Collapsing Stars
Booking and Publicity: Steve Morgan
"Collapsing Stars' languid folk songs are punctuated by forceful stabs of bluesy guitar — and, in the case of "The Storm," a few appropriate nature sounds. The effect can be whispery and beautiful, but the band's music maintains a welcome undercurrent of reflection, doubt and even dread." - Stephen Thompson, NPR Music
"The very best musicians use familiar styles of music as a launching pad into new landscapes. This is part of the incredible beauty of Collapsing Stars. Their songs are grounded in something folkish & Americana-ese yet they have departed for new shores. This makes them as exciting as other Minnesota musicians who have done this. Like Humbird & Charlie Parr." - Mikkel Beckman (Percussionist for Charlie Parr)
Named a top 100 SXSW Artist by NPR Music, Twin Cities based Collapsing Stars have been steadily making a name for themselves throughout the American west. Blending folk, blues and Americana sounds with beautifully interlaced cello and vocal harmonies, comparisons range from Iron & Wine and Gregory Alan Isakov, to Nick Drake and early Bon Iver. In the last few years they’ve toured internationally, earned producer credits on a record for Rhymesayers Entertainment, and performed for over 120K people at Red Bull Crashed Ice. Their debut record titled ‘2012’ received critical acclaim including praise from Dan Wilson, the Semisonic frontman who has co-written songs for the Dixie Chicks, John Legend, Weezer, and Adele’s 2011 hit Someone Like You. They were named a top 100 SXSW artist by NPR Music out of 2000 showcasing acts, and in response to pandemic related touring restrictions, venue closures and cancellations in 2020 and 2021, the group launched a new web series titled Forest Folk Sessions - intimate acoustic performances in a breathtaking natural setting. Featured on NPR's All Songs Considered, their sophomore album “Chapter” is out now!
Story
5 years ago Collapsing Stars frontman Justin Wayne Nelson quit his job, sold his very practical Honda Civic, bought a mini van and started touring the country with drummer Mike Langhoff. After 10 years of working a dead-end job, which Nelson refers to as his "lost decade," it was time for a change.
In the years that followed, he earned producer credits on a record for Rhymesayers Entertainment, performed with Mike at the renowned Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, and in 2016 played for over 120K people at Red Bull Crashed Ice (in a fake fur coat while fireworks shot out of his guitar). His Alt Folk group Collapsing Stars was selected as an official SXSW artist in 2018, and named a top 100 act to watch at SX by NPR Music.
In July of 2017 Nelson’s cell phone buzzed at 3am. He rolled over in bed, his eyes still half shut. There was a new message from Dan Wilson. “The record sounds really good, and I love the artwork too.” “I wasn’t sure if I was awake or still dreaming, said Nelson. One of the most highly sought after songwriters in the world said that he liked some music that I wrote, which is extremely high praise coming from such an authoritative source.” The list of Wilson’s song writing credits is extensive. In addition to co-writing Adele’s Someone Like You, Wilson has written songs for Taylor Swift, Weezer, John Legend, and The Dixie Chicks, just to name a few.
2012
Collapsing Stars’ debut record 2012 is the culmination of an artistic process that took roughly four years, a process that at times wasn’t always smooth. “For the first time in my life, I was experiencing some sort of creative block while trying to compose lyrics,” said Nelson. “I thought that in time it would pass, but after close to a year without any tangible progress on our record, I knew that I needed help.” Nelson decided to reach out to national recording artist Jeremy Messersmith. “Jeremy is extraordinarily accomplished in his own right, but what people might not know is that he’s a Dan Wilson disciple. So I was the beneficiary of the wisdom and experience of two incredible songwriters. He walked me through his creative process and showed me some word exercises that helped break me out of my artistic paralysis. And a lot of the methodology he was passing along to me was stuff that he learned from Dan when he produced Jeremy’s second record, The Silver City.”
Nelson wrote the first verse of the title track “2012” on December 20th, 2012. It was the eve of the highly publicized (and widely misinterpreted) “Mayan Apocalypse,” the end-date of a 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mayan calendar. “It seems like every year, some fanatical group is predicting the end of the world, and I approached this prediction with the same indifference as all the others. But it piqued my curiosity so I decided to write a song about it. The first half of the song is in keeping with the doomsday theme, and I wrote it on the night of the 20th. I woke up the next morning, still breathing. No fire and brimstone. No horsemen. Everything was fine. Here I was, left with half a song to write and I wasn’t exactly sure how to finish it. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to realize that everything isn’t fine. There was no cataclysmic event that brought the world to an end that day, but you can’t turn on the tv or pick up a newspaper without being reminded of the countless existential threats that humanity faces. And there’s a feeling of helplessness as you watch social, political, and environmental stability erode. These themes inspired the material for the rest of the song, along with several others forming the body of work called 2012.”
