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On Aug. 9, fresh talent will be coming to Mississippi Pizza & Atlantis Lounge. The pizzeria and music venue will host three musicians, Kenzy Peach, Leng Bian and Trinity Jane, in a showcase of talent from Portland and beyond.
Hailing from Los Angeles, Leng Bian combines the harp with pop influences, putting the instrument in a context unfamiliar to many. “I feel like people look at the harp and they think ‘lush, orchestral, very delicate,’” Bian says. “I think there isn’t as much good exposure to how rhythmic and versatile the harp can be.”
Bian’s single “FNR,” released last May, offers a taste of the smooth rhythm, catchy melodies, and sultry vocals found in Bian’s music. Though Bian, 26, has been playing harp for 21 years, she is just now entering an important developmental period in her songwriting. “I feel very much [like I’m] in a budding phase of my career, just trying to future out exactly what direction my sound wants to go in,” Bian says, hoping to one day “start writing music that’s like Remi Wolf but with harp.”
Bian plays a solo show Friday but aims to make a lasting impression in spite of the lack of accompanying instrumentation. “I think I will play things that feel very emotional and relatable but also still have that groove to support it even though I am playing solo,” Bian says. “Whenever I play solo I like to keep things on the ‘making the audience want a little bit more’ more than ‘wanting a little bit less’ side.”
Friday’s show first came together after Bian proposed the idea of doing a show to Portland pop artist Kenzy Peach.
Peach, 28, has been playing in Portland for the past year and is making a name for herself in the local scene. “After moving to Portland, everything felt like it was coming really naturally,” Peach says. “The scene is so lovely, everybody wants to help each other out and just has such a deep love for the music and the art. [There’s] very little ego involved; it’s honestly a really fun and easy scene to get started in.”
Peach released her debut album, Bric A Brac Baby, last February. Peach’s music ranges from rock tunes, with distorted guitars and powerful vocals, to cheeky soft pop. The first track on Peach’s debut, “Play Me That Song You Like Again,” features Bian on harp.
SEE IT: Kenzy Peach, Leng Bian and Trinity Jane play at Mississippi Pizza & Atlantis Lounge, 3552 N Mississippi Ave., 503-288-3231, mississippipizza.com. 7 pm Friday, Aug. 9. $11.63–$13.73. 21+.