NEW COLOSSUS 2025 RECAP

GALLERY, WORDS, AND PLAYLIST BY MADDIE BARKOCY

New Colossus 2025 took place from March 4-9 in NYC across 12 Lower East Side venues and featured nearly 200 artists. 

During those six days, I was the closest I’ll ever be to being in multiple places at one time. I managed to hop between seven venues, listen to sets by 49 artists, and drink more frozen margarita/deli coffee power combos than were ever intended for consumption. And somehow I’m still having severe FOMO over the sets I couldn’t make it to. I’ll need more clones of myself for next year.

In my best attempt to summarize the events of the week, here are ten artists who made quite an impression on me that you should be looking out for in 2025. 

Perhaps it goes without saying that this was not an easy feat. These six days were jam-packed with absolutely incredible artists traveling from all over the world to play, so read on to see a playlist I made with my favorite songs from each of the wonderful 49 artists I saw! And go ahead and hit play on that playlist while sifting through the (very, very truncated) gallery of photos I captured.

But without further ado:

1. Diamond Day (Montreal, QC, CA)

If anyone came up to me at the festival after I saw Diamond Day’s set at Drom on day two, there is a 100% chance some of my first few words to them were “Have you seen Diamond Day yet? No? You need to.” Montreal’s dynamic dreampop duo consists of Quinn Bachand and Béatrix Méthé (also of Rosier… and no this isn’t me already sneaking an extra band onto the list, just stating facts!). Bachand and Méthé stood on either end of a table draped in a white sheet, playing face-to-face throughout the set. Their presence onstage made it feel as though the spacious, high-ceilinged Drom was instead someone’s living room, and we were all onlookers into an intimate creative process.

Since their set, I’ve listened to “Come Over Here” an embarrassing number of times, so naturally I had to give that one a shout on my recap playlist. The opening lyrics (“Lonely? Come over here”) beckon you into their world, and the oceanic sonic swells will keep you glued to the track until its final lingering fade into silence.

2. shishi (Vilnius, LT)

Watching Lithuanian power trio shishi perform at Pianos, decked out in ruffled metallic flare pants, sequined shirts, and glitter eyeshadow, was like watching an angsty Donna and the Dynamos take to the stage. I don’t think I stopped smiling once during their set. After looking around the room, I think many can say the same. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands. Shishi writes surf-rock (sometimes self-described as “mermaid rock”) that is playful and spunky with unique harmonies and funky guitar licks. You can’t help but dance along (and wonder how they have the energy to dance throughout their whole set, too!).

On my playlist is “Çavasara,” but an honorable mention is “I Cannot Believe.” Released originally in 2022, it’s still just as relevant now, if not more. It’s also extremely cathartic to yell along to as they repeat the chorus: “I cannot believe this shit.” Go forth and sing it until your neighbors complain. It’s healing.

3. MOULD (Bristol, UK)

After watching them own the stage at Arlene’s Grocery, I can’t wait to see what’s next from this trio. Their live performance was a frenetic romp, replete with banter that got hearty laughs from the crowd, right before launching into their next heavy hitter.

MOULD’s set kept me on my toes, and no song of theirs better encapsulates their range as a group than “Glow” off their self-titled EP. The song is a melting pot of jangly indie guitar licks and soft melodies that leads into energetic drum-driven punk, as the lead vocalist repeatedly screams a blistering “Who’s reticent now, coward?” over the track. The band are experts at crafting a genre-bending track that is as catchy as it is unique. Needless to say, “Glow” has been on repeat for me. Check out their latest release “FRANCES” for another look into their high-energy work that is so fun to watch unfold onstage.

4. Pynch (London, UK)

Pynch doesn’t ask you to leave your troubles at the door, they ask you to bring them to the dance floor. What a treat it was to spend a late night at Baker Falls enveloped in the warm flourishes and candid, nostalgic lyricism of Pynch. When I made it to the venue’s balcony and caught a bird’s eye view of the action, I was struck by the crowd and the band grooving along in tandem. I’m looking forward to seeing what Pynch have in store this year, especially after hearing a few of their unreleased songs during their set.

