AnnenMayKantereit

German indie folk trio AnnenMayKantereit began their career in 2011 busking on the streets of Cologne. Using their surnames to comprise the band’s moniker, guitarist Christopher Annen, singer/pianist Henning May, and percussionist Severin Kantereit blend streetwise indie folk with rhythm-heavy rock, peppering their distinctive sound with additional instruments like melodica, harmonica, and accordion. Singing in German with occasional English lyrics, they’ve developed a quirky style led by May’s bluesy baritone voice. Their debut album, AMK, was self-released in 2013 and they gained exposure through a series of guerilla-style YouTube videos of the band performing live on the street, in the forest, in boats, and other unique locations. As their reputation grew, they began touring German clubs and making appearances at major festivals across the country. In 2015, AnnenMayKantereit signed with Universal Records and released the live EP Wird Schon Irgendwie Gehen. ~ Timothy Monger