The results are in: Minneapolis jazz collective Room3 received the most votes and support in the second annual Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report.

How did we get here? Since July of 2022, The Current’s digital team and The Local Show Host Diane have published a monthly digital feature called The Scouting Report featuring new music by local artists. For Minnesota Music Month, we extend an invitation out to the local music community for April’s edition of The Scouting Report.

In February, we sent a write-in ballot to 350 people around the state. Their task: choose five new Minnesota bands/artists who put their first project out after Jan. 1, 2023. We reached folks who are witnessing new artist development every day in their careers: arts journalism, venues, promotion, music retail, artist representation, manufacturing, and more. (Check out the 2024 Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report results here.)

The response we got back for our first Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report had some clear favorites, but nearly 500 unique artists were chosen overall.

The Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report 2025’s top vote-getters

A total of 112 people filled out this year’s Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report ballot. Each voter named up to five new bands/artists and could either rank their picks (5 points for their No. 1 choice, 4 points for No. 2, etc.) or leave their picks unranked (3 points for each choice). It was pretty evenly divided: 57 people ranked their picks, and 55 left theirs unranked.

Here are the top 10 artists who received the highest point totals.

Room3 (13 mentions, 52 points): Read Diane’s interview

Yonder (14 mentions, 45 points): Read Joel Swenson’s interview

SoulFlower (11 mentions, 36 points): Read Natalia Toledo’s interview

Bizhiki (10 mentions, 34 points): Read Natalia Mendez’s interview

Porch Light (9 mentions, 28 points): Read Erik Thompson’s interview

Crush Scene (8 mentions, 27 points): Read Erik Thompson’s interview

Christy Costello (7 mentions, 26 points): Read Youa Vang’s interview

Kiernan (8 mentions, 26 points): Read Anna Devine’s interview

Fend (6 mentions, 22 points): Read Macie Rasmussen’s interview

Ghosting Merit (6 mentions, 20 points): Read Natalia Mendez’s interview

A list of all Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report ballots cast will be posted right here. Thanks and gratitude to everyone who submitted a ballot! Didn’t vote this year, but want to in 2026? Drop an email to digitalmusic [at] mpr.org, and tell us a tiny bit about your connection to the Minnesota music industry.