Welcome to The Scouting Report, a monthly list of 10 Minnesota artists with exciting new projects, as curated by our local music team. If you like these picks, check out The Local Show on Sundays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., hosted by Diane, or check out our Spotify playlist, updated every week. In April 2026, The Current compiled the third Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report with votes from the local music industry.

Sadie Gustafson-Zook

Minneapolis singer-songwriter Sadie Gustafson-Zook’s “I Just Wanna Be” is a tender folk song written and recorded this past winter during the height of ICE’s presence in the Twin Cities. It features musicians jeremy messersmith, Rachel Ries, Alec Watson, Hilary James and Dex Wolf, and was recorded in Wolf’s home studio. Gustafson-Zook writes, “We spent five hours sitting in a circle without headphones, capturing live takes, keeping the recording running, telling stories about our landlords, knitting, taking breaks to eat donuts… and singing harmonies with each other. The day felt really good. If it had just been an excuse to sing and grieve and feel joy together, that would have been reason enough.” The song was recorded and uploaded to Bandcamp, where it raises money for mutual aid. It’s part of a 10-track compilation album organized by Minneapolis artists Geoffrey Lamar Wilson (Laamar) and Hilary James (bathtub cig) titled To Age, To Age. All of the album’s proceeds will be donated to Moms Demand Action and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Listen and support the effort here. The song also appears on The House on the Park, a collection of nine songs from that same five-hour session. - AD

alone-a

Released in April, alone-a’s debut album, a veil, a prism, began in January 2025 when Alana Horton dug into an archive of her live, mostly improvised music. “I started collaging songs from bits of live performances, finding new weight and meaning within these sonic memories,” she writes on Instagram. The ambient single “The Door” captures a small moment in time where fluttering synth notes usher the listener in, and airy, electrically manipulated vocals create an ethereal soundscape. “Each track explores transformation through layered delays, unstable loops, and intimate vocal textures,” she explains. The transformation of spontaneous performances in the Twin Cities’ niche experimental music scene into a tangible record gives Horton’s work the footing it deserves to be distributed more widely. -MR

American Cream Band

Nathan Nelson’s American Cream Band describe themselves as “a love letter to existence posted as the Universe’s Yelp review.” American Cream Band began originally as Nathan Nelson’s solo improvised drone/noise project over a decade ago, and it has now shapeshifted into an eight-member band whose sound is sonically a mixture of ambient, jazz, and noise-rock. Their project Twin has been in the works for three years and is set to be released June 5, 2026. The album-release event is happening on Friday, June 5, at Eagles 34. Follow the band on Instagram for the latest updates. -NT

voulouse

On “Blush on,” voulouse builds a song around circular piano and playful guitar hooks. Now based in Minneapolis, singer and multi-instrumentalist Jacquelyn Beaupré previously was in the Milwaukee-based Americana group Blessed Feathers. Her smooth vocals glide over the arrangement, occasionally echoing the gentle intimacy of Feist. There’s a searching vulnerability here, especially in the lines “It’s so easy you can watch me / blushing on and going around making mistakes.” The song was written in Arizona and California, and recorded at Honeytone Studio in Neenah, Wisconsin. -YV

Fiona Hayes

The singer-songwriter Fiona Hayes began releasing singles in 2025, and her newest track, “sin,” is a fierce addition. The 15-year-old alt-rock singer’s mature voice carries enough depth to make lyrics stand out amidst the ‘90s-inspired loud-quiet-loud vibrations. “Do you ever think of me when you’re all alone?” she asks in a mischievous tone. She later admits, “All the things that I’ve ruined are / In every little movement / The sin that has my lips on yours.” Earlier work includes writing about crying in the bathroom, a “mediocre white boy,” and romantic escapades — pretty punk. Fiona Hayes plays at Twin Ignition Startup Garage for Art-A-Whirl on Saturday, May 16. -MR

M.A.Y.

M.A.Y. (Midwest American Youth) is the alternative project of Twin Cities musician Kristyn Leigh. “going v” is the new electro-pop track from the self-described “one-woman wall of sound.” Leigh’s bright vocals pair with dark, syrupy synths throughout the track. You can catch M.A.Y. live at her Mortimer’s Bar May residency every Wednesday (May 6, 13, 20, and 27). The concerts will raise funds for Gender Justice, a local nonprofit that advances gender equity through legislation. Each night of the residency features local alternative, punk, and metal bands including drey dk, Venus de Mars, Jus’ Justice, and more. Fans of Björk and Grimes may enjoy “going v.” -AD

Secret Rivers

Secret Rivers is a project comprised of artists KTM (AKA Guante) on vocals and SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE on the beats. The project was born as a response to the escalated ICE operations Minnesota experienced recently. The EP title, Spring Is Coming, is described as “less gentle reassurance and more call to action: this cold only retreats when we move closer together.” It was originally scheduled for an early 2026 release, but the chaos in Minnesota changed the timing and also their mission. Spring Is Coming is a fundraiser EP supporting the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Twin Cities ICE Relief Fund, and the duo has performed in several festivals and protests since its release. -NT

Mary Jam

Mary Jam’s description of their new EP, REST IN PISS, is “Three buddies, five songs, six months and many many many beers in the making.” The punk-rockers’ project, released in April, is the soundtrack to cracking open an entry-tier beer inside a garage in the summer amongst tattooed peers. The title track builds with menacing bass thumps and eventually bursts into the group’s grunge-tinged sound with clashing drums and low-tone string melodies. After an emotionally-exhausted start, “REST IN PISS” concludes with a wish for death and a request for creative inspiration: “Treat me bad so I can write a new song.” Drummer Katy Fenasci, guitarist/vocalist Allie KB, and bassist Sofie Matzen put on a rowdy performance live, and REST IN PISS has the potential to turn the energy up another notch. Mary Jam play at Seward Cafe on Friday, May 29. -MR

Jordan Johnston

Walking a thin line between pop and R&B, Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter Jordan Johnston settles into the recently dropped single “Unlocked” with a quiet, easy confidence. The production is smooth but layered — soft keys and subtle percussion creating a steady groove that keeps his vocals right up front. Johnston sticks the landing, carrying natural warmth and just enough vulnerability to make the lyrics linger. The song leans into themes of trust and emotional openness without feeling predictable. “Unlocked” is not flashy, but it doesn’t need to be — it slowly pulls you in and rewards a second (or third) listen. Johnston performs with his band the Elevation, which features drummer Bob Johnston, keyboardist Demar “DEMZ” Gayle, bassist Ace Mack, and guitarist Alex Halikias. -YV

Firemill

Firemill musicians Adrian Modiggård and Harrison Edwards met in Stockholm, Sweden, and began their musical journey together. Edwards is based in the Twin Cities, and goes back and forth. The duo’s sophomore EP, 10K Sunshine, features the song “Julian 79,” a reflection of Edwards’ childhood in Julian, a small mountain town east of San Diego, California, and car rides along the nearby California State Route 79 highway. The song also helped him process his grief after his mother’s passing 11 years ago. Keep up with Firemill updates on their official website, and find out more in this recent MPR News interview. -NT