Adrianne Lenker

Also known for her evocative songwriting and performances with indie folk-rock band Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker's solo material is spare, brittle, and often deeply personal. Featuring only a couple of backing vocalists alongside Lenker's voice and acoustic guitar, her label debut, Hours Were the Birds, arrived in early 2014, the same year she began collaborating with guitarist/songwriter Buck Meek. They went on to form Big Thief, which found critical acclaim (as well as the Billboard Heatseekers chart) with their 2016 debut, Masterpiece. Lenker continued to release solo work as her band's indie clout grew, including the 2020 double album songs and instrumentals. Big Thief scored a Top 40 Billboard 200 placement with fifth album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, in 2022 before Lenker returned in 2024 with the solo Bright Future. Its palette revolved around guitar, piano, and violin.