Todd’s artistry thus far conveyed over 16 infectious tracks. 

Tanner Adell 

When & Where: Friday, 3:10 p.m. @ BMI [W1]

Tanner Adell is a new brand of country star. Raised between the coast of California’s Manhattan Beach and the homegrown charm of Wyoming’s Star Valley, her music is similarly a marriage of varying ideas, sounds, and worlds. Her penchant for emphasizing lyrical storytelling is clear as day, but, unlike much of her peers, it’s carried by some truly infectious pop and R&B production, resulting in a truly unique union. And if you don’t want to take our word for it, then perhaps take Beyoncé’s, who featured Adell on her landmark COWYBOY CARTER album. 

The Beaches

When & Where: Saturday, 3:20 p.m. @ T-Mobile

Taking their name from the Toronto neighborhood they hail from, The Beaches have without question gone on to bring their infectious brand of indie rock-pop a long, long way from home. Their breakout single, “Blame Brett,” introduced the world at large to one of the most cathartic breakup anthems of all time, but what it truly signaled was a legacy in the making. With each new release, including 2023’s Blame My Ex, and the recently released pair of singles, “Jocelyn” and Takes One To Know One,” The Beaches are only getting better and better.   

Dasha 

When & Where: Friday, 2:45 p.m. @ American Express

They say stars aren’t made overnight, and while the viral success of Dasha’s breakout hit single, “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” may convince you otherwise, the single was more of a return to form than anything. The single, which has been practically everywhere this past summer, saw Dasha returning to her country roots to deliver a breakup anthem for the ages. It’s a sound and sentiment carried through in her most recent EP, What Happens Now?, which sees Dasha honing in on her infectious blend of country and pop. His boots may have stopped working, but Dasha doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. 

Sir Chloe

When & Where: Friday, 2:00 p.m. @ T-Mobile

Fronted by Dana Foote, Sir Chloe may not have released any new solo work since 2023’s acclaimed I Am The Dog, which we heralded as one of our favorite albums of that year, but it’s the way her alternative music seeps its way into you in and lingers long after that initial listen that still has us coming back for more. Deftly wielding glittering arrangements, distortion, hooky melodies, a voice that falls in and out of half-sung, half-spoken verse, and just the right finish of grime, Sir Chloe is a band unapologetic in their artistry and righteously assured of their sound. And who knows, if we’re lucky, maybe we’ll even get some new music out of Sir Chloe at Austin City Limits. 

Daniel Seavey

When & Where: Sunday, 1:15 p.m. @ American Express

Originally finding his start in boy band Why Don’t We, it’s Daniel Seavey’s recent solo venture that has us perking up our ears and tugging at our heartstrings. Currently working toward his forthcoming untitled debut album, Seavey has teased out this newfound era of his artistry with a series of singles, each more moving than the last. “The Older You Get” and “Other People” give light to a Seavey assured in his sound, even as he comes to terms with the inescapable passing of time and heartbreak, emerging out the other side as a rising star with a story just waiting to be told. 

Lola Young

When & Where: Saturday, 2:20 p.m. @ American Express

Lola Young’s artist journey may just be beginning but her impressive storytelling and vocal delivery have already earned her comparison to the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse. The 23-year-old South East London artist released her debut album, My Mind Wanders, last year to widespread acclaim, following being shortlisted for the 2022 BRITs ‘Rising Star Category’ just the year prior. With a smoky voice and songwriting grit that belies her age, there’s no doubt about it. Young is a star on the rise, and Austin City Limits is just another chapter in that story.