106 BEST OF DALLAS® 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | FOOD & DRINK | SHOPPING & SERVICES | READERS’ CHOICE | CONTENTS BEST ALBUM “Budrow” by Pierce Washington instagram.com/piercewashingtn Easily our favorite R&B album released this year — and certainly circling the top of any genre, really — is the rich saturation of sound on Pierce Washington’s “Budrow.” The record is inspired by the loss of Wash- ington’s grandfather, and explores his ev- er-evolving sense of grief. In his own words, Washington told us the album’s inspiration came from “understanding that love, in its purest form, can be the best part of life, but it can also be the most painful, and they can both exist simultaneously.” That harmony of love and pain is channeled gorgeously on all 11 tracks comprising “Budrow,” be it through the calming jazzy undercurrent throughout the album, or Washington’s soul-bearing lyricism. Our favorites are “4dafeel,” “The Awakening” and the title track, but you’d be doing yourself a disser- vice by not listening to the album in full. ...................... BigXThaPlug instagram.com/bigxthaplug In 2026, BigXThaPlug continued his reign as one of the biggest (and largest) stars in the music industry. With “I Hope You’re Happy” and “6WA,” his country-hip-hop-fused style consistently topped the Billboard charts while Rolling Stone magazine labeled him the “future of music.” His most recent concerts here at home had fans lining up for hours. Next up, he’s slated to drop new music with hip-hop heavyweights like Rick Ross and GloRilla. After his success in country and rap, we can’t wait to see what he conquers next. BEST NEW BAND Softly instagram.com/wersoftly Softly already sounds like a band with range to burn. The Dallas indie-shoegaze outfit can turn on a dime from fragile and melodic to loud enough to swallow the room whole, without losing the thread. One moment, they lean into reverb-soaked intimacy, and the next, they crash into a fuzzed-out wall of feeling. The best part is that none of it sounds borrowed, even when their influ- ences peek through. Their newer material suggests a band still discovering how far it can go, which is exactly what makes them so exciting. Catch them live now, before “new band” feels wildly outdated. ............... Kali Flower instagram.com/kalithegirl Earlier this year, we named Kali Flower among just 12 artists in North Texas you need to have queued up. Now, we’re pre- pared to boldly claim that no one in the city is doing pop music like her at the moment. From her slick visuals to her silky vocals, the rising Hawaiian native is evolving as one of the most dynamic artists in Dallas with the wherewithal to make things shake. Her icy, infectious hook on “Never Going Back” blends pop prowess with R&B sensuality, and it has been doing laps in our ears ever since it dropped in March — 2026 is hers. .................. KaineMusic instagram.com/iamkainemusic KaineMusic is 600 Entertainment’s first fe- male artist who rose to the top of North Texas hip-hop in 2026 with bold raps and an ability to command attention alongside one of today’s hottest artists, BigXthaPlug. After the Observer ranked her #24 of the best North Texas rappers right now, she raised her profile with her standout singles “Who Dunnit,” “Stand On It” and “Do It.” Kaine’s adaptation of classic gangsta rap for the compilation album “6WA” helped it rank on Billboard’s rap charts. Now, she proclaims the title of “Queen of Dallas,” and we love watching her fearlessness as she awaits challengers for the crown. Her forthcoming debut record is easily one of our most antici- pated albums we’re keeping an eye out for. ................ Cameron McCloud instagram.com/cureforparanoia Cure For Paranoia frontman Cameron McCloud has inarguably earned all the Photo by Liyah Shoots Kali Flower | B I G D R E A L I T Y : A L E X A L E M I E U X | | Q & A | How long have you lived in the Dallas area? . Born and raised in Dallas and still here today What is your favorite Dallas restaurant? . The Charles What is your favorite Dallas park or greenspace? . Dallas Arboretum What is your favorite coffee shop? . Sugar and Sage What is the one place in Dallas you take out-of-town visitors? . Brunch at Beverly’s H er name was Alexa Alfia before she took “Love Is Blind” by storm and became a top audience favorite. In fact, Alexa Le- mieux’s name change following the show was just one exam- ple of how her life changed. She quickly connected with Brennon Lemieux, a country boy from the Dallas area who wasn’t accustomed to the financially comfortable life Alexa had always known, yet became one of the two cou- ples to get married that season. Much of their story played out in scenes around Dallas. Brennon met Alexa’s friends at the now-closed Pan-Asian Victory Park spot Imoto, and their rehearsal dinner was at Beverley’s Bistro & Bar on Fitzhugh Avenue, where Alexa’s Jewish heritage also showed up in the food. Alexa became one of the show’s most distinc- tive personalities, famously asking Brennon about signing a prenup, while pushing back against the idea that her family’s wealth defined her, telling Netflix that she would rather have love than money. And for a while, the unlikely pairing worked. In 2024, the Lemieuxs announced they were expecting their first child after a difficult fertility journey. In a 2025 People interview, Alexa joked about the daunting realities of motherhood, including sleep- less nights and a teething baby, while saying she and Brennon were so happy they were considering another child. In December 2025, though, the couple announced they were divorcing after four years of marriage. In a May 2026 ap- pearance on the “He Said, G Said” podcast, Alexa said they ultimately did not love each other in the ways the other needed. She said she wanted to be “loved out loud” and described herself as emotionally drained from trying to make the relationship work. Alexa has also remained candid about reality-TV life. In a 2024 New Yorker interview about the show’s production, she called it “emotionally intense” but said she felt the contestants were adults who had chosen to take a gamble. Alexa didn’t just gain a lovely daughter from her time on the show. In August, she posted an Instagram video of her hang- ing out with Season 3 castmates Raven Ross and Colleen Reed, with the caption “Preparing for our Netflix documentary about finding your best friends on a reality TV dating show.”