The Current’s Emerging Artists Showcase brings together musicians from communities across our region to showcase and develop the next generation of songwriters and performers. The 2024 event was held Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Duluth Masonic Temple.

On the bill was folk musician Nolen Sellwood. Currently a student at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Sellwood is a young artist with an old soul. His beautifully crafted singing and songwriting skills are captured on his debut album, Otherwise, with a second studio album, Cadence to the Flame, coming soon. Playing alongside him as a trio are his middle school and now college friends, Sam Hovda and Owen Reinert Nash.

With a deep inspiration to earlier British artists such as Nick Drake and John Martyn, Sellwood has strong musical aspirations. “I just want to make more of a bigger impact into making folk more widely accepted, especially for the younger generation,” he says. “It’s so sensitive, it’s so raw, and it exposes you a lot … It’s supposed to give you solace if you’re having rough time. It’s supposed to let you know that other people are experiencing similar things and that you’re not alone.”

Watch Nolen Sellwood’s complete performance above.

Songs Performed

00:00:05 To Be Saved
00:03:18 Sands Of Mine
00:06:35 This Is For Someone
00:09:59 State Of Being
00:13:08 Like A Sailor
00:15:57 Lavender

Musicians

Nolen Sellwood – vocals, guitar
Sam Hovda – piano, trumpet
Owen Reinert Nash – percussion, bass
John Reinert Nash – saxophone

Credits

Guest – Nolen Sellwood
Video – Josh Sauvageau
Audio – Derek Ramirez
Camera operators – Evan Clark, Josh Sauvageau
Graphics – Natalia Toledo
Digital Producer – Luke Taylor

The Current’s Emerging Artists Showcase is funded in part by the Jane S. Smith Memorial Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation and the Minnesota Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment.

External Link

Nolen Sellwood – official site