Published by Back Beat Seattle on September 20, 2026. Avery Cochrane released her debut album’s lead single, “Toy Gun” on September 9. Earlier this year, Cochrane released her EP Male Validation and Other Drugs. The anticipation for her debut album is growing, especially after the inclusion of the Male Validation track “Shapeshifting on a Saturday Night” in the popular TV show Off Campus. The “Toy Gun” single cover – photo by Samantha Klegerman The pop sound of “Toy Gun” is l

Ella Mai @ WaMu Theater – 7/16/26 Show Review by Louise Geri Photos by David Conger Ella Mai - photo by David Conger Before WaMu Theater had filled with Ella Mai’s majestic voice, you could see the effort she’d put into the Do You Still Love Me? Tour by taking a quick walking tour of the venue. Fans posed in a Mai-themed phone booth, collected goodie bags at the Amplified Access entrance, and formed a long line at the merch booth. The crowd smelled of perfume and cologne. Fol

Michael Fitzpatrick of Fitz and the Tantrums - photo by Louise Geri In a nutshell, Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums are your high school English teacher and music teacher, respectively. You know, the ones who are best friends and bring the room to life whenever they enter the other’s classroom. I went into the Fitz & the Tantrums concert at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, WA expecting a majority teenage crowd decked out in edgy punk

Sierra Hull - photo by Louise Geri The audience at Sierra Hull’s performance at Northwest Tune-Up Bike and Music Festival was a far step from what I’m used to in the bluegrass scene, as someone who didn’t listen to much bluegrass before moving to Nashville. The Puget Sound was the backdrop to a massive Bellingham festival fairground filled with girls in jorts, kids running around with bubble wands, food trucks lining the lot, and perhaps strangest of all, massive man-made dus

Bebe Stockwell in the Volume 1 photoshoot – photo by Katherine Goguen The most shocking thing about Bebe Stockwell’s second album Volume 1 might not be her bold claim that when love is right, you just know it, or her preference for the more temperate New England climate over the always warm Los Angeles climate. Rather, your biggest surprise might be learning that Stockwell is 24 years old. Stockwell’s voice provided great company as I sewed while listening to the album for th

Holly Humberstone, photos by Kirk Stauffer. Downtown Seattle was already unusually crowded for a Wednesday as people anticipated the World Cup. But in a sea of sports fans, a group stuck out: young adults, primarily women and gay male couples, waiting to enter Holly Humberstone’s Seattle stop at the Showbox on the Cruel World Tour. Humberstone debuted during quarantine and released the successful EPs Falling Asleep At The Wheel (2020) and The Walls Are Way Too Thin (2021). He

"Weight On Me" cover art Rising British R&B singer Debbie released a new single, “Weight On Me” on June 12th, following a new record deal with Warner Records, a Brit Award nomination, and an opening slot with Sienna Spiro. The song first debuted on A COLORS SHOW, a platform where artists perform songs in a minimalistic setting with a monochromatic color background that directs listeners attention to the artist’s raw talent. The production, by Luis Navidad, is relaxed. It’s re

Em Beihold, photo by Kirk Stauffer for Back Beat Seattle Em Beihold, a pop singer who has built an image surrounding mental health since her 2022 hit “Numb Little Bug”, headlined Neumos for her Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter Tour on Wednesday. Decked out in flower crowns and dresses, fans filled the venue with positive energy. Neumos was the most packed I’ve ever seen. Janani K. Jha, Beihold’s self-proclaimed biggest fan, was the opener. She took the stage smiling alongside h

Claire Rosinkranz playing the Crocodile, all photos by Kirk Stauffer. Claire Rosinkranz encapsulated what can only be described as “weird-cool girl pop” as she took the stage at The Crocodile on Monday night. Donning a boho Stevie Nicks style dress, she spun onstage, sometimes shamelessly clumsy, singing with a sarcastic yet heartfelt tone. Spoken interludes were delivered over the loudspeaker during transitions between parts of Rosinkranz’s set. She opened up about her strug