Best of the fest: Hunter Hauk's 5 favorite musical moments from South by Southwest 2015

If any style of music achieved dominance at this year's South by Southwest, it was mainstream hip-hop. Shows by J. Cole, Rae Sremmurd and Wiz Khalifa produced lines of festgoers that stretched around buildings and city blocks. Heck, the most buzzed-about artist was Kanye West, who didn't even turn up in the end.

That said, a few up-and-comers still managed to break through at the weeklong music gathering, the most notable being Fort Worth's Leon Bridges. The smooth soul singer, who'd already captured our hearts here at home, emerged from SXSW as the winner of the Grulke Prize for Developing U.S. Act.

Since Bridges had made a lasting impression on us before SXSW, let's take a look at five more who blew us away in the state's capital:

Gabriel Garzón-Montano

A serious musical education served this Brooklyn prodigy well on 2014's groove-heavy debut EP Bishouné: Alma del Huila. In the studio he falls in line with the play-it-all auteurs of the world such as Prince and D'Angelo, but he fronted a small band to thrilling effect during SXSW at the Iron Bear. Garzón-Montano had a naturally appealing performing style, bobbing his head back and forth as he sang from behind the keyboard, but true dynamism surfaced when he walked out into the crowd to vibe with his front-and-center fans. So fresh and so pure.

Key tracks: "Everything is Everything," "Naeja"

Juce

The overstuffed, over-scheduled SXSW has become less and less spontaneous over the years, but there are still moments of discovery among all the hype. Looking for a respite from the rain one evening, I ducked into Latitude 30, the site of the festival's dedicated "British Embassy," and saw what turned out to be one of my favorite musical performances of the trip. The three women who front the U.K. pop-funk outfit Juce offer a more muscular and authentic take on pop music than what lands at Top 40 radio, but they have the attitude and the aesthetic that could send them on up regardless.

Key Tracks: "Call You Out," "6th Floor"

Brandi Carlile

Hands down the bravest, most lump-in-throat performance I witnessed at SXSW was that of Washington State singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. Along with her band and music-making partners Tim and Phil Hanseroth, Carlile transformed Central Presbyterian Church's glorious chapel into a dimly lit, microphone-free listening room. Her flawless vocals, whether locked in Fleetwood Mac-style harmonies with the Hanseroths or floating above theirs ever so slightly, washed over the the packed pews and were occasionally joined by real-life tweeting birds in the rafters. I'm not sure if Carlile will take a similar approach at House of Blues on June 5, but I'm determined to find out.

Key tracks: "The Eye," "Heroes and Songs"

Elle King

It's not uncommon for a new artist to make an enjoyable record but then fail to produce the same magic in a live setting. That didn't seem to be a problem for the irreverent young singer Elle King when she performed selections from her debut full-length LP Love Stuff at Waterloo Records. With a combination of Wanda-Jackson-style vocal grit, boozy rock 'n' roll attitude and tautly written material, King exceeded my expectations. Here's hoping she catches on like wildfire.

Key tracks: "Ex's & Oh's," "Last Damn Night"

Wynonna & the Big Noise

Yes, Wynonna Judd is far from up-and-coming. With her mother in the Judds and as a solo artist, she's already achieved country-legend status. But the 50-year-old singer admitted during a wonderfully raw SXSW interview session that she's ready to push the reset button, to once again feel as excited about music as an untested kid. That attitude carried over into a fascinating and musically-enriching midnight concert inside a small hall at St. David's Episcopal Church. With her husband Cactus Moser leading the band from his drum kit, Judd dug through her old catalog for gems ("She Is His Only Need") and offered a few new ones as well. That unmistakeable voice soared throughout.

Key tracks: Though it's not yet released, stay tuned for the vintage country anthem, "Jesus and a Jukebox"