Where They’re From: Los Angeles, CA

Who They Are: At the 2017 XPoNential Music Festival, a young singer-songwriter from California by the name of Phoebe Bridgers stepped onstage and sang “Lua” with headlining artist Conor Oberst, and that was it: the XPN audience was in love. Bridgers’ debut Stranger In The Alps is the perfect combination of post-emo indie cool and timeless songwriting about universal truths that fans of anyone from Elliott Smith to Janis Ian would easily connect with. Her follow-up, 2020’s Punisher, was even bigger, bolder and more confident, and her guitar-smashing performance of “I Know The End” on SNL cemented Bridgers’ place in rock history. Between her first two albums, Bridgers collaborated with musical kindred spirits Lucy Dacus and Julian Baker in the band Boygenius.

Years Active: 2014-present

Essential Albums: Stranger In The Alps (2017), Punisher (2020)