Best New Artists
We’re coming into an exciting period for music listeners as many up-and-coming artists are creating new and interesting music.
There are talented artists who are steadily attracting attention and building a following because of their music’s consistent quality and evolution. These artists are pushing boundaries and have the potential to make a true and lasting impact on music scenes. While the mainstream currently seems to be stagnant with established artists attempting to chase trends, there are emerging musicians who are holding true to their identities and focusing on making the music that they themselves like.
Here are my picks for some promising artists who you should check out. These are artists who can give us hope for the state of music and make us excited to have something to believe in.
Ten Tonnes
Ten Tonnes, real name Ethan Barnett, is that rare kind of musician who makes massive-sounding tunes that are easy to connect to but don’t seem lab-created from a formula. His hook-y songs can be difficult to place in a genre, but fit most naturally under the umbrella of pop-rock. The songs contain an endearing optimism that keeps the music teeming with life and infused with an undeniable likability. It’s Ten Tonnes’ balance of sincerity without taking himself too seriously that makes him stand out and allows him to successfully accomplish a lot within each song: In many of his songs, images of loss are set to bright choruses, and even as real-world hurts creep in, there is a pervading sense that everything will be alright.
Be sure to watch out for his debut album, out on May 3rd
Recommended track: “Cracks Between”
Stream on:
La Bouquet
La Bouquet’s shimmering, somewhat eclectic pop expresses raw emotion behind polished production. La Bouquet have taken the spirit of punk and transposed it into the modern indie-pop climate. They span genres even more than that though. La Bouquet have created a unique and fully formed sound by taking from influences in many genres and piecing them together masterfully. This musical collage works. The finished product is layered sounds paired with melancholy, angsty lyrics about being painfully self-aware. Perhaps their music can be best summed up by the title of the aptly named single they released recently, “Sad People Dancing”. After all, dichotomous tone and a meta expression of self-deprecation are quintessential of La Bouquet.
Be sure to watch out for their debut album, out April 26th
Recommended track: “Loser Baby”
Stream on:
Beabadoobee
Bea Kristi, who goes by the stage name Beabadoobee, emerged from her bedroom and has quickly amassed some worldwide indie buzz with her recently-released debut EP, Patched Up. Bea’s simple singer-songwriter songs are generally acoustic and feel homemade. In everything she does, Bea doesn’t shy away from the image that she’s a normal teenager who is here to have fun, as evidenced by her Spotify banner photo, which is a photoshopped image of all of the Beatles pointing at her. Every word in Patched Up captures the ups and downs of teenage life, from insecurity and anxiety to house parties and naive crushes. More than anything, Bea’s music communicates that intense, contradictory feeling of youth: of living so deeply in the moment yet in the back of your mind having that persistent, nagging dread of the future and its deep uncertainty.
Recommended track: “If You Want To”
Stream on:
HOAX
HOAX have created their own brand of feel-good groovy indie-pop. They have a full, bass-driven sound, and it’s hard to sit/stand still when one of their songs is on. The band have coined the phrase “empathy pop” to describe their music, and it’s a fitting moniker: They make a conscious effort to advocate for and radiate love and positivity. This is done both through their music and their online presence. Even their colorful visuals, often involving flowers or fruit, serve to reinforce their identity as a refuge from negativity. HOAX are here to make you smile, dance, and love. If sunshine were music, it might sound like this.
Recommended track: “Grow”
Stream on:
Myles Cameron
Myles Cameron’s smooth baritone is effortlessly emotive in his poignant songs. It’s impressive that he’s both a student at Yale University, and one of the most promising new voices in R&B right now. No matter if he’s singing over pared-down, breezy instrumentals or hip-hop beats, Cameron’s songs are quiet late-night dancing levels of dreamlike. He’s a poet as much as he is a musician. He carries vulnerability, honesty, and conviction into every one of his songs. He weaves subtle and authentic tales of navigating race, suburbia, and youth. His talents could take him far.
Recommended track: “Caged Bird”
Stream on:
The Montreals
This Adelaide-based band is keeping the spirit of indie rock alive. With a skater-rock sound and groovy hooks, the band radiate energy and have a spirit of fun that makes their tunes infectious and easily integrated as a soundtrack to listeners’ lives. Their music feels like sitting in a garage while your most talented friends’ band practice, and then going out to a chill house party afterwards. The band play by their own rules and experiment with their sound while staying true to their identity. You’re never quite sure where they’ll take you, but you’ll probably enjoy the ride of their discography if you like one of their songs.
Recommended track: “Rude”
Stream on: