TLDR: The Future of Music showcase at SXSW 2025 featured Rema, Anycia, Samara Cyn, and AJ McQueen, highlighting their rise in the music industry.
The Future of Music showcase at SXSW 2025, presented by JBL, brought the house down on Friday, March 14, at ACL Live at the Moody Theater, capping off a week of incredible performances. The evening was an electrifying celebration of fresh talent, with each artist bringing their A-game. Nigerian megastar Rema headlined the night, but the stage was just as dynamic thanks to the stellar performances from Anycia, Samara Cyn, and AJ McQueen—each of whom has had a standout year in 2024 and continues to rise in the music scene.
The night kicked off with AJ McQueen, whose set of lyrical hip-hop took centre stage early on. With tracks from his 2024 album Sorry Ma, I Was Distracted, AJ delivered an emotional and intense performance that showcased his mastery of storytelling. His poetic flow resonated deeply with the crowd, each lyric packed with vulnerability and grit. AJ’s ability to blend streetwise authenticity with reflective introspection was on full display, proving why 2024 was the year his presence in hip-hop grew exponentially. His set set the tone for the night, capturing the audience’s attention and ensuring that his lyrical prowess would not be overlooked.
AJ McQueen (Salihah Saadiq / Rolling Stone)
Next, Samara Cyn, the Tennessee-born rapper, stepped onto the stage, channeling the bold charisma that’s been the hallmark of her rise. 2024 marked the release of her highly anticipated album The Drive Home, which seamlessly blends raw emotion with infectious confidence. Samara’s SXSW performance was an exhilarating reflection of her growth as an artist—tracks like “On My Way” and “Speeding” showcased her ability to balance vulnerability with bravado. With each song, Samara connected with the audience, bringing them into her world of struggles and triumphs.
Her performance was a masterclass in blending lyrical depth with stage presence, and it’s clear that Samara is an artist on the verge of breaking into mainstream consciousness. Her 2024 journey was defined by her relentless drive, and SXSW was the perfect stage to demonstrate that she is here to lead, not just follow.
Samara Cyn (Salihah Saadiq / Rolling Stone)
The energy reached new heights when Anycia took the stage, bringing a fearless, unrelenting energy that had the crowd on their feet. Known for her bold and brash approach, Anycia’s set was a high-octane celebration of confidence, as she performed tracks from her 2024 mixtape Princess Pop That. The mixtape, a raw blend of trap, pop, and hip-hop, was heralded as one of the most exciting releases of the year, and Anycia’s live performance took that energy and cranked it up even further.
With each song, she exuded an undeniable force—her stage presence was magnetic, and her ability to connect with the crowd was a testament to the bold new direction she’s carving for herself. 2024 was the year Anycia made it clear she’s not here to play by the rules; she’s here to redefine them. Her performance was a thrilling reminder that she’s a star on the rise, ready to claim her space in the industry.
As the night drew to a close, the stage was set for Rema, who had the crowd buzzing with excitement. His set kicked off with an explosive mix of drums and guitar from DJ Jumbee, leading into “March Am,” the menacing intro to his critically acclaimed sophomore album Heis. The anticipation was palpable, and Rema did not disappoint. With each track, his electric energy filled the room, culminating in a show-stopping performance of “Ozeba,” which sent the crowd into a frenzy. Mosh pits erupted, and the atmosphere was electric as Rema’s hit songs played out in front of an adoring crowd. His ability to blend Afrobeats with global pop elements has made him one of the most influential figures in music today.
Rema (Salihah Saadiq / Rolling Stone)
2024 has been a historic year for Rema, capped off by his groundbreaking cover of Rolling Stone—becoming the first-ever Black African solo artist to grace the magazine’s cover. The cover story, written by Mankaprr Conteh, chronicles Rema’s rise to fame, his journey through tragedy, and his relentless drive to redefine African pop music. His SXSW performance not only celebrated his meteoric success but also marked a defining moment in his career as a global music icon. As the headliner of The Future of Music showcase, Rema proved that he’s not just a star in the making—he’s already a force in the music world.
The Future of Music showcase was part of Rolling Stone’s special issue of the same name, which hits newsstands in April. The issue celebrates the rising stars of the music world, and Rema, along with fellow cover stars Benson Boone, Megan Moroney, and Ivan Cornejo, each headlined a night of the iconic showcase during SXSW. These artists, all of whom are featured in Rolling Stone’s annual Future of Music issue, are shaping the sound of tomorrow and inspiring new movements in music. Samara Cyn, Anycia, AJ McQueen, and Rema all had electrifying performances that made it clear they are the future of music.
With 2024 solidifying their positions in the ever growing music industry, each of these artists—especially Rema, who has already become a global sensation—continues to carve out a lasting legacy in the industry.Their showcases at SXSW were a testament to their hard work, creative brilliance, and unstoppable drive, leaving fans and critics alike eagerly anticipating what comes next.
