Meet Susannah Joffe, the Austin Native Indie-Pop Artist Gaining Viral Momentum

Austin native indie-pop artist Susannah Joffe returns home for South by Southwest this week with growing momentum after a breakout year online and on the road. The now Brooklyn-based musician, who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2022, has seen her profile rise in part through viral traction on TikTok, introducing her dreamy indie-pop sound to a rapidly expanding audience.

Since launching her career after college, Joffe has amassed more than 2.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify and racked up more than 95 million streams for her breakout single “Die Your Daughter.” Her latest release, “Texas Baby,” dropped last week and has already become her fastest-growing track to date. She recently wrapped a European tour supporting King Princess, performing sold-out shows at venues including Electric Brixton in London and Le Trianon in Paris.

Before she takes the stage across Austin this week — including opening for U.K. pop star Lola Young at the Rolling Stone Future of Music showcase at ACL Live at the Moody Theater — TRIBEZA caught up with Joffe to talk about her new single, what it’s like returning home to perform during South by Southwest and what’s next.

Your new single “Texas Baby” just dropped and it’s already your fastest-growing release to date. What inspired the track, and what story or feeling were you hoping to capture with it?

I started writing ‘Texas Baby’ about two years ago, right around the time I moved away from Austin for the first time because I stayed in Texas for college. It was one of those songs you write in about 20 minutes and then I just put it on the shelf. I would revisit it from time to time, and my family really loved it and wanted me to release it… Two years later I was listening through old demos and listened to it and thought, ‘Oh my God, I need to do something with this song.’ I realized I wanted it to sound completely different from the original demo — much more emotional and climactic. I wanted it to feel like a mix of grief and love. Kind of like a celebration but also a loss.

You grew up in Austin and graduated from UT in 2022. What does it feel like coming back home for SXSW now, with millions of listeners and so much momentum behind you?

I mean honestly I feel kind of jaded to it because it’s just like when you start doing music in Austin it’s a lot of doing the unofficial South by (Southwest) stuff. But I think I’m trying hard to be much more present. The Lola Young Rolling Stone showcase I’m really so excited about. So many of these showcases were things that, when I was younger living in Austin, I thought, ‘Oh, it’d be so cool to do that,’ but it felt so out of reach and I feel so lucky. It’s very surreal to be able to do those now and I’m just really really excited to be playing a lot of new songs at home.

The past year has been huge for you—touring internationally, building a massive streaming audience, and now working toward your debut album. When you think about the version of yourself playing gigs around Austin at 16, what do you think she’d say about where you are now?

Oh my God, I think 16-year-old me would be terrified because I used to be very shy. I’ve always been anxious, but especially then. I had terrible stage fright, and when I performed I would literally stand like I was being held at gunpoint like I wouldn’t move the entire time. If I knew I’d be performing for 2,700 people now and playing in London for 2,000, I would be shook.

In a previous interview, you described the ideal setting for listening to your latest EP “Cult Leader” as driving across wide-open Texas roads with nothing but sky around you. As you work toward your debut album, what kind of atmosphere or feeling are you hoping listeners experience with this next batch of songs?

I’m constantly writing down words, feelings and ideas that describe the atmosphere of the album. I haven’t quite figured it out yet, but I think it’s kind of the same idea — like this the idea of laying in a car and looking up at the sky while you’re driving. Sonically, the writing and instrumentation are very different, but I think they still feel like that. They feel very nostalgic and classic, but also very interesting and new.

You also collaborate with your dad on the project Your Daughter’s Father, where you bring your voice to songs he’s written over the years. How did that collaboration come about, and what’s it been like turning something that started as his hobby into a shared creative project?

My dad and I started my side project, Your Daughter’s Father, because he’s half the reason I’m doing what I’m doing. He’s always been so supportive of me and was always playing songs around the house. We were co-writing a lot of my stuff. We co-wrote ‘Deer and Headlights’ and ‘My Football Team.’ But I wanted to put the spotlight on him because he’s so talented… And yeah, it’s been really awesome sharing that with him.

Looking ahead, is there a dream venue (either in Austin or anywhere in the world) that you’d love to headline someday?

My dream venue is Red Rocks because I’m such a nature girl at heart, and outdoor shows have this energy that is so special and that can’t really be recreated in indoor venues. I think Red Rocks would just be like the biggest dream ever.

Where to See Susannah Joffe at SXSW

Joffe will be performing several showcases across Austin during SXSW this week. Catch her at the following events:

• Rolling Stone Future of Music Showcase w/ Lola Young: March 12, 6:30 p.m., ACL Live at the Moody Theater (Badge)
• JBL Greenhouse Showcase: March 13, 4 p.m., 3TEN Austin City Limits Live (Badge)
• BMI YETI Showcase: March 13, 6:10 p.m., YETI Flagship Store (Badge)
• The Open House Party: March 13, 7:40 p.m., Central Machine Works (RSVP)
• Winspear & Vertigo Vinyl Day Party: March 14, 2:30 p.m., Cheer Up Charlies (RSVP)
• Do512 Lounge Session: March 15, 4 p.m., Do512 Lounge
• Open MGMT x Superhuman Showcase: March 15, 9:20 p.m., Antone’s Nightclub (Badge)

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