LOS ANGELES, CA- I walked into Hotel Café expecting one thing: a full set from Sabrina Sterling to mark the anticipation of her new EP release. I walked out with something else entirely. The night turned out to be Not Another Showcase, produced by Lucas Flood Presents, with a series of artists on the bill given just 15 to 20 minutes.
I couldn’t help thinking about Queen at Live Aid. Twenty-one minutes. Legendary. They stole the show because rock can hit you like lightning. Bam, done. But “acoustic” Folk and Americana? That’s a slow simmer. It’s about connection and storytelling, and in my opinion, 15 to 20 minutes feels just a bit too tight for that kind of intimacy to really marinate.
Still, as I took in each set, the time limits didn’t stop me from discovering artists I hoped would be impressing me enough to dive deep into their repertoires.
Chad Courtney opened the night with a set that immediately eased the room into the evening’s mellow, intimate vibe. Accompanied by an electric guitarist and a violinist, he delivered his songs with a quiet confidence that felt unforced. The violin added a lush, cinematic layer to his already melodic pop sound, while the guitar grounded everything with a clean, steady rhythm.
Originally from San Diego and now based in Los Angeles, Chad’s been steadily building his catalog releasing 6 songs this year. His set came across beautifully in stripped-down form. Live, there’s an honesty to his voice that makes you believe the stories he’s telling, even if it’s your first time hearing them. For an opener, he didn’t try to overpower the room; instead, he set a tone, inviting the audience in rather than demanding their attention. In a night full of acoustic-leaning sets, his subtle approach felt like the right kind of warm-up.
When Mackenzie Day took the stage with her pianist, the room’s energy shifted. There’s something inherently theatrical about her presence, not in a showy way, but in the way she commands attention when she starts to sing. She talked openly about her past releases (2019’s Letter to You, 2020’s Bitter End, and 2022’s Girl with No Curtains) before teasing her next project. She was tossing out ideas and described it as possibly being thematically tied to a home, exploring humanity in all its forms, and made it clear that the creative process was just getting underway.
Her voice is elastic, moving from delicate falsetto to a richer, resonant belt with ease. Listening to her live, I couldn’t help but get some Kate Bush and Stevie Nicks vibes. I might be completely off base, but those were the names that popped into my head as she sang. She has that same mix of mystique and emotional reach, shifting between vulnerability and strength in a single verse.
Mackenzie’s songs have an undercurrent of soul, but they’re also lyrically sharp, weaving in poetic turns of phrase that linger with you. The piano accompaniment let her vocals breathe, highlighting her dynamic range and the emotional pull behind her storytelling. She’s seems like one of those performers who makes you want to see what she could do with a full hour.
Then came Sabrina Sterling: the artist I’d originally come to see. Just her and an acoustic guitar, nothing else. At 20, she already has a way of cutting straight to the heart, both in her lyrics and in the way she delivers them. Her voice is a delicate soprano, light as air but grounded in emotion, the kind of voice that makes you lean in to catch every word.
I’ve been following Sabrina’s music for a while, and her storytelling always feels deeply personal. She doesn’t shy away from emotional deep dives, and that was on full display when she performed Ramona. The song, which deals with her fractured relationship with her father, carried so much raw vulnerability that if she had shed a tear mid-song, I’m convinced the rest of the room would have followed.
Her new EP, Soon, comes out Friday (8/15), and if the title track is any indication, it’s going to be an intimate, human record. Even in just 15 minutes, she created an atmosphere that felt like a conversation with an old friend, a rare skill for any performer, let alone one at this stage in her career.
Iris Herrera’s set was a masterclass in soul and confidence. Accompanied by an electric guitarist, she brought a fuller sound than some of the other artists that night, with her vocals sitting right at the center. Best known for making it to the Top 8 on The Voice Season 27, the Newaygo, Michigan native has the kind of voice that can handle big, dynamic moments but knows when to pull back for maximum effect.