Before her set, we had the chance to sit down with Anycia for an exclusive interview, where she shared insights into her bold mixtape Princess Pop That, her creative process, and what’s next in her journey.
Anycia (Salihah Saadiq / Rolling Stone)
Interview with Anycia
HipHopCanada: From Princess Pop That to your latest releases, your music has a signature confidence. How do you feel your sound and style have evolved, and where do you see it heading next?
Anycia: I feel like it’s really the same shit honestly as far as my confidence. I still have the same confidence that I had before. If anything, my confidence would just be getting bigger and bigger. I’m probably going to explode because it just keeps getting better and better. But I am just staying true to myself and continuing what makes me, me. But I’m just doing it in different ways, type shit but still keeping the same season that I keep on it.
HipHopCanada: Atlanta has a crazy music scene, especially for hip-hop. How has growing up there shaped your artistry, and what ATL artists or sounds have had the biggest impact on you?
Anycia: Atlanta, well for one, my family is from all over the place. But Atlanta had a huge impact on me because of my style and everything in general for real. Just because of when Atlanta was back in the day, there were a lot of more authentic artists that had their own sound. Even now though, I feel like even the artists that are coming out of Atlanta, everybody has their own particular sound for the most part. You know who that is when you hear their voice. So just like Atlanta being a very open place for people to be individuals and still be able to prosper amongst other people that aren’t like them. You might get some artsy motherfuckers in the hood. You know what I’m saying? You might even get your emo bitch in the trap. Atlanta is just one big melting pot of different styles and different types of people and shit like that. It definitely is still just being able to be myself.
HipHopCanada: Were there any artists that had a big influence on you?
Anycia: I wouldn’t say anyone in particular. There’s people that I love like Ciara. There was a group called Cherish back in the day. I love André 3000 also being a number one maybe because I feel like he exudes kind of like being from Atlanta but showing that there’s different types of people in Atlanta with all types of mindsets. He’s a big boy of like different kinds of values. So I really feel like that. I feel like people like André 3000 inspired me because he’s just unapologetic to himself.
HipHopCanada: “So What” blew up in a major way. When you were recording it, did you have a feeling it was going to go crazy, or did it surprise you how quickly it took off?
Anycia: It surprised me. It surprised me. I didn’t think that. I literally was just dropping it. That’s why it’s still not out. I was just dropping it to me. Just because I had a GoPro and I was just recording my friends every day. If you watch the video, I’m like frying chicken, eating chicken wings and shit. My wig fucked up and shit. We were just having a good time. And then we just threw this all in the background. It was just a song that was released in my head. And I literally woke up one day and it was just going crazy.
HipHopCanada: You’ve worked with artists like Latto and Luh Tyler. What makes a great collaboration for you?
Anycia: As much as you want to say like, oh, this person could sound good on it. I feel like the right person will truly gravitate to it. Because sometimes there’re artists that don’t want to hear shit that you think they’ll sound good on. Or they don’t want to hear shit that you think they’ll like. Because I know for me, for instance, there’s been artists and people that try to give me a Detroit type beat and it be like this box. And most artists say that if they have some type of wave or vibe or something, they’re just doing that. It’s not really like force type shit. So when it comes down to it, it just naturally happens for me.
HipHopCanada: Are there any unexpected artists—maybe even outside of hip-hop—you’d love to work with?
Anycia: I’m just like an open book. I’d like to work with Yung Thug, Future, shit like that. But I like everybody.
HipHopCanada: Your energy and presence stand out, not just in music but also in your visuals and overall vibe. Do you see yourself branching into other areas like fashion, acting, or even launching your own brand?
Anycia: Absolutely! That’s actually shit that I want to do really, really bad. Which is coming, which people will see soon. But yeah, I want to be able to showcase my personality and who I am as a person as much as possible, appropriately. So yeah, I’m down for that. That’s definitely on the bucket list.
HipHopCanada: Your videos always bring something extra. How involved are you in the creative process for your visuals, and is there a music video concept you’ve been dying to bring to life?
Anycia: I’m very, very hands on with everything. And yeah, there are videos that I want to bring to life, but I wouldn’t tell anybody because I don’t want people to know.
HipHopCanada: Your fanbase is growing fast, not just in the U.S. but internationally. Have you noticed any differences in how people connect with your music depending on where they’re from?
Anycia: Honestly, it’s just a good thing. Everybody kind of connects with it the same way, no matter where I’ve been. The girls that I meet and stuff, they always have the same thing. It’s like a motivational thing for them. Like I put batteries in girls’ backs. My songs are like the confidence booster that you needed to leave that nigga alone. Of course, everybody does different things to it. I see people dance to my music. I see people go to the gym. I see people riding their car on the way to work. I see all kinds of shit. But for the most part, I always get back positive feedback. It helps them get through something. Or it helps them remind themselves that they’re that bitch again. Just shit like that.
