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Get the latest music news (and latest tunes) to stick in your ears.

by Jenni Moore

This week we’re stoked about three upcoming shows happening in May. And looking forward to summer, July will bring a chance to see teenage emcee That Girl Lay Lay take the Roseland stage for her first ever headliner tour. Get into all the good stuff that’s happening right… Hear in Portland. 

MUST SEE: 

Upcoming local event(s) featuring local artist(s).    

Nonbinary Girlfriend/Forty Feet Tall/Bijoux Cone

Exceptional rock band Nonbinary Girlfriend has stolen our hearts with frontperson Anaïs Genevieve’s raw, emotive sound, the band’s witchy blues aesthetic, and refreshingly literal, compassionate, matter-of-fact lyricism. On the band’s expansive title track, Genevieve sings “Being kind is not the same as being small / Sometimes, many times kindness requires you to be big and tall / It’s so kind of you to state your boundaries / It’s kind to say no / You are big and kind, babe I love you.” Here the band co-headlines with punk band Forty Feet Tall, who are known for their loud and confrontational live show, and music that can be both volatile and intimate. Art pop, goth and synth pop artist Bijoux Cone adds even more support to the already stacked bill.

Fri May 10, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 21+, tickets 

MUST LISTEN: 

New release(s) from a Portland-relevant artist. 

“Waves,” Talilo Marfil feat. Apo Whang Od

In celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Portland-based rapper Talilo Marfil released “Waves,” featuring Apo Whang Od, AKA Maria Oggay, a 107-year-old Filipina tattoo artist and cultural icon from the Kalinga tribe. The song itself is epic, cinematic, and beaming with cultural pride. Marfil made two visits to the Philippines to pay homage to the life and legacy of  Whang Od, and the new music video depicts his travels there. Recognized as the last traditional tattoo artist of her generation, Whang Od is preserving the ancient art of hand-tapped tattoos known as batok. (Whang Od also appeared on the cover of VOGUE last year, becoming the first Filipina woman to do so.) It’s only appropriate that Marfil got tattooed by Whang Od herself in the video, and the centenarian can also be seen dancing buoyantly, and playing the nose flute. 

 

 ADDED TO THE QUEUE: 

Some upcoming music buzz to add to your radar.

Moorea Masa & The Mood, Tonina, Lo Steele

For fans of Corrine Bailey Rae and Emily King, one-time Portlander Moorea Masa moved to California during the pandemic, meaning we can no longer watch her sets any ol’ damn time. Luckily, the soul singer still visits Portland fairly often, and on her spring 2024 tour, she’s making a stop at Mississippi Studios, giving us a chance to hear her velvety voice sing fresh music and deeper cuts live. We’ll be looking forward to hearing “Magic,” and especially “When the Summer Calls.” Who knows, maybe we’ll get a taste of “Look Around,” the artist’s new retro-tinged and space-aged new song with Portland-based producer/songwriter Dux and keyboardist/Allen Stone collaborator Swatkins, who also happens to be her husband. Support for this date comes from Tonina and Lo Steele—AKA the daughter of LaRhonda Steele. (Sun, May 19, 8 pm, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi, 21+, Tickets)

That Girl Lay Lay

Attention hip-hop lovers with kids and teenagers! Internet rap sensation That Girl Lay Lay was just 11 years old when she went viral for regularly freestyling while riding around in her dad’s car; even as a little kid, her capabilities are impressive. The rapper/actress became so popular she even garnered a starring role in her own namesake Nickelodeon show, and the young star has even appeared on popular animated kids Youtube program Gracie’s Corner. A look through her Instagram today will have you feeling real elderly, because Lay Lay is looking and acting grown, as 17-year-olds often do. Now the teenage rap star is embarking on her highly anticipated first headliner tour—which is also her last as a minor—appropriately titled “The Growing Pains Tour.” On  July 31, the young emcee will prove her performance chops on the Roseland stage. (Wed, July 31, 7 pm, Roseland, 8 NW 6th, All ages, Tickets)