Scroll through TikTok and you’re more than likely going to hear one of Annie DiRusso’s deeply vulnerable, raw songs about the complexity of relationships. 

DiRusso went viral on TikTok with her rock anthem “Nine Months” after downloading the app at the beginning of quarantine. The earnest indie artist (think Lucy Dacus’ signature raspiness with a healthy dose of rock guitar) was attending Belmont University in Nashville at the time. 

Her friend and then-guitarist Daniel Nunnelee had been encouraging her to post on the app all summer. In August 2020, she finally decided to try it, filming a stripped-down version of her song “20” in a black dress with eyeliner on. 

Read more: How Victoria Anthony went from singing with P!nk to creating pop-punk-inspired anthems

“The whole day Daniel and I were like, ‘Expect it to flop. Don’t get your expectations too high,” DiRusso tells Alternative Press. “I posted it that evening and really didn’t expect anything at all and kind of forgot.” Overnight, the video received 250,000 views.

“It felt like a movie,” DiRusso says. “My phone was blowing up, and all these notifications were coming in from people and musicians I really admired.” DiRusso described her first brush with internet fame as “very out of body” and admits she “had butterflies.” 

DiRusso’s songs are raw ⁠— anyone who has been in a confusing relationship (so, everyone) will relate and just might get chills listening to how relatable her lyrics are. She says it’s sometimes difficult performing her more unguarded tracks, including “Nine Months” and “Infinite Jest,” live.

But over time, she’s found that playing “Nine Months” is “very cathartic” and “actually quite healing singing it every night with a crowd.” For “Infinite Jest,” “she could cry” when she remembers everyone singing along to “these really vulnerable words that I had written, almost if they had written them.”

DiRusso moved to Nashville in 2017 when she was just 17. During freshman year, she started listening to Big Thief, Jade Bird and Lucy Dacus, and was “so inspired by the honesty in their songwriting.” She calls songwriting in Nashville “the craft of the town” and says she’s “learned so much” while living in Music City. 

Playing her first show after blowing up on TikTok at The Basement East in Nashville was an unforgettable experience. DiRusso called it “the coolest night ever” and “the first time I ever had fans show up to a show.” Prior to COVID-19, the crowd mostly consisted of friends and family, and this was certainly a departure. 

“There were people singing the words to my songs, which had never happened before,” DiRusso says. Naturally, she was “freaking out.” She’s since toured with Sara Kays and Samia, and is often approached by fans who found her music on TikTok. She went out on her own for a headlining tour in the spring and quips, “I feel like I’ve been touring for years even though it’s been about a year.”

The Westchester native graduated in December 2021 but found herself balancing her music with classes at the beginning of her career. She missed a month of school to tour and called it all “a lot to juggle.”

“I almost did fail out,” DiRusso admits. Luckily, her “professors were cool about it for the most part.” During her first headlining tour, she thought she’d have plenty of free time. Instead, she realized “there’s always something else you could be doing and a lot of distractions.” 

“If you’re staying with people on the road, you want to be a good guest in their house and hang out with them. And if you’re in a city like San Francisco, you don’t want to sit in an Airbnb or hotel and do homework. And then it’s time for soundcheck!” DiRusso explains. “Inevitably, there’s so many obstacles you have to navigate your first tour, which made it so I didn’t get any schoolwork done and almost didn’t graduate. But I did, thank gosh, and am so happy to be done with school. It was keeping me up every single night.”

With the August release of “Call It All Off,” a single she’s been working on since December 2020 with pal Briston Maroney, she’s set to skyrocket. 

[Photo by Anna Koblish]

“I had just gotten out of a relationship, and I was reminiscing and processing it,” DiRusso says. She started by reflecting on what her ex was up to now and then wanted to highlight “the feeling of getting out of a relationship and having to reenter the world as an independent person after losing yourself in something so all-consuming.”

And like her other breakup songs, it’s as vulnerable as ever. “I lost my sense of reality while in this relationship,” DiRusso admits. “A lot of the song talks about the fallout from that and trying to reconnect with people in my life that I lost touch with and regain the knowledge lost.”

Now, she’s preparing to embark on a fall tour with English musician Declan McKenna, who she’s been a fan of since she was 15, when his inescapable hit “Brazil” came out. This tour has been a long time coming, with DiRusso manifesting it when she was a teen fan.

“I remember being so obsessed with that song and the songwriting, and then figuring out he’s around my age, it blew my mind,” she raves. She emailed everyone on his team in hopes she could open for him when he first started touring, writing, “Hi, my name is Annie DiRusso. I am a 15-year-old songwriter, and I would like to open up for Declan McKenna on tour because I am such a big fan.” 

With this upcoming tour, her teen dreams are coming true. DiRusso calls it a “crazy, full-circle moment” that was six years in the making.