HipHopCanada: The industry moves fast, and you’re constantly in the spotlight. How do you stay grounded, and what’s something fans might not know about you when you’re off the clock?
Anycia: I just don’t give a fuck. I like what I do. I love my career and everything like that. (8:04) I do not give a fuck what nobody got to say. Twitter, I say what I say, and that’s it. My responses and mentions of shit are off. I don’t get notifications to my phone for shit. I don’t see anything on my shit unless I follow you. I don’t give a fuck what people say. Even if people say shit to me, I always find a way to…Say for instance, I look up my name, and I find a bad tweet. See, they don’t be expecting you to see that shit. So me, I be trying to let people know that I’m a real person. I might comment and be like, “damn, you don’t fuck with me?” Throw them off real quick. Haters really don’t be haters for real. You gotta love somebody to hate them first. Every hater that I see on the internet, every time I call them out or something like that, they completely switch it up. I was just saying it because the internet is not real. None of this shit is real. It’s not even really like just trying to stay grounded.
It’s just like, bitch, who gives a fuck? I make money. I smell good. I look good. I got places to lay my hair down every night. I got two motherfucking vehicles. My mama good, my family good. I’m having shows. I’m traveling. Why the fuck would I be worried about what the fuck? Damn, you won’t catch me. What? No. So for the most part, I just enjoy my motherfucking life, and I realize that I just don’t give a fuck. Not giving a fuck is the perfect way to be okay. So yeah, I just don’t give a fuck about nothing. That’s how I stay grounded. When I be at home, I be drawing on my little iPad and shit like that. I watch a lot of TV. I watch my little nostalgic shows, crime shows, shit on YouTube about crazy shit, looking up, researching random shit, fearless bears and shit. It’s just a whole lot of minding my business going on. Cooking. What else I be doing? I could be doing normal shit like washing clothes, laundry. I be doing all that shit. Rubbing my feet together with my man.
HipHopCanada: Some artists love the pressure of making a hit, others just focus on having fun and letting things flow. What’s your vibe in the studio, and what’s the most memorable session you’ve had?
Anycia: Well, me and the little food, little liquor, little good vibe, somebody in the studio that can roll blunt so that they can roll a piece of weed. Yeah, that’s really it. It really don’t take much. It just got to be a nice studio. I hate shitty ass studios. I had a random ass studio session one day, and I had an attitude, and I was looking down at my phone, and everybody was like, look up, look up, somebody’s here to see you. And I looked up, and J. Cole was standing right there. And I just remember being like, nigga, wow, like, yo ass look like J. Cole. Like, for real, like, really J. Cole. Like, he had the J. Cole hair with the J. Cole pants with the J. Cole shirt. You get what I’m trying to say? It’s just very J. Cole, like, and he was tall. But yeah, that was just random to me. Looking up, and J. Cole was just right there. That was a very random session. Another session, I walked out of my session, and Waka Flocka was right there. It used to be, like, random things like that. That’d be cool. Random. But I don’t really, all my sessions be, like, a bunch of crackhead shit going on and that bitch. Love crackhead shit.
HipHopCanada: If we fast-forward a couple of years, what’s the ultimate vision for you? More albums, more business moves, something totally unexpected?
Anycia: Um, I really don’t like to say too much of what’s going on because I like everything to be a surprise. So I will tell you that I’m not going to die. Same thing I just told you last year, I’m not going to die no time soon. I’m taking care of myself. I’m going to be alive for a long time. My hair is always going to be done. I’m going to keep on being cute. My booty probably going to get fatter. I’m never going to stop making music. Some music going to come out. Things going to come out. Shit going to happen. There’s a lot of shit going on.
HipHopCanada: So we always end off our interviews with the same question — what is some advice you can give to upcoming artists who might be fans of yours and are trying to pursue a career in music?
Anycia: It’s cool to be inspired by people, but if you’re trying to be like anybody else, you’re not going to make it. And even if you go a little viral for a second, if you’re trying to be like somebody else, your viral moment is going to come and go. No, it’s not going to have no longevity. You don’t win being someone else. You only win when you’re being authentic and you’re being yourself and you’re rocking that truth. So, yeah, if you’re trying to be like somebody, not because I tell you, but I would see if Amazon is hiring because this shit ain’t going to work for you. Be yourself all the time. It sounds cliche, but for real. Walk in your truth. Be genuine. Shit like that, that’s the only way that shit’s going to work. You find shit that’s destined for you when you do what you’re supposed to be doing. So, yeah, don’t be like nobody because you’re going to fail.
Anycia’s latest release is the new lyric video for “SPLASH BROTHERS” with Karrahbooo, which you can check out below. It’s basically the original “SPLASH BROTHERS” music video with lyrics visible on the screen. The original has been viewed over 2.9 million times on YouTube since premiering on Oct. 13, 2023.
