ARTIST HIGHLIGHT
We at The Limelight are constantly inspired by the vibrant arts scene that permeates Chicago’s every corner. In hopes to connect our audience to the infinitely talented artists who make it on our radar (Chicago local or not), we present The Limelight Blog’s ‘Artist Highlight’ series! As per our mission statement, we hope to expand our network as wide as we possibly can, and encourage you to share your creative talents with us so we can share YOU with our audience! As always, never stop chasing The Limelight.
BY CRISTINA BENAVIDES & STEPHANIE HARO
GIVERUPPER
Artist Statement: Giverupper is the solo project of J.T. Teichert. The music represents an attempt to “give up” the masks that we wear every day. Giverupper blends formally trained saxophone sounds and informal, casual guitar textures. Songwriting and style draws upon many influences, with a focus on indie rock, alternative, piano pop, and jazz. Giverupper’s debut ep, shorty, released on 12/20/25. It is J.T.’s ultimate goal to “give” music and lift others “up.”
‘I like you’ by giverupper
On ‘i like you,’ giverupper says:
“‘i like you’ is the opening track to my debut ep shorty. The song is about young love and explores feelings of infatuation, nervousness, and the general excitement of meeting someone new. When I know very little about someone, it’s easy to romanticize and build internal narratives. The narrator of this story is smitten but also feels like they might not be “enough.” The hook “I only want to know you if you want to know me” represents this sentiment. I grew up writing songs and playing in garage bands…and I also grew up playing saxophone in jazz and concert ensembles, eventually going to music school. I started giverupper to merge the two worlds and play my saxophone on “my terms.” This song was my attempt to write a saxophone melody that resembled something that Sting could sing. I’m also a big Huey Lewis and the News fan, and I’m sure that subconsciously influenced this tune.”
How can you feel nostalgic for a song you’ve never heard before? That’s how it feels when listening to ‘i like you’ by fixerupper. The mix of its old school instrumentation and hyper modern and sometimes sad lyrics mesh well together, creating the feeling that you’ve heard this before, even though you definitely have not. The track is a fresh release and the opener to J.T. Teichert’s debut ep shorty released earlier this month.
Something that’s come to mind recently is a sort of nostalgic feeling for quarantine. A time in recent history where creatives were locked down in their homes and most took their chances and did the thing they were dwelling on for years. Meeting people and growing relationships you wouldn’t have the time for in any other circumstance. This song encapsulates this feeling perfectly while truly.
The lyrics share the story of hesitance and praise for an unseen lover, with the bridge being passionate and honest with the lyrics “I only want to know you if you want to know me”, which were also a standout for the musician themselves, showcasing that the feeling is passed on the audience perfectly.
Take a listen to the rest of the album to catch that feeling and support the release of shorty.
JAY WES
Artist Statement: My name is JAY WES , I am an artist out of Chicago, Illinois. I make music and I also am a professionally trained actor. I’ve been making music for the last three years consistently. With that, I also have gotten into writing and starring in my own videos (which can be found over on YT and IG). Overall, I just like making things and sharing in hopes to continue to grow and expand my reach :)
‘GLIDE’ by JAY WES
On ‘GLIDE,’ JAY WES says:
“I had a very rough demo of this song early last March. We were working on a larger project and this song was one of the first demos we had tracked for. But time passed and plans moved and it eventually kinda went to the side. Fortunately, late in December my friend and producer JEM* ended up just wanting to make a new song from scratch and this is what came from those sessions. We stayed up till 2 A.M. just trying to flesh out the ideas and structure, and the next day we finished it.”
Jay Wes is a local Chicagoan rap artist and began uploading his music to YouTube last year. Glide is a passion project that was in the works since May 2024, but wasn’t put on the shelf until later in December. Jay Wes and his producer dedicated a sleepless night in order to complete it, with the official release being on June 18th, 2025.
