Zola Jesus Reportedly a classically-trained singer, Wisconsin's Nika Roza Danilova packs a gothic wail - on her own lo-fi, darkly synthetic material as well as a gloomy cover of Jefferson Airplane's Somebody to Love. She casts a shadow over Sneaky Dees (Thursday, 9 p.m., 431 College St.) and the Garrison (Friday, 10 p.m., 1197 Dundas St. W.).
Karyn Ellis Very simply, this delicate, sweetly-melodic Toronto songstress needs to be heard. She's beguiles twice, at the Cameron (Thursday, 1 a.m., 408 Queen St. W.) and the Garrison (Sunday, 10 p.m., 1197 Dundas St. W.).
Fanshaw Vancouver's Olivia Fetherstonhaugh, who calls herself Fanshaw and who lists Cat Power, Kate Bush and Ella Fitzgerald as influences, makes a name for herself with her first-ever Toronto shows, first at the Cameron (Friday, midnight, 408 Queen St. W.), then at the Now Lounge (Saturday, 9 p.m., 189 Church St.), and closing with a non-NXNE gig at the Tranzac (Sunday, 10 p.m., 292 Brunswick Ave.).
Maylee Todd Stop, hey, what's that sound - everybody look at what's going down. For what it's worth, the sweet voice you hear on the Telus commercial with the Buffalo Springfield cover is owned by Maylee Todd, a charmer who releases her debut album ( Choose Your Own Adventure) on June 22. Catch her spunky act Saturday at Piston (midnight, 937 Bloor St. W.).
Hannah Georges The next Feist? Maybe. You be the judge: The poised, pop-styled Vancouver singer-songwriter revitalizes the Horseshoe on Saturday (10 p.m., 370 Queen St. W.).
NXNE sprawls over 50 downtown venues through Sunday. Access to shows is gained by all-show wristbands ($25), priority passes ($100 to $200) or single-show cover charges. nxne.com.