About / Press Kit
“It’s throughout the South, and it’s new…”
If you’ve heard this soundbite popping up in singer-songwriter and producer Brewster Durbin’s latest batch of songs, you’re already familiar with his ethos. Born and raised in southern Louisiana, Durbin’s genre-defying hyperpop and indie-influenced sound is unusual for a musician of his background, but don’t let that appearance fool you. Dive beneath the surface with his music and you’ll pick up nods to New Orleans bounce, allusions to his Cajun roots, and an extensive knowledge of his region’s musical history. Combine this with his regional storytelling à la Sufjan Stevens and you can see why Durbin labels himself as “southern new wave;” his music showcases a vision of his home state as only he can render it. Now based in Chicago, Durbin has taken little time in establishing himself as a wholly unique emerging talent in the alternative & hyperpop scene, championing his culture but with a digital-age sound for a digital-age audience.
After receiving prizes from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and International Songwriting Competition as a teenager, Durbin released his first album under his own name in 2024, a concept album entitled Rookie. Rookie told the story of a fictional UL Lafayette football player who disappeared in the midst of a record-breaking season. Sonically, the record is somewhere between The Strokes and Porter Robinson; thematically, it uses its central conceit to explore themes of grief, impermanence, and Southern living. As a debut effort, Rookie immediately marked Durbin as a well-rounded and intentional artist. Durbin supported this release with a self-booked cross-country tour, an opening slot at famed New Orleans venue Tipitina’s, and was selected as one of the Acadiana Center for the Arts’ 2024 NXT Series artists.
After relocating to Chicago in 2025, Durbin found himself in the middle of Chicago’s burgeoning hyperpop scene, collaborating with like-minded artists such as Jane Remover, doggone, and Endie. Now living in close proximity with friend and frequent musical collaborator Fairys, the duo began releasing a string of buzzy singles, culminating in the release of their collaborative EP Flash. With an immediate & catchy indietronica sound, the project puts both artists’ pop sensibilities on full display. Flash was quickly followed up with a remix EP that featured international artists like Lightris & sero, Heartgaze, and dudda. With his second album planned for fall 2026 — aptly entitled Southern New Wave — Brewster Durbin is quickly positioning himself as one of the most compelling new voices in music’s underground.
