Claire Boyer
“The Scarecrow,” Mountainside Studios
Charlottesville resident Claire Boyer went viral after humming along to the drone of a fan on TikTok. “Kitchen Fan Lullaby” has since amassed nearly 14 million streams on Spotify and garnered Boyer a following of more than 200,000 on the music platform. Now she invites listeners on an eerie journey through barren cornfields and feelings of self-doubt in a new release, “The Scarecrow.” Boyer personifies herself as the autumnal figure, sharing that her “heart sits empty,” and she’s “numb as a bag of leaves.” She rustles through these feelings of inadequacy, employing haunting melodies over drums that imitate a heartbeat. As vocals layer onto guitar plucking, upbeat keys, and James McLaughlin’s beautiful production, the tune ends on a light, magical note. “My hope is that this song helps people remember that feelings are temporary, and seasons come and go,” says Boyer. soundcloud.com/claire-boyer
Butcher Brown
Letters from The Atlantic, Concord Jazz
In their native city of Richmond, Butcher Brown members Morgan Burrs (guitar), Andrew Randazzo (bass), DJ Harrison (production), Corey Fonville (percussion), and Marcus Tenney (trumpet) have cultivated a shared love for disco, jazz, R&B, bossa nova, and all things groove. Their latest album is a sonic trip that combines nostalgia for Virginia, the East Coast, and overseas. “We’re pulling sounds from across the Atlantic,” the band told BroadwayWorld in mid-January. Every track on Letters From The Atlantic has a dreamy, energetic vibe that’ll pull listeners onto the dance floor. The record’s groovy soundscape features several uplifting female vocalists throughout, including Leanor Wolf, MIA GLADSTONE, Yaya Bey, and Victoria Victoria. Jazz trumpeter Nicholas Payton shows up on “Montrose Forest,” and the track “Unwind” showcases vocals and trilling flute from Brooklyn-born jazz experimentalist Melanie Charles. “Dinorah Dinorah” bumps up the energy with a funky saxophone, playful keys, and a foot-tapping tempo. The quintet’s invigorating “Ibiza,” with its live melody and kick, is an all-access pass to the European dance club in your mind. butcherbrown.com
Drook
The Pure Joy of Jumping, Brat Daddy
In 2019, Matthew Shultz, Liza Grishaeva, and Tyler Smith began self-releasing music under the name She, before rebranding to Drook in 2022. That same year, they released an EP, Life in Estates, which earned a nomination for the 2023 Newlin Music Prize (awarded to the best album from the Richmond-Petersburg metropolitan area, selected by members from the local music and arts scene). Drook’s latest, The Pure Joy of Jumping, reached higher, and won the award in 2025. The stellar full-length features songs the band has been performing live for years, including the opening track, “Sprinter”—an energetic crowd-pleaser. Drook will expand its electronica and dream-pop universe this summer in a North American tour that’ll end in Washington, D.C. If you’re not hip to the trio’s diverse discography, now’s the time to catch them in a small venue. drook.bandcamp.com