FOR FANS OF: Lucy Dacus, Samia, Maude Latour

SONG RECOMMENDATION: “Call It All Off”

Read more: Lauren Hibberd delivers witty lyricism and charm on new ‘Goober’ EP

However, since its inception, a second definition of “indie” has emerged, thanks to shifting trends and the rise of online internet culture. Now, indie can refer to a certain style and sound of music that combines alt-pop, rock and folk influences.

From the smooth beats of MUNA to the comforting feel of Dayglow, here are 14 artists across the indie pop, rock and folk spectrums that you need to check out today.

COIN

COIN were formed in 2012 and currently consist of vocalist Chase Lawrence, drummer Ryan Winnen and guitarist Joe Memmel. You may recognize this trio from their 2016 single “Talk Too Much” or their stint supporting Young The Giant and Fitz And The Tantrums on tour. Masters of mesmerizing synths and catchy hooks, COIN are a must-listen for any fan of indie pop/rock.

beabadoobee

Filipino-British singer-songwriter beabadoobee has been making waves in the scene since her very first song “Coffee,” which garnered her the attention of the 1975 and Dirty Hit Records. The song also went on to be remixed by Powfu in “Death Bed (Coffee For Your Head),” which itself became a viral TikTok hit. Now a frequent collaborator with labelmate Matty Healy, beabadoobee just shared her latest EP, Our Extended Play, at the end of June.

Wallows

Wallows are a powerhouse indie-rock band fronted by singer/actor Dylan Minnette, who you may know as Clay Jensen from the Netflix TV show 13 Reasons Why. After forming in 2011 and playing on Warped Tour under the name Feaver, Minnette, Cole Preston and Braeden Lemasters officially became Wallows in 2017. Amid their stunning current discography sits the Clairo collab “Are You Bored Yet?,” a song that has become synonymous with modern indie culture. 

chloe moriondo

Though they’re still a teenager, chloe moriondo is proving that age doesn’t determine talent. Starting their career posting ukulele covers to YouTube, they are now the lesbian representation they wish they had as a kid. moriondo was Alternative Press’ Pride cover star earlier this year and discussed their coming out journey and their musical identity as an alternative artist.

Briston Maroney

Getting his start auditioning for American Idol in 2013, Briston Maroney now boasts multiple EPs with an unforgettable indie-folk sound. With roots in bluegrass and busking, Maroney’s song “Fool’s Gold” was also notably hand-selected and featured on Taylor Swift’s Apple Music “Playlist by ME!”

MUNA

Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin and Naomi McPherson make up the band MUNA. After meeting in college at USC, the trio began collaborating and experimenting with their sound before self-releasing their debut EP, More Perfect, in 2014. MUNA use their platform to address topics such as gender and sexuality and continuously advocate for LGBTQIA+ communities, hoping to inspire young people to be authentically themselves. They have toured in support of Harry Styles and recently collabed with Phoebe Bridgers on “Silk Chiffon.”

Sam Fender

Sam Fender began playing the guitar and writing songs before he even turned 15. One of his first musical endeavors included his band entering and winning a competition judged by Healy. After health scares changed his perspective of life and what kind of music he wanted to make, Fender began independently releasing music and touring in support of artists such as Bob Dylan and Liam Gallagher.

Declan McKenna

You may recognize Declan McKenna from his self-released debut single “Brazil,” which addressed the problematic actions of FIFA when they gave the FIFA World Cup to Brazil in 2014 while ignoring the political and societal issues plaguing the country. Since that track catapulted to success, McKenna has continued using his platform to advocate for various social causes while also experimenting with his sound and artistic identity.

Inhaler

Even though Irish indie-rock band Inhaler only released their first full-length, It Won’t Always Be Like This, earlier this year, the group are well on their way to success. They seamlessly combine synths and rock-influenced riffs to create a perfectly unique indie sound.

girl in red

Spoken of by some as a queer icon for modern youth culture, girl in red is one of the most influential leaders of the indie bedroom-pop genre. Her first single “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend,” along with her subsequent releases “Summer Depression” and “Girls” proved to the world that girl in red is an indie music staple.

The Hunna

Indie rockers the Hunna take inspiration from artists such as Kings Of Leon and the 1975 but have formed their own signature indie-rock sound. “Hunna” is derived from the slang word for 100, and there’s no doubt that this group put 100% into their craft.

Bad Suns

Influenced by artists such as the Cure and Elvis Costello, Bad Suns formed in 2012 and have been making a name for themselves ever since. For indie dream pop, vocalist Christo Bowman, guitarist Ray Libby, bassist Gavin Bennett and drummer Miles Morris are the surefire way to go.

Dayglow

Dayglow, the musical project from singer-songwriter and producer Sloan Struble, blend indie-pop and alternative stylings into warm and comforting songs. Much like the title of their debut album, Fuzzybrain, Dayglow’s music scratches your brain in just the right place, no matter what mood you’re in.

Smallpools

Indie-pop perfection comes in the form of Smallpools. Lead vocalist Sean Scanlon, guitarist Mike Kamerman and drummer Beau Kuther make up the group. With a dozen or so singles to their name, there’s truly a Smallpools song for every mood you could imagine.