Earlier this month, Seattle-based queer indie artist Henry Mansfield won the final round of Doc Swinson’s Opening Act Contest at Wild Buffalo House of Music, earning a slot on the Northwest Tune-Up Festival main stage this July.

Mansfield makes loud, anthemic pop rooted in storytelling, with songs that move between grief and joy and pull from piano, horns, and synths. “I’ve described it as Ben Folds meets Death Cab meets LCD Soundsystem, all wrapped up in a high-energy and theatrical package,” Mansfield says. “I care a lot about my lyrics and what the song is saying, but also know that what makes a good show is a performer showing up for the crowd—that’s the whole point of playing live!”

The contest opened Feb. 2 and drew more than 200 submissions from across Washington. It narrowed to 10 semifinalists, then five finalists—Veronica North, Wasabi Samba, Henry Mansfield, Loveli, and Waves Crashing—who each played a set at Wild Buffalo. A three-person judging panel made the final decision.

“Hearing my name get called was a shock,” Mansfield says. “But after that shock wore off came a sense of immense pride, and validation. I think something every artist wants is the feeling of being recognized, of being told, ‘Hey, I see what you’re doing, and it’s meaningful and good.’ And I got to hear that in a big way. I drove home with a big ball of light in my chest.”

Mansfield also came away impressed by the other finalists. “It was an overall testament to the strength and diversity of Washington’s music scene,” Mansfield says. “We are lucky to be in a place with so many independent venues that allow small artists to take the stage and develop their craft. It really could have been any of us winning the top spot.”

Northwest Tune-Up, which launched in 2022, runs July 10-12 in Bellingham and mixes live music with mountain biking events, races, demos, and clinics. With more than 100 miles of nearby trails, the city is a good fit. Mansfield will open the main stage, returning to a city they had not played in a decade before the final. “I love big festival stages. I love playing to brand new crowds and winning them over,” Mansfield says. “It’s nerve-wracking but also an incredible rush if you can pull it off.”

The contest grew out of Doc Swinson’s partnership with Northwest Tune-Up, now in its second year. Last summer, the brand brought a chainsaw artist to the festival to carve a wooden fox (“Fox Swinson,” now on display at The Barrel Lab) on site, a nod to the role wood plays in whiskey-making. This year, it wanted something that pulled local musicians more directly into the mix. “We felt that creating a platform for people to discover some of the remarkable bands and performers from our home state was a powerful way we could spark people’s curiosity,” says Joe Mattson, chief marketing officer at Doc Swinson’s.

Before the festival, Mansfield has a busy spring ahead. They are celebrating the release of the Bend Your Knees EP and recently released for an NPR Tiny Desk Contest video with the full band playing on skates. Next up are two sets at Southgate Roller Rink at on May 30 and a Pride show at Sunset Tavern on June 26. After Northwest Tune-Up, they are also set to play Capitol Hill Block Party in August, with new singles on the way.