FRESH FACE, DREAMY SOUND

Driving three hours each way in one weekend, this up-and-coming “part-time” pop star and his 3-piece band are making serious moves for bedroom pop stars to play in New York City on a Monday night. 

Funky, digestible sound, plus undeniable stage presence, concocts Jackson Laird, who could’ve done numbers in the boyband scene of the early 2000s.

Playing his first official show at the Mercury Lounge, Laird drove all the way from Maryland to give New York a taste of his groovy bedroom pop. Laird graced the crowd with his hits, featuring Microdose, Ballroom Baby, Taxi, and more.
 

Already dominating the charts with roughly 70,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Laird’s success is rapidly growing. Playing in a music hub like Manhattan has only provided room to grow, all thanks to an NYU student, Annabella Miller, whose class assignment was to book a live show. Miller also reached out to Cahm and Leo Lav, who each played their first show ever.
 

The band, consisting of Jack Ryan (drums), Ryan Jaikeran (bass) and Tanner Kelley (guitar), gave Laird’s compositions a heartbeat. Laird captivated the crowd with his trademarked mic-flips and spins (not only because he’s over six feet tall), while Jaikeran brought a classic-rock feel as he shredded alongside powerhouse Kelley. Their ability to riff off of each other and perform as a unit with Ryan, whose resounding drumming stands out, is something that can only be witnessed at one of their intimate shows. 

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TOP8'S TAKE?

This is a fresh face done right. Jackson’s got drive, heart, and humility. He’s climbing the ladder as we speak, and we know he won’t be under the radar for long.