Ten years of documenting music in the city, and here we are, presenting our final Chicago Artists to Watch class. The 2025 edition represents all those years: something ever-changing, both perfect and flawed, and always inspiring. It’s about the joy and thrill of discovery, but also our own love letter to Chicago.
These eight artists represent some of the voices, styles and legacies of the city’s sprawling music scenes. Each of them has something to say that we all want or need to hear. Together, they embody what has made this city so influential. Those who make the music, for those of us who listen, are finding ways to immortalize the moment we are all in together, despite how much resistance there is to admitting that we are all doing this together.
Once you dive into their music, you’ll hear the gritty, emotive vocals that show the city back to itself; you’ll lose yourself in footwork, which could not be more Chicago; and you’ll hear sounds you have not heard before but will soon mark a moment in time for all of music. So goes living in Chicago: having access to the past, the present and the future through music at any moment, in any venue, in any neighborhood.
Our last Artists to Watch is an ode to the quilt of a city that Chicago is and that it has allowed These Days to be. Dig in below.
- Iman Music & Pedro Gonzalez
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m.e.h.
m.e.h. has a natural talent for lighting up a stage. Her rich, raspy voice, the colorful and layered outfits she puts together, and undeniable passion radiate her essence throughout a room. It’s clear that the smoky-voiced songstress cherishes her artistry. What she creates, whether it be music, fashion or even baking, is a natural reaction to how she views and experiences the world and a vehicle for personal evolution.
m.e.h. 's discography reflects the tumultuous nature of growing into adulthood, which her deep voice lends itself to, especially paired with darker chords and introspective lyrics. She’s added four new songs to her discography in 2025, and there’s a fresh layer of sweetness and care baked in, which the singer attributes to the transformation that music helps make possible. Over the last couple of years, she’s grown worlds closer to herself and fallen in love, so the chords are higher and her vocals are playful and open.
Her humility and honesty about life– sharing the beautiful moments, tumultuous times that shake our hearts, and newness that we can’t predict– solidify her as a true artist. When she changes, so does what she creates. That is the core of being an artist: responding to the world and expressing what it means to be part of it all. m.e.h. has a truly captivating way of doing this and you should bear witness.
- Iman Music
Listen to m.e.h. on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow m.e.h. on Instagram
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Menace4hire
Menace4hire didn't initially see music as his calling. Before 2023, his creativity was funneled almost exclusively into the world of fashion. Early encouragement came from friend and collaborator, Kaicrewsade, who first saw his potential after performing at an open mic event in 2021. But it wasn’t until his own desire to master the craft ignited two years later that he decided to pursue being a recording artist seriously. Raised in Chicago while sporadically spending time in Detroit, Menace grew up surrounded by the gospel music his mom would play in the house and the contemporary rap his older siblings were listening to, which included everything from Odd Future to Tay B. Earl Sweatshirt particularly shaped his artistic DNA, reflected in the ways he finds depth in the everyday and by looking inward. It compliments his character well.
The 21-year-old carries the energy of someone who doesn’t say much, but when he does, everyone stops to listen. He leans towards compact and loop-driven songs, built around what he calls “lifestyle” raps—a vehicle for chronicling his daily reflections and experiences. At its core, his music tracks the passage of time, a theme visually represented by the cover for his latest project, With All That I Know Now, which merges a childhood photo with a recent portrait, tying past and present into one continuum. Following a steady stream of project releases, each more refined than the last, his skills as an emcee —whip smart lyricism with wide aperture for the world—have only grown sharper.
- Pedro Gonzalez
Listen to Menace4hire on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Menace4hire on Instagram
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Mike DFG
West Side rapper Mike DFG wants to remove creative caps on his music and use his authenticity as a means to connect with listeners. Currently residing on the South Side but hailing from West Garfield Park, Mike DFG said that Chicago’s influence has made him who he is today.
Much of his early exposure to music came from his mom’s huge cd collection, and burning his own mixes at a young age. His output has graduated from freestyling on lunchroom tables with his homies in eighth grade and making meme rap in high school to performing multiple live shows and constructing full length projects that rival professional releases.
On his latest release, “Love Letter to the West (LLTTW),” Mike DFG raps over hauntingly ethereal soul samples with a punctual and cold blooded delivery. Recently he has chosen to incorporate alternative imagery and fashion into his aesthetic to solidify the cohesiveness of his artistry.
He said LLTTW has been his greatest accomplishment since formally pursuing music. It set his stamp in the scene resulting in the opportunity to perform for larger venues like The Ramova Theatre. As his discography expands he hopes to eventually collaborate with some of his favorite contemporary influences like Saba, Tyler, The Creator, Gorillaz and Doechii.
Outside of promoting LLTTW throughout 2025, Mike DFG looks forward to using his platform to push Chicago Culture and Artists forward by creating his own festival ‘Summer Of Greed’ through his imprint, BIGGER THAN THE CITY (BTTC) which will be held at bookclub on July 19. After that he says to stay tuned and keep watch.
- Henry Netherland
Listen to Mike DFG on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Mike DFG on Instagram
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MVTE
For MVTE, there was no better way to sing “Live Your Life” by T.I. and Rihanna than in the shower. Although she debuted in 2017, Mvte was making music from the age of 6. Pronounced “mute,” her stage name stems from a childhood nickname about her quiet nature. However, her music speaks volumes, blending genres across Chicago’s vibrant scene from Hip-Hop to R&B and beyond.
Her latest single, “M.V.T.E.,” is a confidence booster—it invites the listener to relate to the confidence Mvte has grown into throughout her career. Authenticity is vital; bright colors and cartoons carry her artistry.
She began by posting on social media to create a name for herself. Soon after, she discovered producers, connecting with other artists and creatives to take her music from Instagram to the studio and streaming platforms. As her following grew, Mvte found a new pressure to keep up with her rising fame. She used the Chicago community to help keep her grounded, reminding her to create music for herself rather than an audience.
Now, on the brink of motherhood, Mvte’s next chapter is dedicated to her first child. A series of 3 mini EPs will be released— one for each trimester of her pregnancy. The songs tell a personal, poetic story of her experience with motherhood as a Type 1 diabetic. “Those 3 mini projects are the most vulnerable thing I’m ever going to post,” MVTE shares. “An ode to my baby that’s coming into this world.”
- Annaliese Baker
Listen to MVTE on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow MVTE on Instagram
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Sparklmami
Our subconscious is always the most honest and authentic version of who we are, holding all of our confessions and secrets. The same goes for SparkImami. Originally born in Bryan, Texas, before relocating to the South Side of Chicago in 2014, the multidisciplinary artist focuses on developing all areas of her craft from the vocals to visuals.
Since her 2022 debut of “my luv 4 u,” SparkImami has released four additional singles for 2024 and early 2025, two of which are her highest streamed, “fajas” and “running.” For her, art has been a cornerstone of her life, and music has always been an art form she was interested in but took time for her to act on.
She said, “When I was younger, I was too shy and not ready to do it, but I think just who I was around in the community it naturally happened.
Inspired by 1970s Brazilian singers such as Flora Purim, Marcos Valle, and Sandra de Sá, Sparklmami’s music emulates a unique blend of Latin music genres, including Brazilian jazz and funk and Mexican boleros. For Sparklmami, her music goes beyond its craft as it is a means to explore her mission of understanding who she is.
She said, “I’m committed to understanding my lived experience and that being through my music.”
- Layla Brown-Clark
Listen to Sparklmami on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Sparklmami on Instagram
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Teala Vera
When Teala Vera was a teenager growing up in the southwest suburbs, YouTube served as her local record store. Too young to go out and buy records herself, she took to digital crate-digging, sifting through uploads of hip-hop albums and samples available on the site. In discovering J Dilla’s Donuts, a deeper curiosity for music production spawned, influencing her to seek out producing tutorials online. Soon her watch history evolved into hands-on experience after downloading a demo of FL Studio, where she began experimenting with beats of her own.
Today, the 21-year-old producer/DJ operates at a higher BPM. Her early interest in the rhythm and sampling techniques from hip-hop extended into a love for house, UK garage, jungle, and footwork. Her music plays with Yin and Yang on the dancefloor, often meshing mellow vocals over scurrying jungle breaks or skittish 2-step drums. Like being pulled in opposite directions across the club by your friends, the give and take of these elements create a balance that’s unpredictable, yet guaranteed to be a good time.
