Pop savant, Tristen, a mononymous singer-songwriter, musician, and beloved member of Nashville's underground scene, is known for her "knack for penning an infectious hook" (Entertainment Weekly). She has released three albums to critical acclaim: Charlatans at the Garden Gate (2011), CAVES (2013), and Sneaker Waves, which was released last year via Austin label Modern Outsider. She also performed as a member of Jenny Lewis's live band in 2015.

Rolling Stone describes Sneaker Waves as having "Nilsson-worthy power balladry" and NPR's Ann Powers illuminates the album as "bursting with great melodies and hooky arrangements that tickle the ear and won't leave your brain alone. Vintage keyboards or retro-modern guitar parts enhance Tristen's sometimes fantastical, often hilarious, always perceptive vignettes about complicated relationships, artistic ambition, and the ever-present shadow of mortality".

A serenade with a bite, Tristen's live band features her husband and collaborator, Buddy Hughen, on jangly and sometimes shredding electric guitar, who co-produced Sneaker Waves, as well as rotating cast of Nashville's finest as her rhythm section.

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]