“After August’s sound was set before we ever played a note together,” Andi Schubert says.
While many groups spend months or even years experimenting before discovering their identity, After August found that connection almost immediately.
That natural musical chemistry has become the foundation of After August, a folk-inspired duo that blends traditional bluegrass with contemporary songwriting. This year, they’ll bring that sound to the Musikfest Music Industry Band Conference Showcase, where emerging artists perform for audiences, receiving coaching from industry professionals and connecting with fellow musicians.
For both members of After August, music has always been a part of their lives. Schubert has been playing guitar and singing since childhood, moving through country, rock, pop, and folk before eventually returning to bluegrass, the genre that first sparked their love for music. Ella Bruch found her voice performing solo acoustic shows, where she learned to blend the storytelling of folk with the edge and emotion of hard rock. Individually, they developed distinct styles, and together they discovered those styles fit together more naturally than expected.
“We both have similar music tastes, so our sound, rather than evolving, has really settled into something fun: mixing classic folk/bluegrass with a modern twist,” Schubert shared when asked about After August’s sound evolution.
Whether they’re playing an original song or putting their own spin on a bluegrass favorite, the goal has never been to impress people with technical ability alone.
“The band is just as much an escape for us as it is the audience, and we aim to truly treat music as a form of connection and healing in modern society,” Bruch says.
That sense of connection is something both musicians return to again and again. It’s the reason they perform, continue writing, and why they’re excited for the Musikfest Music Industry Conference. Both musicians are looking forward to receiving honest feedback from experienced professionals and gaining new perspectives that will help them grow while remaining true to the sound that brought them together.
The timing is especially perfect for the band. Following Musikfest, Ella and Andi will begin college, studying music business and sonic arts while continuing to pursue careers in the music industry.
Like many young artists, they have learned that talent alone is not enough. Bruch says it’s easy to fall into imposter syndrome as an artist, but believes the only way forward is to trust yourself, keep getting back up and have the confidence to put yourself out into the world.
For After August, success is about creating moments where listeners feel understood. If their music can offer even a few minutes of escape, connection, and healing then the duo has already achieved what they set out to do.