Dinah Jane, A R I Z O N A, Maggie Lindemann & Broods Kick Off Grammy Week at Billboard Industry Nights Showcase

Bryan Kress
·3 min read
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On Tuesday night, Billboard‘s Industry Nights Showcase kicked off Grammy Week in West Hollywood with an eclectic roster of new and rising talent for a series that will run through Friday leading up to Sunday’s ceremony. The early evening event boasted the likes of Los Angeles-based singer Maggie Lindemann, New Zealand pop rock group Broods, Fifth Harmony breakout singer Dinah Jane and electro-pop rock band A R I Z O N A, set against a backdrop of incomparable panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills.

Lindemann kicked off the night with a set that touched on her pop roots before taking a swift turn into new territory as the young singer took up the mantle of frontwoman to a full band, including trumpet accompaniment and her own turns on lead guitar. After channeling Gwen Stefani during an exhilarating cover of No Doubt’s “Spiderwebs,” Lindemann broke things down to a light acoustic set with her 2018 single “Would I” and an impassioned cover of Stereophonics’ “Maybe Tomorrow” that synced up perfectly with the golden hour looming outside. She ended the set with an exciting tease of what’s to come on the upcoming alt-friendly track “Friends Go,” capping a set full of surprises that signals Lindemann’s growing skill set as a musician and performer.

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Brother-sister duo Broods kept things sailing smoothly as they ran through some old favorites and choice picks from their latest record Don’t Feed the Pop Monster in a set that lead singer Georgia Nott dubbed the “cruise ship” versions. With a stripped-back four-piece setup, the group reinvented songs like “Falling Apart” and “Peaches” that have nearly just begun to find life in a fully produced studio format. The band kept it loose on the breezy sing-along “Everything Goes” and their welcome cover of Mac DeMarco’s “My Old Man,” but they saved the standout moment for the live debut of the rousing Pop Monster number “Dust” with a final sustained, spirit-lifting four-part harmony.

The evening became a prestigious LA nightlife scene as Dinah Jane took the stage ready to roll in a stunning leather-clad outfit complete with racing-stripe sleeves. Accompanied by two dancers, the singer balanced impeccable vocal chops with captivating choreography as she belted her sizzling debut single “Bottled Up.” She took a moment to pay homage to indie-pop singer Allen Stone before diving into his reinterpretation of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” with her own soulful spin, then dialing things right back up for a medley of new tunes that blended ’90s R&B and retro pop with a modern twist. Closing the performance with the poppier single “Retrograde,” Dinah delivered some mesmerizing vocal work and gripping moves as her dancers ceded the stage to the undeniably singular talent.

The night reached its final stretch with the genre-melding rock outfit A R I Z O N A, who condensed their anthemic, arena-ready sound into a sultry and satisfying set. Lead singer Zach Hannah laced winding high and low octaves through the sharp, precise guitar licks traded by core members Nate Esquite and David Labuguen. The band demonstrated a deft command of the stage as their sparse production merged into evocative, hypnotic soundscapes on highlights like “I Was Wrong” and “Freaking Out.” The group ended in true celebratory fashion as Nate and Zach blew out candles on a massive chocolate cake for their consecutive birthdays this week, with Zach sharing the perfect sentiment for the evening before launching into closer “Cross My Mind”: “Not a day will pass when this night won’t cross my mind.”

2019 Grammy Awards
2019 Grammy Awards

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