By Maggie Adams
Jackson Laird, a DMV local, played his first two headlining shows last month at the Pie Shop and Songbyrd. I got the chance to interview him and his opener, Leo Lav, at Songbyrd on March 8th, 2026.
Jackson Laird, Photo by Maggie Adams
Jackson Laird was born and raised outside of Baltimore in the 2010s. Both of these influences are clear in his music. His father showed him Prince, Michael Jackson, and the Bee Gees, and pop culture introduced him to Harry Styles and Sabrina Carpenter. Both of these influences are prevalent in his music. He came out strong with his first single, “Handsy,” in 2024, and he’s been delivering consistent quality ever since. His sound is polished and dancey. His most popular song, “Microdose,” is reminiscent of Malcolm Todd, but my favorite is “Venom.”
He grew up sports-oriented and didn’t really get into music until he came to American University, where he played house shows. His local success motivated him to leave to pursue music. He’s found success through promoting his music on TikTok, and, similar to this new age of musicians today, he broke out alone: no label and few friends in the scene. This has motivated him to support emerging artists like his opener, Leo Lav.hop, at Songbyrd.
Leo Lav, Photo by Maggie Adams
Leo Lav is from upstate New York, but his songs contain some great elements of modern country. He was raised by a professional jazz guitarist and has always been surrounded by music. His most popular song was his first-ever release, “I don’t wanna think about you.” It’s raw and honest, and Leo’s voice is low and powerful. It’s surprising. My favorite song by far is his new release, “Temporary.” Throughout his discography, he’s playing with different sounds, but “Temporary” sounds solid and authentic. Leo’s personality is magnetic and genuine. He radiates honesty and kindness, and I think it bleeds into his songwriting.
Both artists have loose ties, in one way or another, to Georgetown. Jackson Laird attended American University, and Leo Lav attended Fordham University.
Both artists put on a great show. They took advantage of the intimacy of the venue and interacted with the crowd. Take a listen to both interviews linked below.
Listen to “Love Arcade” and “Temporary,” out now, and keep an eye out for when the DMV local returns!
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