She’s no stranger to high-pressure performances. Her journey on The Voice included memorable takes on Jolene and Chris Stapleton’s White Horse and you could feel that experience in the way she carried herself. There’s a richness to her tone, a blend of grit and warmth, that made even the quieter moments hit hard.
She struck a balance between showing off her range and letting the emotion of the songs lead the way. It’s the kind of performance that makes you want to hear her with a full band in a longer set, just to see how far she can take it.
Seeing Sydney Quiseng (née Sierota) onstage was a bit of a time warp. I first saw her as the lead singer of Echosmith, riding the wave of indie pop hits when they were in their teens. Back then, her music was sunny and sleek, built for radio singalongs. Now, she’s taken a sharp turn into Americana and country-leaning songwriting, and while it took me a minute to adjust, I quickly found myself drawn in.
Her set included a stripped-down version of Leftover Coffee from her new Phases EP, which I’ve been exploring lately. Hearing it live, bare-bones, before going back to the studio version was a fascinating contrast: the recorded version has a more upbeat, produced feel, while the live version leaned into the intimacy and conversational tone of the lyrics.
Sydney’s shift in style feels like a true evolution rather than a rebrand. She’s still the same magnetic performer, but now the focus is on storytelling and subtle emotional shifts rather than big hooks. For fans of her Echosmith work, it might take a moment to recalibrate, but it’s worth the adjustment.
Willa Amai’s performance was as delicate as it was intense. I first discovered her through “Trampled Flowers”, and since then, I’ve noticed her pop into a playlist or two. Mentored by Linda Perry, she released her debut album I Can Go to Bed Whenever in 2021 and has racked up millions of streams, including for her duet with Dolly Parton on Here You Come Again.
Her voice is a paradox: fragile but commanding, able to hush a room without losing its presence. That’s exactly what happened during her set. The audience fell silent, the kind of quiet that amplifies every note. At times, it was almost too quiet, but the emotional weight of her performance made up for it.
Willa’s songwriting is thoughtful and precise, and her delivery makes you feel like each lyric is meant just for you.
Molly Stocks brought a folk-rooted sound to the stage, performing with a pianist, a guitarist, and her own acoustic guitar. The harmonies between her and the pianist added depth to her arrangements, creating a warmth that matched her unassuming stage presence.
While there isn’t a ton of information about her online, her music speaks for itself. She leans into traditional folk structures but isn’t afraid to play with them, adding small twists in phrasing or chord changes that keep you on your toes. There’s an intimacy to her songwriting that feels like you’re being let in on a secret.
In a setting like Hotel Café, that intimacy worked in her favor. You could hear every note, every breath, and it all felt intentional. With more time, I think she could build those moments into something even more immersive.
Emily Eisa’s set was a three-song exercise in atmosphere. A pianist, vocalist, and composer, she blends classical training with alt-pop textures, creating moody, cinematic soundscapes. Her voice is airy but expressive, pairing well with her careful, deliberate arrangements.
The standout moment for me was her cover of the Four Tops’ Can’t Help Myself. Instead of leaning into its original upbeat Motown energy, she slowed it down, altered some of the lyrics, and transformed it into a yearning ballad. The result was striking: a familiar melody reimagined to fit the quiet intensity of the night.
Her originals carried the same immersive quality, pulling the room into her world. Even with only three songs, she left a strong impression, and I’m curious to hear what she could do with a longer set and a full band.
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There were a handful of artists left on the roster, but I figured I had gotten my fill, plus I still had an hour and a half commute back home. But the end of the night, my disappointment about not getting a full Sabrina Sterling set had faded. Not Another Showcase lived up to its name, delivering eight distinct voices in quick succession. Still, I can’t help but wonder: if each set had been extended just 10 more minutes, how much deeper could those connections have gone?
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Eight Emerging Artists Shine at Hotel Café’s “Not Another Showcase”
