Welcome to The Scouting Report, a monthly list of 10 Minnesota artists with exciting new projects, as curated by our local music team. If you like these picks, check out The Local Show on Sundays from 6 to 8 p.m., hosted by Diane. For more music discovery from The Current, watch for Jeffrey Bissoy's The Come-Up, highlighting new local hip-hop and more. Also, each Thursday, The Current's music director Jade picks great new tracks from around the world.

Raffaella

“Nothing’s better than a pretty girl singing songs about love,” Raffaella Meloni remarks in her 2020 single “Bardot.” The lyric is tongue-in-cheek, sure, but Meloni is earnestly one of the most promising pop artists in the Twin Cities, having recently moved into a Minneapolis home with Jake Luppen of Hippo Campus. Meloni, who performs under her first name, co-wrote the Hippos’ excellent single “Bad Dream Baby” and impressed the crowd at the recent Blossom benefit. She’ll bring her strong stage presence, lilting voice, and many more playful lyrics to the 7th St Entry on Dec. 12. - Cecilia Johnson

Corbin

Corbin quietly released a brand new LP, Ghost With Skin, on Halloween. The young artist became an internet sensation when he performed with thestand4rd and released the lo-fi music video for “Without You,” which has since garnered more than 11 million hits on YouTube. His new single “Tell Me” is a heartbreaker, capturing the sound of pop music with trap beats in an emotional zone of sadness and sorrow. Corbin’s voice is magnetizing and perhaps even healing if you can relate to the lyrics: “Oh, tell me then, tell me how your heart ripped open like that / Oh, tell me then, don't lock the door, we belong together / Show me then.” - Diane

Speakeazie

Speakeazie writes music “for the feelers,” according to her Spotify bio. The three songs she has on Spotify will all give you the same feelings: melancholy and nostalgia. It’s real “put your head against a rainy window and pretend you're in a music video” music, soaked with vinyl crackles, rain noises, and hazy vocals. Keep an eye out for Speakeazie, who also develops video games when she isn’t making music to get you deep in the feels. - Julian

Mason Jennings

Last we heard from Minnesota artist Mason Jennings, he was teaming up with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard for an album under the name Painted Shield. They apparently got on so well they started talking about a folk album, which has turned into a new album from Jennings called Real Heart, out Feb. 4, 2022. In a press release about the single "On The Brink," Jennings said, “This song is in response to people I’ve met since I’ve been in the public eye using spirituality or the words ‘I love you’ for their own manipulative gain ... I’ve had to wake up and learn better discernment.” - Jade

Listen to Diane’s recent conversation with Mason Jennings on The Local Show.

Tabah

If you’ve been missing the still-closed Kitty Cat Klub, may I recommend Tabah? This jazz-rock band puts me in the same headspace as the dimly lit, slightly shabby Dinkytown spot, even if I’ve never actually seen them perform there. Their recent single “Reactionary” feels like vintage fabric, lush and rippling with time signature changes. Cecelia Erholtz’s voice is the shears cutting through. In the latest iteration of the band, songwriters Erholtz and Jeff Ley join players including bassist Ethan Yeshaya, keyboardist Frankie Merchlewitz, and drummer Joey Hays. This year, they have started a Patreon and recorded a five-song EP at Pachyderm Studio (out around spring 2022). - Cecilia Johnson

Sir Lucius

For the past couple of years, Sir Lucius (fka LUXYS) has been releasing a steady stream of sample-based, nostalgic rap. His latest full-length project Public Access Memories further develops this style and delivers some of his most enjoyable tracks to date. It’s cookout music, familiar and brand new at the same time. Sir Lucius has got the beats and flow to put you right at ease. - Julian

Jon Arthur Schmidt

Discovering Jon Arthur Schmidt was almost like finding buried treasure. An underground singer/songwriter who grew up in small-town Minnesota, Schmidt now lives in Minneapolis, where he recorded his latest album at The Library Recording Studio in the heart of the arts district of Northeast Minneapolis. Channeling the whimsical charm of musicians like Lou Reed or Cat Stevens, Schmidt crafts his sound with gorgeous, bright instrumentation and lyrical poeticism. - Diane

K.Raydio

For over a decade, neo-R&B artist K.Raydio has been a familiar voice on the local scene; in fact, she performed for one of the largest live music audiences in Minnesota history during the 2017 Women’s March to the State Capitol. “During a challenging year in Minneapolis,” she wrote on Twitter this fall, “I found joy and healing while continuing to make beats and instrumentals besides my work as a singer/songwriter.” Among the results: a forthcoming LP that will be entirely self-produced. The slow-burning single “Broken Spell” is a tantalizing first taste. - Jay Gabler

Allan Kingdom

It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years now since St. Paul rapper Allan Kingdom shot to stardom as a solo artist, a member of thestand4rd, and a Kanye West collaborator. In recent years Kingdom’s remained active: releasing EPs, mixtapes, and numerous collaborations with top artists here in Minnesota and around the world. (Plus, he launched a nonprofit called Yebo Life.) His next project is simply called ME (The Mixtape), and single “Breathless” celebrates a passionate (wink wink, nudge nudge) homecoming. - Jay Gabler

Durry

Fred Durst may not come off too well in the new Woodstock ‘99 documentary, but at least the Limp Bizkit frontman is keeping his finger on the pulse of Minnesota music: among the mere 42 accounts he follows on Instagram, along with Pee-Wee Herman and Tom Green, is Burnsville pop-punk sibling duo Durry. After debuting just this past July, Durry have found TikTok stardom and are hinting at big things to come very soon. They’ll be at the 7th St. Entry on Nov. 24 with support from Faith Boblett. - Jay Gabler