Featured on my playlist is their track “London.” Though this song wasn’t played during their end-of-day-two set, it’s an existential synthpop anthem of theirs I’ve found myself returning to again and again. Check out their latest release “The Supermarket” as well for another look into their masterful way of spinning the woes of a disillusioned generation into a collective dance party.

5. You Said Strange (Normandy, FR)

Ending your 30-minute-long set with a nearly 15-minute-long epic of a song is a bold move, but it definitely worked in You Said Strange’s favor. They closed out their final performance of the festival at Arlene’s Grocery with “The Way to the Holy War (Jesus),” an impressive odyssey that weaves listeners through a maze of distortion, tempo changes, and vocalizations that sound like battle cries on 0.5x speed. As the band exited the stage toward the end of the song, the lingering guitars strewn about continued to echo a string of notes, leaving the audience to sit in a pool of sound.

Despite the impression that that closing number left on me, I chose “Trade Your Soul” off their album Thousand Shadows Vol.2 for the playlist. The multi-layered vocals in the first minute instantly hooked me, along with the resonant growl of the lead vocalist. I’m so excited to see how You Said Strange continues to experiment with their sound moving forward.

6. truck violence (Montreal, QC, CA)

Montreal-based, Alberta-raised group truck violence is a sludgy crosshatch of hardcore and folk that pulses with raw honesty. Their expression is introspective rather than performative in a way that leaves a lingering weightiness in the air. I think my first words after the conclusion of their set were something along the lines of “I have never felt so energized and so heartbroken at the same time.” I would see them play live again in a heartbeat.

Poet and singer Karsyn Henderson’s lyrics are staggeringly vulnerable portraits across the board (see: “He ended the bender hanging”), but the fragmented style of writing that is explored in songs like “The gash” hits home the most for me. “The gash” also has some of my favorite 180 switches from noise rock soup to gentle, banjo-led ruminations. 

7. Hotspit (Richmond, VA, USA)

When I first started sifting through Hotspit’s discography in preparation for the festival, I knew I had to see this Richmond indie folk group play live. I was specifically blown away by singer Avery Fogarty and the way they effortlessly shift between the soft, airy stylings of Billie Marten and a powerful Haley Williams-tinged belt. Their vocals and vulnerable lyricism are supported by a band that seamlessly builds upon their singer-songwriter jam, creating expansive skies of sound (see: “The Light”).

I highlighted “Obsessive Care,” but for a further look into their range as a band, check out catchy indie-pop track “Wane Mouth” and slow-burn power ballad “Epitaph.”

8. Daydream Twins (Austin, TX, USA)

Founded in 2021 by partners Jordan Terry and Aidan Babinski, Austin-based psych shoegaze outfit Daydream Twins came to New York as a five-piece with a fleshed-out yet ethereal sound. They played downstairs at Pianos on the first day of the festival, doused in moody red lights and attracting a hefty crowd ready to be sucked into the silky depths of the group’s set.

Hearing Terry’s crystalline voice cut through and echo against the wonderfully fuzzy guitar in Daydream Twins’ “Take You Down” was one of my day one highlights. Their set was absolutely hypnotic from start to finish, but this song truly stood out for me.

9. test plan (London, UK)

Self-described as “looking for the sweet spot between dancing and moshing,” this London trio fit right in on the upstairs level of Pianos, where the disco ball above the fervent drummer glinted as the packed crowd in the front row could be seen jumping around to the dance punk indulgence before them. AND the guitarist played the theremin with his head. What more must I say?

“My Teeth” was a highlight of their set, and if the main reason is because it was the easiest to catch onto mid-song and yell along with, where’s the harm in that?

10. Yndling (Oslo, NO)

If you love Beach House, you’ll love Oslo-based Yndling (aka Silje Espevik). She sculpts hazy worlds that explore missed connections, idealized partners, and the intricacies of endings and beginnings with grace and vulnerability. 

When she played “Careful” during her set at Nublu Classic on the fifth day of the festival, not only was the whole crowd swaying along, but Espevik found herself dancing as well, a shy yet giddy smile on her face. See how you fare while listening to this airy track. 

It feels criminal narrowing everything down into such a short list, so please check out the rest of the incredibly talented artists from my 2025 New Colossus adventures in this playlist. I bet you’ll find your new favorite band. If not, frozen margaritas on me next year.