Aminé
Ethiopian-American rapper Aminé is one of the boldest and sharp voices in music today. Unwilling to limit his art, Aminé manages to straddle the line between mainstream and experimental. Visually and sonically Aminé takes inspiration from both movies and hip-hop from the 2000s and his own unique vision. Lyrically he discusses everything from toxic masculinity to navigating relationships in the modern world to being honest and open about mental health. Aminé’s music is the perfect companion for both catharsis and the club.
Aya Nakamura
The Malian-French singer is breaking barriers, and records, with her music that incorporates afrobeat, pop and R&B. Nakamura has amassed multiple diamond singles in France, including ‘Doudou’, ‘Jolie nana’, and ‘Djadja’, which was recently certified Silver in the UK. Her breakout album, NAKAMURA, went top 3 in France and has since been certified diamond, selling over 500,000 copies. She has caught international attention in recent years, collaborating with Stormzy, Maluma, and Ms Banks, as well as gaining a number of famous fans, including Madonna, Neymar and Rihanna.
Blood Orange
Also known as Devonté Hynes, the British singer, writer and producer has a seriously impressive resumé. Hynes’ began to rise in popularity in 2012 after his work on Solange’s True and Sky Ferreira’s single ‘Everything Is Embarrassing’ gained attention from fans and the industry alike. Since then he has produced for artists such as Kylie Minogue, A$AP Rocky, HAIM and Mariah Carey as well as a frequent collaborator of Carly Rae Jepsen. His own music, which takes heavy inspiration from 80s and 90s R&B, soul, pop music, and his Sierra Leonean heritage, has received widespread critical acclaim and is the perfect companion to decompress and chill to.
Bree Runway
The British star is making waves all over the internet. Her sound is a super sugary blend of 80’s synth-pop, 90’s R&B, early 00’s hip-hop and a whizzy, supersonic look into what we’ll all be listening to in the year 3000. Sonically futuristic, Bree intertwines her music with her high concept, forward thinking, fashion, visuals and performances. Her critically acclaimed 2020 mixtape, 2000AND4EVA, is both exhilarating and introspective, and includes a collaboration with the one and only Missy Elliott. Bree says that she ‘could be a pop star, a rap star, any kind of star, any kind of second’, and with this it seems pretty clear that Bree Runway is the Past, Present and Future of Pop.
Channel Tres
Singer, Rapper, DJ, and Producer, Channel Tres’ music experiments with Detroit techno and west coast hip-hop. His recent release, i can’t go outside, which also features guest vocals from Tyler, the Creator and Tinashe and goes full throttle into his Detroit techno and hip-hop influences , backdropped by his experiences growing up in Compton. He also recently featured on British DJ SG Lewis’ track ‘Impact’ alongside Swedish pop icon, Robyn. It’s almost certain that Channel Tres will be making waves in the industry for years to come.
Chloe x Halle
Beyoncé protégées Chloe and Halle Bailey first made waves when their cover of Bey’s ‘Pretty Hurts’ went viral in 2013. After being signed by Bey, they released their debut album The Kids Are Alright in 2018. Their critically acclaimed sophomore album Ungodly Hour was released in 2020 to rave reviews, and was the perfect companion album to distract from that entire… year. However, any fan of Chloe x Halle would be missing out if they didn’t check out their immaculate performances, particularly the numerous and creative ways they have utilised their tennis court for virtual live shows. Chloe x Halle are still very much at the beginning of their career and if they’ve creatively evolved this much already, then the future is very exciting for them, and their fans.
Flo Milli
Flo Milli is a superstar in waiting. Having already achieved great success from her debut mixtape Ho, why is you here ? online buzz around the rapper is growing day by day. After her track, ’In the Party’ went viral on TikTok and Twitter her music and name began to spread like wildfire. Flo Milli’s lyrics are all about owning your confidence and being unashamedly carefree. With a career that’s still very much in it’s early stages, it’s exciting to see where Flo Milli will go from here.
FKA twigs
FKA twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, is the most forward-thinking artist of the 21st Century. Blending her hypnotic, spellbinding music with captivating visuals, transcendent performances and next level fashion, twigs has created an audiovisual universe that is entirely unique to her. Her sophomore album MAGDALENE details the all encompassing heartbreak that comes with the end of a relationship and how this affected twigs, not only emotionally, but also physically. It is one of the best albums of the 2010s for its broad and astonishing soundscape. Described as without ‘genre and classification’ the album delves into everything from electro-ballads, to trap, to trip-hop, to avant-garde. It’s absolutely certain that FKA twigs will be influencing creatives from all areas of the arts for decades to come.