Less focused on chasing numbers, Teala’s goal right now is to continue organizing events in the city where people feel safe to have fun and can learn about dance music through their histories. “A lot of it is about respecting the history of these artforms and respecting our positions within it [...] I want to curate events that allow people to understand what [jungle, footwork] is and platform people that are really pushing the sound forward.”
- Ellie Naughton
Listen to Teala Vera on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Teala Vera on Instagram
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The Era
It’s likely The Era Footwork Crew’s name already rings familiar. Perhaps you witnessed their fluid combos command the stage during DJ Spinn’s legendary Pitchfork set in 2014 or claim the title as an early adopter of their first ‘tape in 2016. For over a decade, The Era —composed of Litebulb, Chief Manny, Steelo, P-Top and DJ Spinn—have been an influential force in the DIY art scene, serving as innovators and educators in Chicago footwork culture. Now, as they focus on documenting the genre’s global impact through storytelling, the crew is re-embracing their role as students.
Having stepped foot into the music industry as dancers, The Era wanted to expand upon what a traditional crew looked like within the genre. As seasoned footworkers, they had their own stories to tell, and rap felt like the ideal medium to be heard. Coining the phrase “footwork with words,” they narrate their experience for insiders to relate and outsiders to learn.
The battery powering the sound is none other than iconic footwork pioneer, DJ Spinn. As lead producer, Spinn lays down the landscape for their confident quips and teenage tales of battling rival crews. Expect a full-body experience the way the kicks send jolts to your limbs and hi-hats spray in your ears like a car driving full speed over a deep puddle. With several EPs slated for this year (which will feature several Chicago rappers), The Era is starting a new phase for the collective and bringing footwork with them.
- Ellie Naughton
Listen to The Era on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow The Era on Instagram
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Woes
Woes is chasing something. But it’s not trends, and it’s definitely not our collective approval. What he’s after is more personal, more focused: making music and moving in a way that impresses himself and his friends. He’s pursuing it relentlessly, too. From rapping to crowds outside Lollapalooza and Riot Fest from the top of a box truck, hacking construction traffic signs to promote his record, to restoring a busted payphone, wiring it with a speaker and mic, and driving it 1,000 miles to SXSW - Woes doesn’t wait for an invitation. It’s a DIY spirit that traces back to his days in Humboldt Park. That mindset echoes through every bar: defiant, grounded, a little absurd, and completely honest. It’s independence, and a refusal to take someone else’s rules too seriously.
When Woes walks into a room, he gets the kind of glances a bull gets stepping into a china shop. When his music plays it makes a similar type of entrance, cutting through with a grit that’s brash, self-aware, and sharply delivered. His voice—raspy, raw—paired with razor-edged production, has earned him a reputation for unfiltered honesty. He has a way of turning everyday chaos into something cinematic. The lines might crack a smile, but there’s weight underneath carried with resilience. He never begs for sympathy. Instead, he winks, shrugs, and flips heartbreak into a hook. His music lives in the tension between pain and play, verses that sit somewhere between heartbreak and hilarity. When he’s not embodying the chaos, he’s releasing it through tracks that are cathartic, reflective, and vulnerable. Woes makes art that speaks to the beautiful mess of living.
There’s power in that kind of freedom. Not performative rebellion, but a real, steady refusal to move any way but his own. That spirit, rough-edged and radiant, is what makes Woes magnetic. His art doesn’t ask for your attention. It earns it, then makes you laugh, tear up, and question authority all in the span of a song. With his next album, Body Language, locked and loaded, everybody better run…
- Eric Montanez
Listen to Woes on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Woes on Instagram
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Chicago Artists to Watch 2025 Zine
To see more photography from the shoot download our first-ever digital zine...
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CREDITS
Interviews by: Eric Montanez, Pedro Gonzalez, Iman Music, Ellie Naughton, Henry Netherland, Layla Brown-Clark & Annaliese Baker
Produced by: Eric Montanez, Carlos Castillo, Pedro Gonzalez & Iman Music
Feature Photography: Kayla “Swiper” Delson, Alex Jibaja & Julien Carr
Zine BTS Photography: Iman Music & Eric Montanez
Video Shot & Edited by: Myles Wright on behalf of @abgallery.7023
Set Design & Production: Iman Music
Design Direction: Eric Montanez
Graphic Design: Jada Milazzo