On April 10, Emerson College student-run internet radio station WECB brought together Ella Jane, Dev Lemons, and Dejima, three rising names in independent music, for their Spring Showcase.
Dejima, a project from Emerson film student and psychedelic indie rocker Kaveh Hodjat, was right at home on Emerson’s Paramount Theater stage. From behind the guitar and drums, Dejima performed songs that spanned his previous work, and introduced the audience to the diverse and textured soundscape of his forthcoming third EP, Swollen, releasing April 19.
Dejima’s talents shined even despite technical difficulties. Like a seasoned performer, he used the opportunity for a captivating stripped back performance that fit seamlessly into the set.
Emerson was excited to welcome back Dev Lemons, who graduated from the liberal arts college in 2021. Joined by nickisnotgreen, her project, Queef Jerky’s other half, Dev brought a mix of off-beat comedy and bedroom-pop. Between songs like “You Tear Me Apart” and “Freak Show,” Dev gave tongue-in-cheek advice and reminisced on almost being expelled from Emerson for her pranks.
To wrap the set, Dev heeded to overwhelming requests with a performance of a “Pineapple Upside Down.” The rap was just a taste of Queef Jerky’s upcoming “Countrywide World Tour” kicking off on May 31 in San Diego.
The showcase culminated with “nothing else i could do” singer Ella Jane, who is no stranger to Boston. Supported by her friends from Tufts University, who joined the cheering Emerson audience, Ella performed songs that showcased her coming-of-age storytelling, which blends pop with rock. As a recent headliner and Govenor’s Ball alum, it was no surprise how comfortable she was on stage. She used every edge of the stage and interacted with the crowd with ease.
Her performance stirred up excitement for the new music she teased in a recent instragram post.
Despite being at all different stages in their career, Ella Jane, Dev Lemons, and Dejima all highlighted the importance of independent artists and their unbounded talent.
