For Minnesota Music Month, The Current polled local music fans for April’s edition of The Scouting Report. A total of 245 people filled out this year’s Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report ballot, and 455 unique artists were chosen overall. The top 10 artists who received the most support include Berzica.

The Twin Cities DIY scene was built for a band like Berzica. They first came together three years ago when guitarist Grayden Yoshida and drummer Harry Miles started jamming together. They had no real plan beyond wanting to play something “shoegazey.” Bassist Jackson Thellin and guitarist Alana Christen eventually rounded out the Berzica lineup, and all four share vocal duties. When Christen stepped away for eight months to travel, they enlisted their Portland-based friend Mark Idstrom to fill in. Upon Christen’s return, Idstrom remained, and the band became a five-piece.

Steeped in a heavy shoegaze lineage but equally shaped by Thellen’s background producing hip-hop beats, Berzica’s sound doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. We caught up with the Twin Cities contingent of the band to talk key tracks, vanishing DIY spaces, and a few shows they won’t soon forget.

What key tracks do people need to hear from Berzica and why?

Grayden Yoshida: We just put out "New Star" about two weeks ago, which we were very happy to finally have out. That one had been in the works for such a long time, so it feels really good to have it out there. Beyond that, one of our favorites to play live is "Out Past the Walls."

Harry Miles: Personally, I really like "Leach Seed" because the drones are really fun. I think our four most recent songs are the best things we've put out — "New Star," "Leach Seed," "Amulet," and "Out Past the Walls."

Alana Christen: "Leach Seed" is my favorite one we've recorded. There are some really cool polyrhythms in there, and it's got a nice driving variety to it.

What projects do you currently have in the works?

Alana Christen: We're planning on putting out a couple more singles and then working on a larger project in the near future. We've been doing a steady stream of writing, and it feels like things are building toward something.

How does the Minnesota music community influence and inform what you do?

Grayden Yoshida: We all met through going to shows and playing in other bands. One of the best parts about the local scene is that so many styles mesh and so many people are so inclusive — willing to stick their neck out for you and go the extra mile, whether it's just jamming or starting a new project.

Alana Christen: We've all been in various projects throughout the Twin Cities, and the music scene has been pretty fundamental to what Berzica is.

Jackson Thellin: I used to make a lot of beats and work with a lot of rappers and singers, so I feel like that's a really different background from all these guys. So it was really nice that I could still feel like I belonged in a band and could add my own things.

What would you like to see more of in the Minnesota music scene?

Harry Miles: More DIY venues. I feel like there's been less and less of them, and that's the heart of the local music scene. They have the most fun shows to play, too. The Minneapolis scene is built on DIY spaces and DIY artists — people making art with just what they have. When I was in college around 2020, there were DIY spaces all over the place. Now there's only a handful at a time. I miss that vibe.

What are some of your favorite shows you’ve played?

Jackson Thellin: One of my all-time favorite shows we played was at Pink Place. It was the only time I ever played an outdoor show, and it was just a really ideal night. We felt like we played amazingly, and everybody was really digging it.

Harry Miles: I'd also say the show at Third Layer Skate Shop. Just the fact that we were playing in the middle of a skate park was really dope. People were hitting tricks while we played, and I'd never done anything like that or seen anything like that.

Alana Christen: They set up the stage on the ramps, and the skate park had been open all day. A lot of the kids who were already there skating just stayed for the show. There was a mosh pit of 10- to 14-year-olds doing chicken fights while all these bands played. It was such a fun show. Outside of shows we've played, one of my all-time favorites was seeing Slowdive live at the Palace Theatre. Seeing one of the classic shoegaze bands that's been such a big influence — in our hometown — was incredible.

What shows do you have coming up?

Jackson Thellin: We also have a show on June 7 at Seward Cafe with Hey Ellie and Virtua DX. We’ve never played Seward before, so that one's going to be cool.

Related: Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report 2026: The top 10 new local artists