KAYTRANADA
The 2x Grammy winning Haitian-Canadian DJ and Producer has worked with everyone from Kali Uchis to Mobb Deep, as well producing remixes for some of the biggest names in music including Drake, Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Janet Jackson. Taking sonic cues from 90s house and ballroom, hip-hop and afrobeat, KAYTRANADA mixes these sounds with lyrics that discuss his sexuality, mental health and fame. In a year when artists such as Lil Nas X are being openly celebrated, KAYTRANADA holds an important place in bringing even more attention to gay black men in the music industry. Even after how much black gay men have given to music, and influenced and predicted trends over the decades, it’s about time that artists like KAYTRANADA be paid their dues.
Kelela
Vulnerable and sensual, intense and invigorating, the dreamy, hypnotising soundscape of Kelela’s music is one of a kind. Melding together everything from UK garage to industrial pop beats, Kelela is 1000 steps ahead of everyone else. Her 2017 debut, Take Me Apart, and its companion remix album, TAKE ME A_PART, THE REMIXES, are must listens for some of the most enticing production, vocals and melodies of the century. A quick exposure to one of her songs and soon you’ll be melting into Kelela’s exquisite discography. Though Kelela hasn’t released a studio album since 2017 (!!!) we’re all eagerly waiting for her return.
Namasenda
Namasenda is the internet’s best kept secret. Sonically bouncy, electronic and über pop, her music makes you feel like you’re attending a rave on the surface of Venus in the year 3021. Although most music fans would likely categorise her music as “hyper-pop” you can definitely hear the heavy inspiration from the mid-00’s R&B sound popularised by artists such as Cassie and Ciara, particularly on her track ‘Dare (AM)’. Her debut EP Hot_Babe_93 is a short but sweet, thrilling and high energy whirlwind of bubblegum pop infused with mid-90s trance, full to the brim with personality and effervescence.
Shygirl
Simultaneously experimental and unashamedly pop, Shygirl deserves to be the next big thing in music. Whether it’s the way her flow glides smoothly across 90s house Ibiza beats or the tantalising experimental hip-hop beats infused into many of her songs, Shygirl is an artist that’s not afraid to show all sides of her creativity. Having famous fans in artists such as Rihanna and Charli XCX, her track ‘SLIME’, produced by the late and great SOPHIE, featured on the Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack, alongside being the face of a recent Burberry campaign, it’s clear that Shygirl is on her way to change the music industry forever.
Tinashe
A powerhouse vocalist? Check. Show-stopping choreography? Check. Incredible lyricist? Check. Producer? Check. Tinashe is a triple… quadru-… septuple threat? You get the point. Tinashe is the biggest star in the world, the world just hasn’t caught up yet. Since 2014, Tinashe has released four albums, one mixtape, a Christmas EP and a multitude of collaborations ranging from ZHU to Britney Spears. Tinashe isn’t afraid to experiment with her sound, you can find everything from dance to trap to acoustic guitar ballads on her most recent album, Songs for You, alone. However, Tinashe’s genius lies in how she’s able to create a cohesive, seamless and enjoyable listening experience with so many sounds on one album. Tinashe’s talent has already been recognised by the likes of Ariana Grande and has also been features in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty campaigns. With her upcoming album 333 due to be released this year it’s only a matter of time before the world wakes up and realises what they’ve been missing out on.
Victoria Monét
You know that Ariana Grande song you hear everywhere? ‘thank u, next’? ‘34+35’? ‘7 rings’? Yup, Victoria Monét wrote them all, alongside some of Grande’s greatest songs, including ‘goodnight n go’, ‘Knew Better / Forever Boy’, ‘my hair’, and ‘ghostin’. However, Victoria is also an incredible singer and performer herself. Her recent releases Life After Love, Pt. 2 and JAGUAR showcase Victoria’s incredible versatility, jumping from dancehall to disco to new jack swing. Not only that, but Victoria is also an incredible performer of her. own. Considering everything Victoria has already achieved as an independent artist her career is in for an incredible future.
Yung Baby Tate
For anyone who grew up in the early 00’s Yung Baby Tate’s music will inevitably evoke a strong wave of nostalgia, especially for those of us who grew up listening to Nelly & Kelly, Ashanti, Blu Kantrell and TLC. Her debut album After the Rain is a must listen, not just for 2021, but for music lovers in general, with back to back hits and relentless melodies. If you’re a fan of acts like Rihanna, Doja Cat, Ariana Grande and SZA, you’re bound to find Yung Baby Tate’s music alluring and the perfect companion for any party.
