My favorite artist of 2024, mk.gee

It’s been a long time—probably ten years—since a new artist genuinely surprised and moved me, but Mk.gee has done exactly that. Like most discoveries these days, I stumbled on him through YouTube, watching a live performance of his song “Are You Looking Up.” I must’ve watched that video five times in a row, then kept coming back to it daily for the next two weeks.

Not to sound cheesy, but the vibe of that song and video just hit so right. Mk.gee has this incredible way of feeling both familiar (big time Police vibes) and completely fresh at the same time. As a guitarist, I’m obsessed with the tone he’s created—it’s funky, textured, and unmistakably him. I also love how he kind of does “his thing” on every song, but instead of feeling repetitive, it’s just so genuine. A great guitarist doesn’t need to overcomplicate things—they can do a lot with a little.

What’s especially fascinating about Mk.gee is this: his albums? They’re… okay. But his live performances? Absolutely next level. It reminds me of how I felt about Dave Matthews Band back in high school. I liked their studio stuff, but it was the bootleg live albums and concerts that really made me a fan.

I’m super bummed I missed Mk.gee’s recent tour, but I’m excited to try and catch him next time he’s on the road. Check out his incredible live performance of ROCKMAN from SNL a few weeks ago.