Kevin Morby

Kansas City-raised singer-songwriter Kevin Morby cut his teeth as bassist for the noise-folk band Woods and frontman of The Babies before striking out alone in 2013 with Harlem River, a record he described as a love letter to New York City. Eight solo albums followed — from the sun-bleached folk of Singing Saw to the sprawling, gospel-flecked Oh My God — each one drawing on Dylan, Lou Reed, and Nina Simone while refusing to settle into any single genre's comfort. Praised by Pitchfork, Mojo, and Uncut, Morby has built a reputation for introspective, image-rich songwriting that moves from quiet Midwestern reverie to full-band rock without losing its thread.