When Evann McIntosh moved to Chicago from Wichita in 2022, the singer-songwriter didn’t just change cities—they reinvented their artistry.
“I moved out here initially in a group of other people from Kansas that were also moving out here,” McIntosh recalls. “I came out here and I had some idea in my brain that I would just want to start fresh, strip back everything else, and start from the beginning musically.”
That meant stepping away from the familiar and seeing all sorts of shows—everything from country to punk to avant-garde jazz—as well as a self-assigned “pop music school” that required deep dives into the discographies and stories behind the Beatles (and their solo careers), Bob Dylan, and others.
From that quest emerges McIntosh’s debut album, Fantasy Fuel, a diverse, soulful collection that ranges from sunny, laid-back acoustic pop (“Mull It Over”) to sultry, sly jazz (“Blue Movie Magic”) to the hauntingly sophisticated soft rock of “Le Microscope.”
With no shortage of atmospheric song titles to select from, Fantasy Fuel ultimately “resonates with the whole project,” says McIntosh. “Moving to a major city and all of these big life changes for me, it was like a big transitional period in my life. Fantasy Fuel felt right just because it means what's driving you to grow and to continue to step out of your comfort zone.”
“Le Microscope” nearly became the centerpiece of the album until McIntosh thought, well, “Better” of it—spotlighting another song that calls to mind the introspective early 70s work of icons like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.
“Better” features an appearance by American poet Meshell Ndegeocello, a collaboration that arose thanks to producer Abe Rounds, the drummer in Ndegeocello’s backing band. Ndegeocello heard the song and liked it, prompting Rounds to ask if she would like to contribute. McIntosh recently filmed a video for the song, as well as a few others, in Atlanta.
“I had a mood board for each song, and that one was sunshine and warm tones and greenery,” they say. “And then we just went out and shot me dancing around in some leaves. It was just having fun.”
McIntosh’s musical journey began at a young age. “Some of my earliest memories are just me walking around making stuff up,” they recall. A military brat, McIntosh found support from middle school language arts teachers who encouraged their talents and even allowed them to perform songs for their classmates each morning. That gave McIntosh the confidence to perform for anyone who would listen, and by 2018, they were releasing songs online recorded in their parents’ basement.
But nothing could prepare McIntosh for the thrill of physically holding a piece of vinyl with their music on it. “I worked on this project for so long, and I was so used to hearing it through my phone or my computer on Dropbox, or on Spotify,” they say. “It's completely different to have the tangible thing, because then it's real. There's all of these ideas that have been up in the air—they exist, but this is something I can touch and feel. And it sounds really good on the vinyl. Everything expands and it's such a richer experience.”
McIntosh, who was named one of GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 in 2023, recently made their Subterranean debut and has performed at other beloved Chicago venues, including Sleeping Village, the Hideout, and Schubas Tavern. They hope to add Empty Bottle to that list soon.
“I've been trying different things every time to see if I can really master my pre-show (ritual), and maybe there's some perfect combination of things that need to happen for me to have the smoothest (experience) on stage,” McIntosh wonders. “My biggest thing on stage is being able to hear myself and trying so hard to not be nervous. I've tried everything. I've tried lying on the floor for 10 minutes before the show. I drink tea. I can't talk to anybody because everyone's gonna crack me up. If I laugh before I go on stage, I just need to chill.”
As for what’s next? McIntosh’s mission is simple: “Make more stuff.” Though they’re excited to play and promote the new album, “I've got a lot of things that I would be interested in giving a shot, different ideas that I want to test out.”
Here’s to that Fantasy becoming a reality.
