7 Local musicians to watch in 2022

With names like John Mayer, The Carpenters, MGMT and Horace Silver, it’s undeniable that the Nutmeg State has produced some famous musical talent. However, deeply rooted in music scene of the state are budding new musicians that are beginning to make some noise throughout the music industry.

Whether you’re a fan of music that will zen you out, or are looking for someone new to add to your gym playlist, these seven Connecticut musicians are ones to keep your eyes and ears out for in the coming months as they are releasing new music and touring across the country.

Sammy Rae & The Friends

With sold-out shows from Boston to Los Angeles scheduled for 2022 and new music in tow, Sammy Rae & The Friends is producing soul music for the soul.

Lead by Derby’s Samantha Bowers, Sammy Rae & The Friends is an eight-piece indie soul band that features a rhythm section, horn section and background singers and dancers. Think Lake Street Dive meets Ripe.

After its breakthrough EP, “The Good Life,” dropped in 2018, Sammy Rae & The Friends has been touring relentlessly. The band has already sold out a number of performances on its 2022 Follow Me Like the Moon tour.

The band dropped its first single of the year, “Follow Me Like the Moon,” on Jan. 14 — its first new piece of original music since last year.

Interested in catching them? Sammy Rae & The Friends will be performing its only scheduled Connecticut stop on its tour at Infinity Hall in Hartford on March 24.

Anxious

At a time where midwest emo (think: American

football) reigns supreme in the punk genre, Darien’s Anxious is rallying DIY hardcore punk back to the foreground with its proclivity for melodic riffs and emotionally provocative lyrical content.

Paying homage to modern punk heroes likes Knuckle Puck and Boston Manor, Anxious released its first single in 2019 and has been hitting the live concert scene with ferocity ever since.

The group’s first album, “Little Green Houses,” dropped on Jan. 21 and judging by the first three songs, will fit into the Connecticut punk and hardcore scene that has produced the likes of Youth of Today, Icepick and Hatebreed.

As for touring, Anxious will be spending the beginning of the year opening up for Knuckle Puck and Hot Mulligan on their U.S. Tour.

OTS

Eddie Adei, Ray Quiet and Rey Mula from Off The Strength, also known as OTS, released their first single “Lot on my Mind” back in October. The song was played on New York’s hip-hop station Hot 97 by DJ Enuff & the Heavy Hitter DJs.

Adei, Quiet and Mula started making and releasing music separately but thought as a group they would not only sound better, but accomplish more. According to the group, their music and voices are inspired by artists like Ye, Drake, The Weeknd and Majid Jordan, giving them a Rap/Hip-Hop and R&B sound.

For 2022, listeners can expect “new sound” as they are trying out different genres from deep house to 80s pop.

Eggy

If you’re looking for an up-and-coming jam band, it’s currently residing in Woodbridge.

Eggy, a four-piece jam band, has been cutting its teeth during the pandemic with new

Taylor Hill / Getty Images for Governors Ball Top left, Samantha Bowers of Sammy Rae & Friends performs during Moon Crush Music Vacation at Seascape Resort on April 26, 2021, in Miramar Beach, Florida. Top right, Eddie Adei, Ray Quiet and Rey Mula from Off The Strength (OTS). Bottom left, Eggy perform at the Levitt Pavilion in Westport on July 15, 2021. Bottom right, Caroline Polachek performs during the 2021 Governors Ball Music Festival at Citi Field on Sept. 26, 2021, in New York City.

Jarrod McCabe / Contributed photo Dad, model, actor and musician Sammy Maximin.

Andrew DaRosa/ Hearst Connecticut Media

Erika Goldring / Getty Images

OTS / Contributed photo