"The very best musicians use familiar styles of music as a launching pad into new landscapes. This is part of the incredible beauty of Collapsing Stars. Their songs are grounded in something folkish & Americana-ese yet they have departed for new shores. This makes them as exciting as other Minnesota musicians who have done this. Like Humbird & Charlie Parr." - Mikkel Beckman (Percussionist for Charlie Parr)
"Collapsing Stars' languid folk songs are punctuated by forceful stabs of bluesy guitar — and, in the case of "The Storm," a few appropriate nature sounds. The effect can be whispery and beautiful, but the band's music maintains a welcome undercurrent of reflection, doubt and even dread." - Stephen Thompson, NPR Music
"Unassuming but confidently made, this soothing blend of folk and Americana is a tonic for the soul. 8 out of 10 stars." - Helen Jones, Americana UK
"These Twin Cities folkies, led by singer-songwriter Justin Wayne Nelson, put out the very good Chapter LP a few months back; here’s a windswept (quite literally) highlight, suggesting that Nelson could be the heir to Iron & Wine’s throne." - Michael Bonner, Uncut Magazine
"In the last five years, the Twin Cities guitar-cello songwriter duo’s beautiful yet forlorn sound has caught the attention of SXSW, Dan Wilson of Semisonic, Rhymesayers Entertainment, and more. Fans of Gregory Alan Isakov and early Iron & Wine may especially enjoy Collapsing Stars, who recently sold out the Minneapolis venue Icehouse." - Diane Miller, 89.3 The Current
"Justin Wayne Nelson of Collapsing Stars was stuck in what he calls “artistic paralysis.” After going for over a year without writing any new lyrics, he reached out to local music everyman Jeremy Messersmith. Messersmith’s guidance was enough to uncork Nelson’s creativity, and the resulting record, 2012, was released on August 1. The title track to that record struggles with 2012’s much-ballyhooed “Mayan Apocalypse” and the anxiety it begat. In the video for the song, Nelson jousts with his impending doom as Biblical lithographs flash across the screen. Ultimately, he's undeterred and even empowered by surviving the prophesied end--and he emerges with a full songbook to share." - Jerard Fagerberg, City Pages
"Quality, thoughtful musicianship is apparent on Collapsing Stars’ first album, “2012” released last year. Predominately understated folk with bluesy elements, the album does have some range. “The Storm” begins with a patient guitar solo leading into melancholy vocals. In a nice touch, you can hear the sound of rain and wind. The title song, “2012” is a bit ‘strummier,’ while “Kings & Queens” evokes the Low Anthem with its plaintive yet inviting melody. Because some of the songs are a bit delicate, an intimate church setting might seem like the best venue to hear this group. On other hand, “Deep in Your Eyes” is a genuine blues numbers and “Relapse” veers towards raucous, so a live show could have some kick, especially if they bring enough musicians to create a full band sound." - David Zlotnick, OEB
"Having drawn comparisons to the likes of Ben Harper, The Lumineers, and Father John Misty, the Americana group Collapsing Stars are well on their way to achieving the success seen by those who they’ve drawn influence from. With their debut record, 2012, gaining praise from songwriters such as Dan Wilson, who has written for the Dixie Chicks, Weezer, and Adele, Collapsing Stars are filled with boundless musical talent and an undying eagerness to perform some of the best music in the genre today." - Tyler Jenke, The Brag (AU)
Press
Folk and Honey (London)
https://www.folkandhoney.co.uk/all-our-uk-gigs/collapsing-stars-and-daisy-chute-live-at-the-harrison-n636/
RTE (Ireland)
https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/1029/1413343-behind-the-music-collapsing-stars/
89.3 The Current
https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2022/11/01/10-minnesota-musicians-to-turn-up-in-november
NPR All Songs Considered
https://www.npr.org/2022/10/06/1127245707/new-music-friday-the-best-releases-out-oct-7
Americana UK
