Chicago-based artists talk ‘grassroots’ culture, community of growing music scene

Chicago is well-known for its vibrant arts scene and giving platforms to new musical artists. Local musicians Eddie Burns, Tanner Dane and Sparklmami explained Chicago’s appeal in terms of its musical landscape. 

Growing up in Lincoln Park as the son of Stephen Burns, a classical trumpet player and founder of the Fulcrum Point New Music Project, Eddie Burns was surrounded by music.

Eddie Burns said that his father’s project allowed him to interact with musicians from around the world, inspiring him to learn the drums at 6 years old. Eventually, Eddie Burns began playing the drums for a band called The O’My’s, and through the band’s management, he was connected with Clairo.

Eddie Burns said he helped produce Clairo’s song “4EVER” in 2018. Since then, Eddie Burns has collaborated with Clairo on multiple projects, even playing drums for her when she opened for Khalid at the United Center in 2019 and now playing for her “Charm Tour,” he said.

“Eighth grade me made the decision to not play sports in high school, and I was a huge basketball player,” Eddie Burns said. “I accepted, in that moment, I would never make it to the league. But then we played (at) the United Center and I was like, ‘Maybe, in a way, I did make it to the league.’”

Eddie Burns said he learned the importance of community and networking in his time as a “baby faced, little 18- or 19-year-old” on the Chicago scene, conversing with artists and bands after attending their concerts around the city.

This eventually led him to working with artists like Clairo, Dominic Fike and Frank Ocean, Eddie Burns said.

“To even get in rooms with these incredible people, I had to really take a lot of time in the Chicago scene of being the youngest, going to every single show and learning to navigate the social space,” Eddie Burns said. “Unless you’re really connecting with people, it can be hard to gain trust to be able to produce for somebody or find someone who trusts you on the drums.”

Having recently moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, Eddie Burns noted the difference between the music scene in the two cities. 

In Chicago, Burns said there is less money, less infrastructure and fewer “big” labels. He also noted that the Los Angeles scene is more saturated, while the Chicago scene is more “organic and grassroots.”

“In Chicago, we do it because we love it, and it’s a place that is an agent for creativity,” Burns said.

Dane, a vocalist and guitarist for the band Hollyy, is another artist who grew up around Chicago. Since his teen years, Dane has dabbled in playing for various bands and eventually formed Hollyy in 2019, he said.

Dane credited Chicago for giving Hollyy its “first shot.” Chicago venues provide new bands and artists the ability to get their foot in the door of the performing scene, Dane said.

“There is a place to play your music Monday through Sunday,” Dane said. “Talent buyers like to give new bands opportunities.”

In addition to growing their roots in the Chicago area at venues — including band-favorite Thalia Hall — Hollyy also uses TikTok to expand its reach, Dane said. The band plays covers of all genres on the platform while introducing individual members through short-form videos.

Another Chicago-based artist and frequent collaborator with Eddie Burns, Sparklmami, also saw success using TikTok as a vehicle for promotion. A TikTok video she made using her song “fajas” garnered more than 232,000 views and 40,000 likes.

Since growing her career, she said she has noted the importance of community in the Chicago music scene.

“It’s a lot of mutual support amongst artists,” Sparklmami said. “It’s a very DIY-driven space. If you want something, you’re going to make it happen. 

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