It has an electro-jazz feel to it, with its instrumentals which has a steady melody that feels light and airy. The chill beat compliments the rhythm of the lyrics as well as embodying the words tone. The song is an expression of the singer's self-confidence, having inner reassurance that doesn’t need external validation, or to follow social expectation, so long as he focuses on putting in the work of self-improvement.
Without raising his voice, the song expresses a sturdy belief system and self-worth with absolute resolution that sparks inspiration. The song has a relaxing flow to it, which makes one yearn for a replay at the song's abrupt end. You can listen to his music on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.
SAGE
Artist Statement: I’m Sage and I’m a Chicago-based artist! I love to write music about the drama of my lesbian love life, being a 20-something, and a gemini all at once. I published a poetry book a few years back that’s now cringey but so teenager-coded, and now my main focus is music! I have something for everyone whether it’s break-up anthems or getting ready music, you can find it all over here :)
‘gummy worms’ by Sage
On ‘gummy worms,’ sage says:
“As a lover girl lesbian, 'gummy worms' is sweet and sour just like love and relationships. I wrote this song about a past connection that moved way too fast, way too soon, for my fellow gays out there; she was a U-Haul lesbian. Intimacy can be tricky to navigate, especially when you're trying to learn about yourself and heal from the past. This song emulates what it feels like to be wrapped up in someone, but also knows that it's not what you need or want. It's sweet to be loved, but sour to lose people, and what better way to cope than with music! I hope this song satisfies your sweet tooth and soothes your pretty little heart.”
Sage is a Midwest Puerto Rican musician of 4 years. She started off with uploading her music on Sound Cloud, and recently moved forward with her content on YouTube with music videos. Her focus is expressing herself and her relationships as a lesbian through tunes that one can vibe with, such as her song, gummy worms.
It has a smooth, playful melody that’s akin to a night drive in the summer. Though its lyrics tell a post-breakup story as the singer reflects on her relationship, and how she and her girlfriend fell apart. The words are sung quietly, with a sense of wistful spite.
Combined with the chill beats of the instrumental accompaniment, the song overall has a somber feel to it, with a drum beat that’ll get your head bobbing along. You can find the song and more of her music on YouTube, Spotify, Sound Cloud, and Apple Music.
THE LINEAGE
Artist Statement: The Lineage is what I consider another part in the rich legacy of rock music. Since I was a kid I was exposed to various rock/metal from the 80s, but as a teenager I began to gravitate very much towards 90s
rock such as Nirvana and Green Day. Both my friend Jonathan (vocals/guitar) and I (drums) have always wanted to be in a band and make good music for everyone ever since we were kids, and with The Lineage, this is possible. Bands that influence The Lineage are Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Metallica, Megadeth, Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and Weezer. Music has changed all 3 of our lives and we hope that one day our music will impact someone's life for the greater.
‘Burn Down” by The Lineage
On ‘Burn Down,’ The Lineage says:
“‘Burn Down’ is the second single from our upcoming debut album. This song is an energetic, danceable pop punk song that really showcases our love for music of the early 2000s. We have a lot of inspiration from many great rock bands of the 90s and 2000s and this song, to us, feels like taking something familiar, in our direction. With drum breaks, bass solos, and many different vocal styles from singing, spoken word, to even screaming, this song gives each of the 3 members their own chance to shine!”
The Lineage is a three-piece band that focuses on the pop and hard rock genres. They are a longtime independent Chicago based band, with their first big break being in 2023. Their songs emanate a love-letter to the era of the early 2000’s.
“Burn Down” is a song about struggling with persistence. Its various instruments evoke an energized melody with a hint of dread that comes from times of resolution during a bleak moment in life. The lyrics are up for interpretation, leading it well to match any rough patch. The words are sung with determination and uncertainty. The accompanying music blends well with the tone of the lyrics, expressing the effort put into being tenacious, and the frustrating struggles of it through the bass.
The song caps off with the chorus, highlighting the song theme, before cutting off like a match that was blown off. You can find their music on YouTube, Spotify, and Bandcamp.
Thank you to The Lineage, sage, JAY WES, and giverupper for sharing your art with us. We hope our audience connects to their work like we did!