https://americana-uk.com/collapsing-stars-chapter
Star Tribune:
SXSW:
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2022/artists/2053610
Jackson Hole News:
NPR Music
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/01/587957006/the-austin-100-collapsing-stars
The Brag (AU)
https://thebrag.com/americana-artists-sxsw/
City Pages:
89.3 The Current:
https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2017/12/22/collapsing-star-the-storm
https://blog.thecurrent.org/2018/01/aero-flynn-and-now-now-heading-to-sxsw-2018/
First Avenue:
http://first-avenue.com/performer/collapsing-stars
Twin Cities Media:
http://twincitiesmedia.net/blog/collapsing-stars-to-release-debut-album-2012-at-the-331-club-on-85/
Noteworthy accomplishments:
- Performed for over 120K people at Red Bull Crashed Ice
- Escape the Ice Tour
- Escape the Ice Tour Part II (2017) NE, CO, AZ, CA, OR, MT
- Released Full Length Record Titled '2012'
- Title Track '2012' featured on 89.3 the Current
- Press in City Pages, 89.3 the Current, Twin Cities Media
- Capacity Crowd CD Release Show
- The Fimentation Tour, CO (2017)
- Shot Collapsing Stars Live From Left Hand Brewing Company
- Shot Live Video for "King of Rome" at First Ave 7th St. Entry
- Pacific Northwest Tour (2017)
- Appeared in 60 Minutes Segment titled: Is Portland Still Portlandia?
- Released second single and music video for "The Storm" featuring footage shot in Northern MN, 20 miles west of Bob Dylan's childhood home
- Song of the day on 89.3 The Current
- Official 2018 SXSW artist
- Named a top 100 SXSW artist by NPR Music
- Art-A-Whirl 612 Brew Stage (2018)
- Sociable Ciderwerks Americana Fest (2018)
- Live performance on KGNU Boulder, CO
- Fall 2018 national tour: Boulder, CO, Grand Junction, CO, Chicago, IL, Manhattan, NY, Brooklyn, NY, Bozeman, MT Olympia, WA Portland, OR
- Performed at the Gutherie Theater (Minneapolis) DPA Microphone Workshop
- Big Turn Music Festival
- Official 2019 SXSW Artist
- Released single and music video for: "Pay Your Last Respects"
- Art-A-Whirl q.arma building (2019)
- Grand Old Day 2019 - Dixies on Grand Stage
- Smokin for the Link Ribfest - New London, MN
- Stone Arch Bridge Festival 2019 - Star Tribune Stage
- Second Street Stage Summer Concert Series
- Crow Union Music Festival
- Kahdafest
- Forager Fest
- Hewing Hotel Rooftop Concert Series
- Fall 2019 West Coast Tour
- Big Turn Music Festival 2020
- SXSW Southwest Tour 2020 (SXSW dates cancelled due to Covid-19)
- Released Never Been in Love Live From Alpine, CA
- Started Forest Folk Sessions Web Series
- 2021 Fall Northwest Tour
- LWC First Fridays Fest 2021 (Boise, ID)
- Official 2022 SXSW Artist
- Smoke, Sounds and Suds Fest (Austin, TX)
- Falling Knife Brewing Company's Alive Inside II: Summer Brewery Fest
- 2022 Northwest Tour
- New Record "Chapter" featured on NPR's All Songs Considered New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 7
- Chapter Record Release (sold out) (Minneapolis, MN)
- Chapter Record Release (Brooklyn, NY)
- 89.3 The Current Feature
- Big Turn Music Festival
- West Coast Tour 2023
- European Tour 2023
- Sligo Live International Music Festival (Sligo, Ireland)
- RTE Feature (Dublin, Ireland)
- Ruby Sessions (Dublin, Ireland)
- Folk and Honey Feature (London, England)
- London 2023
For booking and press inquiries, please contact:
Steve Morgan
Local Rhythm Music Group
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The StormCollapsing Stars Buyhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/32960/1503386703.mp3https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/32960/1503386703.mp3The Storm
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Kings and QueensCollapsing Stars Buyhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/128536/1520459228.mp3https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/128536/1520459228.mp3Kings and Queens
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Collapsing Stars - The StormFootage shot over a 3 year period at Justin's family cabin, 20 miles west of Bob Dylan's childhood home.
http://www.collapsingstarsmusic.com