.jpg)
With his searching lyricism and trademark vocal harmonies — all honed inside one of the internet’s fastest-growing scenes — crayon joins SoundCloud’s 2026 Ascending class.
SoundCloud’s Ascending is a monthly series that puts a spotlight on rising artists from around the globe who are breaking through. Previous Ascending artists include DIY alternative rock artist bunii, minimal house curator Josh Baker, indie-pop sensation Erin LeCount, alternative-R&B singer SAILORR and UK underground rapper YT, to name a few.
“I remember making music with my friends and the amount of people in this scene could fit into a classroom,” crayon recalls. “And now it’s just gone global.”
That scene, known broadly as new indie (or online indie, depending who you ask), found its footing and its audience on SoundCloud, and crayon has since emerged as one of its most consistent voices. He began uploading his music in 2021, and fell in love with the immediacy of posting songs the moment he finished them on the platform.
“I think a lot of the time it can feel like you're just posting music and it's getting thrown into an abyss, but SoundCloud gives you that actual feeling of community.”— crayon
Among the most collaborative figures in a scene that runs on collaboration, crayon is a core member of Camp, a collective of artists who have grown together in real time, trading production tricks, verses and features across each other’s projects.
Recently, crayon appeared on bunii’s debut album ‘VIRGILIO’ (on the track “apple of your eye”), traded verses with ankle on “close your eyes,” and played guitar on yiru’s “understand.” Beyond fellow Camp members, crayon’s collaborations with Kid Moon (“i'll be on my way”) and six days after christmas (“let me go”) all speak to an artist who thinks in terms of community first.
“Improving collectively with people is just such a special thing,” crayon says. “A lot of these people have changed the trajectory of my career, simply by putting me on some album or showing me a simple mix trick.”
SoundCloud’s relationship with crayon stretches back to February 2025, when “bitten fingernails” was deemed Track of the Day — a moment that landed hard for an artist still very much in the building phase.
“It’s pretty insane to me to realize that SoundCloud was actively tapping into my music,” he says, reflecting on this early recognition. “I remember being with my friends and just feeling like I had made it all because I had a song in a playlist. It definitely means a lot to me as a DIY artist to have the direct backing and support from the platform that I’m uploading to.”
Soon thereafter, in February 2026, crayon was named in SoundCloud’s Music Intelligence Report as an artist to watch.
As crayon continues to grow as an artist, the throughline remains the same: community, consistency and a belief that SoundCloud is where real connection still happens. “I think a lot of the time it can feel like you’re just posting music and it’s getting thrown into an abyss,” he says. “But SoundCloud gives you that actual feeling of community.”
Following the announcement he had been deemed SoundCloud’s Ascending artist for March 2026, crayon experienced another major milestone: his first-ever billboard in Times Square. He shared this moment not just with his followers, but with his entire family, who made the trip from Texas to see it in person. For crayon, seeing his accomplishments celebrated on a billboard in New York City represents years of hard work paying off, from uploading his music regularly to building community through servers and shared sessions alike.
On being named Ascending, crayon adds, “Personally, Ascending represents validation for all the consistency that I’ve put in, and it definitely feels like a breakthrough — and I’m excited for the next chapter.”
LISTEN TO “LEGS” BY CRAYON ON SOUNDCLOUD
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
