Ten Emerging NYC Artists To Watch in 2022 – [Read]

Exron rounds up the 10 best DJs and emerging artists in New York City to keep your eye on in the upcoming year.

There is an undeniable amount of talent in the city that never sleeps. With a plethora of venues, both large-scale and underground, a great deal of talented artists that start their careers in New York City. Check out our round-up of emerging talent from NYC to keep an eye on in 2022 and beyond.

1) KYRUH

KYRUH is a powerhouse on the NYC techno scene. As one of the most desired up & coming DJs, she has been featured at major parties such as UNTER and supported major acts like Volvox. Coming fresh off of a set at HÖR Berlin, an Other World show in Miami, and having almost every club in Brooklyn already under her belt, KYRUH has big plans for this upcoming year. She is slated to make her BASEMENT debut alongside I HATE MODELS on January 7th, with many more impressive gigs in her agenda. KYRUH’s track selection is unparalleled and her energy during sets is contagious. She is an absolute force to be reckoned with and a must-see for all NYC residents. 

2) WTCHCRFT

King of acid and all things fast and dirty, WTCHCRFT bring a dark edge to every club he plays at. Starting off with trap and lo-fi beats, WTCHCRFT has developed his style and become a prominent techno producer/DJ across NYC and the world. While most were resting during the pandemic, WTCHCRFT has had a busy year, releasing ACID EP vol. 1-3, Here Take This, and ACAB ACID, along with notable performances at the DJ Mag Lab in London, Fourth World Festival, Nowadays Nonstop Halloween, and HÖR Berlin. His music transports you to the depths of a dark basement warehouse where you can consume brain-melting beats and absolute bangers. He released a new EP “Ooga Booga” on Sorry Records today featuring remixes from prominent underground DJs Nikki Nair and Bored Lored. Truly on brand with the namesake of one of his new tracks “Shake It”, no one can get a crowd moving like WTCHCRFT.

Purchase WTCHCRFT’s latest EP on Sorry Records on Bandcamp

3) QRTR

Brooklyn-based electronic artist Meagan Rodriguez, aka QRTR, released her second album “infina ad nausea” on Dome of Doom this past summer. She has garnered a fanbase through creating unique tracks that incorporate ambient, house, classical, IDM, and drum ‘n bass elements. “infina ad nausea” takes you into QRTR’s world, featuring field recordings from her travels to Notre Dame, the Catskills, and her home of NYC, laced with ethereal synths and eclectic vocals. Her track off the album, “Want Me 2” recently got a Breaka remix, with more remixes in store for the upcoming year. QRTR recently signed to UTA this past year and is heading to Electric Forest in 2022 with massive acts such as Disclosure and Sylvan Esso. To learn more about her upcoming plans and how she is taking over the scene, read her Exron interview here!

4) SAINT VELEZ

Saint Velez is an unrelenting force on the BK techno scene. His latest release “Cigarette Cuts” came out earlier this year on Autektone. The hard-hitting track features dark beats wrapping around a vibrant kick drum and laced with hypnotic raw vocals. Saint Velez is also producer and host on BK’s Newtown Radio show “Newtown Welcomes” where he regularly features new artists. Charting on Beatport and gaining support from Shay De Castro, Richie Hawtin, and more, Saint Velez will continue to his sharp trajectory in the upcoming year.

5) BOSSY BOOTS

Bossy Boots is a genre-fluid DJ whose mission is to make the crowd lose themselves in the music and dance harder than ever- and she does so successfully each time. She has put out countless mixes ranging from underground hiphop to detroit-techno and breakbeats. On the weekends, you’ll find her bouncing around different clubs in BK, whether as a dancer or as a DJ. Bossy Boots provides extreme value to the music scene in NYC by running a biweekly happy hour called She They DJ at Bossa Nova Civic Club. The happy hour highlights upcoming talent prioritizing women, non-binary, and trans individuals in the music scene as well as allows people to show off their talent in a safe and supportive environment and connect with a like-minded community. 

6) SASHA ROME

Sasha Rome (Dan Sokolov) is a versatile producer eliciting joy and serotonin through his music. As a former guitarist and vocalist for the rock group “The Lost Cosmonauts” Sokolov uses his background as inspiration when working on his latest house/indie soul project. His tracks are reminiscent of KAYTRANADA and feature shimmering synths, catchy guitar riffs, and psychedelic breakdowns. Catch him opening and closing at Webster Hall this NYE alongside Claptone, CID, and Dennis Ferrer. 

7) DAIYAH

Daiyah Williams (DAIYAH) currently resides in Brooklyn, NY and is coming in hot on the techno scene as a new and exciting voice. Taking influence from EBM, 90‘s rave culture, Industrial techno, and Psy-techno, her sets take you on a trippy and chaotic journey that will be with you long after you listen. DAIYAH as already played countless intense and animated sets and was recently featured at Bound’s BASEMENT party taking place underneath Knockdown Center. With support from some of Brooklyn‘s most prominent names, you will definitely be seeing more of her all over. 

8) TŌNIS

Drawing from various eras and styles, his classical training, and his subconscious, Tōnis proudly presents his take on the underground house sound. The NYC artist has been experimenting with different electronic sounds for over a decade including Lo-Fi Hip hop and open-format sets. Early in his career, Tōnis had the pleasure of opening up for Louis the Child, solidifying himself as an impressive act. The 25-year old had a productive 2021, collaborating on multiple EPs with London-based Narda and Bristol-based True2life while releasing on imprints such as Random Soul, Simma Black, Phoenix, Puro, and Nurvous. His quirky melodies and signature vocal chops are starting to define his sound and he was recently recognized as #73 in the Top 100 Deep House Artists on Traxsource. Catch him playing at Ms. Yoo on weekends and the new weekly Before/After party at the Soho Grand Club Room on Thursdays.  

9) SPEEDY SPICE 

Speedy Spice is another Brooklyn-based DJ influenced by heavy-hitting and emotional driven tracks to craft high energy and vibrant sets. In her short-time on the scene, she has been featured all across clubs such as Elsewhere, Bossa Nova Civic Club, and RASH. She draws inspiration from her friends and fellow artists in the Brooklyn community and frequently performs alongside DAIYAH- If you’re lucky enough to catch one of her sets, she’ll have you dancing from start to finish. 

10) CHARLES MEYER

Charles Meyer specializes in tech-house tracks and has been DJ-ing and producing for over ten years. He has previously released tracks on Insomniac‘s IN / ROTATION and Box of Cats. Meyer has hit some of the largest festivals and parties both in NYC and across the world and played at The Brooklyn Mirage on countless occasions, EZoo in Cancun, Elements Festival, ELROW parties, and even supported the Night Bass Boat Party. He has garnered extreme support from other artists such as Stefano Noferini, Golf Clap, and Wongo, and recently released an unofficial Reclap of Detlef’s Dub Clap with over 40k listens on Soundcloud.