Tyla
South African singer/songwriter Tyla burst onto the global scene last year when her sixth single ‘Water’, an amapiano-influenced track that won her the inaugural Grammy for Best African Music Performance, went viral. (The song even sparked a TikTok dance challenge.) Her debut album was released at the end of March. ‘I cannot wait for the world to see what an African popstar looks like!’ she says – we’re all watching.
Ayra Starr
Listen to Starr’s honey-smooth banger ‘Rush’ and you’ll see why Stormzy and Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne have been queuing up to work with her. At just 21, the Afrobeats sensation was nominated for the Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammys. She didn’t take home the prize, but with more than 23 million streams on her self-titled debut EP – and as the youngest African female artist to surpass 100 million views on YouTube – she’s certainly not short of supporters.
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Towa Bird
After uploading guitar covers of Arctic Monkeys and Childish Gambino songs during the pandemic, the 23-year-oldguitar hero blew up on TikTok. Now, she has fans in Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo– and a debut album in the pipeline. Her father may have introduced her to Jimmy Page and The Who, but Dad-rock this is not. With her offbeat queer love songs, the British-Filipino artist is reimagining the genre for a new generation of listeners– ones who like their music decidedly less pale, male and stale.
The Last Dinner Party
With both BBC Sound of 2024 and Brits Rising Star awards firmly in hand, the London-based five-piece indie-rock band are having a stellar year. The group, who have been friends since university, were selling out venues before their debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy, was even released, and have fans in everyone from Florence Welch to Kathy Burke. Believe the hype: the sound is euphoric, the look is maximalist, and they’re here to stay.
METTE
Since performing at the Fashion Awards last December, Mette has been at the top of every designer and editor’s playlists. The dancer, actress and singer makes music that is almost impossible not to move your body to; if you think you’ve seen her before, it’s because she was part of Pharrell’s dance troupe in Nerd and Rihanna’s music video for ‘Lemon’, and appeared alongside Jennifer Lopez in 2019’s Hustlers. When her gospel, R&B and dance EP Mettenarrative came out in 2023, accompanied by one of the year’s best music videos for the track ‘Mama’s Eyes’, directed by Camille Summers-Valli, it became a cult classic.
Olivia Dean
With commanding vocals and self-love singles that could empower the whole of Gen Z, Olivia Dean is the romantic pop act we’ve all been waiting for. After attending the Brit School (whose alumni include Adele, Amy Winehouse and FKA Twigs),she dropped her first EP, OK Love You Bye, in 2019 (it has since amassed more than 17 million streams on Spotify), followed by 2021 releases If You Know What I Mean and ‘Growth.’ Her debut album Messycame out in 2023. A fashion favourite, she has been spotted sitting front row at Chanel and Gucci.
Say Lou Lou
Pop duo Say Lou Lou first came onto the scene back in 2012 with their first EP Kitsuné: Maybe You, but the sister-act are back and better than ever with their latest EP Dust Pt. 1 which is set to come out April 12. A fusion of electro, pop and indie sounds alongside their velvety voices makes for the perfect summer soundtrack.
Karol G
The Colombian reggaeton queen has collaborated with everyone from Nicki Minaj to Bad Bunny, featured on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie soundtrack, won a Grammy, five Latin Grammys and four Billboard Music Awards and covered Rolling Stone magazine. Having appeared on Columbian X-Factor, Karol G is one of Latin America’s biggest stars already, but her ambitions are global – last year she signed with Interscope (whose roster includes Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez), so expect to see a lot more of her trademark pink hair.
Victoria Monét
The three-time Grammy winner spent the first decade of her career writing songs for everyone from Blackpink to Ariana Grande (including her hits ‘7 Rings’ and ‘Thank U, Next’). Now, the Atlanta-born Monét’s debut album, Jaguar II, has captivated audiences with R&B classics that celebrate the power of womanhood. Watch out for her adorable matching red-carpet looks with her two-year-old daughter Hazel.
LATTO
She first found fame when she won Lifetime’s The Rap Game reality show in 2016, but notably turned down the prized record deal – a decision that hasn’t slowed Latto down one bit. Fresh from winning the Powerhouse prize at last year’s Billboard Music Awards, the American rapper has featured on Jennifer Lopez’s latest single, and has just landed her first Number 1 with ‘Seven’, a collaboration with BTS’ Jung Kook.
Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey’s 10th album Lasso, which she’s worked on with super-producer and long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff, will be released in September. ‘We’re going a little bit country,’ she said. ‘It’s happening.’ We can’t wait.
Dua Lipa
A three-time Grammy and six-time Brit Award-winner, who has created a collection with Versace and starred in Barbie and Argylle, Dua Lipa is a titan among pop powerhouses. 2024 is hers for the taking: her third album will drop later this year.
Little Simz
Her latest EP Drop 7 sees Little Simz at the top of her game, experimenting with Brazilian funk and techno. She won our hearts as Shelley in Netflix’s gritty drama Top Boy, and has never been better musically. The British rapper has range, too: during Paris Fashion Week, she walked the Miu Miu show.
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