Carole & Tuesday - “Unbreakable”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Halsey, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa

One of the stranger artists to review on the SXSW roster, Carole & Tuesday is actually anime series (now available on Netflix) about a teenager from Mars joining a pop duo from acclaimed director Shinichirō Watanabe. The voices from the show, Nai Br.XX (Carole) and Celeina Ann (Tuesday), are now performing the show’s soundtrack live, and the thing is, these are some killer pop songs. Mostly hanging around dance-pop and R&B forms, Carole & Tuesday dip into indie folk, 90s-vibed soul, even some cursed doo-wop on “Galactic Mermaid”, nailing their performance with style and a smile. Plus it’s such a weird proposition to see an anime show live, so a great pick for a left-field SXSW pick that still brings the sugary pop goodness. (Kevin McStravick)