Micah Edwards - “She Will"

SXSW 2023 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Devon Gilfillian, St. Paul & the Broken Bones

Micah Edward’s debut Jean Leon is a soul record, but delivered with interesting rock and folk inflections. Blues rock jams, horn melodies, and crisp production make up Jean Leon, a surprisingly dynamic listen that throws back without sounding completely nostalgic. It’s in these clear spaces that Edwards transcends a straight soul revue, incorporating alt-country, pop, and light rock to make a sound all his own. Based out of Houston, Micah Edwards has been releasing singles since 2019 (check out “Moments”, perhaps Edward’s prettiest, straight-to-the-heart groove) and it’s clear that his detailed songwriting and performance has shown some real experience even before crafting his first LP. It’s worth mentioning Edwards’ sweet, enticing vocal here too, an instrument that is both smooth and raw, a balance that comfortably defines his early catalog. (Kevin McStravick)