There’s arguably never been a better time for artists on the ascent. With micro-fandoms finding kinship on the internet, songs blowing up on TikTok before going mainstream, and all-out fervor for live experiences in a post-lockdown world, a host of exciting new names are capturing the zeitgeist.
Each of the 25 rising artists featured here has their own leveling-up story. Some have spent the past year touring with huge names, winning over new fans city by city. Some are set to release highly-anticipated debut albums that deliver on the promise of their early singles. And others are finally breaking through after years of steady grind.
It’s a sonically eclectic group, spanning gritty rap to aching indie-pop to throwback soul, with artists hailing from the U.S., UK, Australia, Mexico and South Korea. If there’s a common thread these rising stars share, it’s a sure sense of their purpose and a hopeful eye to the future. Whatever your musical preference, you’ll find a new favorite to cheer on in 2024.
Writers Taila Lee, D. Mariah, Lucas Villa and Lior Phillips contributed to this list.
RIIZE
What To Watch For: A new single (Jan. 5)
SM Entertainment’s newest boy group has a simple mission: rise and realize together. That’s why their name, RIIZE, is a portmanteau of the phrase.
Already, the septet has solidified themselves as one of K-pop’s fifth-generation leaders. Their mini-album, Get a Guitar, sold over 1 million copies in less than a week and quickly landed them at the top of Korea’s music charts. And 2024 is on course to be an even bigger year for them. RIIZE will kick off the year at the Seoul Music Awards, where they received nominations for Rookie Of The Year, Popularity Award and more. Three days later, they’ll share their third release. — D. Mariah
Nailah Hunter
What To Watch For: Lovegaze (Jan. 12)
Nailah Hunter’s music is the soundtrack of a dream.
Inspired by everything from her dad’s church band to Hayao Miyazaki films, Hunter creates a divine ambience by blending a diverse array of sounds. Intricate folk, alternative indie and new age all factor into the L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist and composer's music, but one instrument has truly shifted her sonic trajectory: a baby harp received on her 19th birthday.
Now a harpist, the musician employs this beloved instrument to craft an exquisite, atmospheric sound that’s like a gateway to another world. Her 2021 harp-driven reimagination of Radiohead’s "Talk Show Host" boosted her following, but she’s released music since 2019.
Hunter’s debut album Lovegaze drops on Jan. 12, and if anything like her latest releases, fans can expect a quietly glamorous, and perhaps mystifying, sonic dreamscape. — Taila Lee
TSHA
What To Watch For: U.S. tour (Jan. 12)
With a deep love of house, R&B, hip-hop and pop running through her veins, TSHA's sound is all her own. The British DJ and producer born Teisha Matthews first cemented herself as one-to-watch with 2020's accomplished Flowers EP on pioneering electronic label Ninja Tune. Two years later, her debut album, Capricorn Sun, deftly showcased the full breadth of her skills, from the achingly emotive house of "Sister" to the driving breakbeats of "Dancing In The Shadows."
In 2023, TSHA leveled up again with a standalone single, "Somebody," featuring the vocal heft of [Gregory Porter](https://www.grammy.com/artists/gregory-porter/5803) and [Ellie Goulding](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ellie-goulding/19043) (who slid into TSHA's DMs). "Somebody" showcases the producer's potential outside club music — a point she's driven home by debuting a full band live show. To start 2024 right, she's spending January on tour around the U.S., including a special edition of her Jackfruit club night in New York. Expect sets with plenty of bump, groove and deep feeling. — Jack Tregoning
Brittney Spencer
What To Watch For: My Stupid Life (Jan. 19), dates supporting Grace Potter and multiple festival appearances
Though her debut album is titled My Stupid Life, Brittney Spencer’s music is anything but thoughtless.
Rather, the album's title speaks to Spencer distancing herself from the need to feel perfect, and it’s this vulnerability that makes the Baltimore-raised singer/songwriter so relatable. Touching souls with her country EP Compassion and singles like "Sober & Skinny," Spencer has been steadily making a name for herself ever since her cover of the Highwomen’s "Crowded Table" went viral.
She’s toured as a backing vocalist for Carrie Underwood and performed at the CMA Awards, but Spencer’s biggest year just might be 2024. Not only will she be spending the first few months opening for Grace Potter’s Mother Road Tour, but she’ll also be hitting a few major festivals, including the sold-out 2024 Stagecoach Festival in April and Kentucky’s Railbird Festival in June. — TL
October London
What To Watch For: The Birth Of Marvin Tour (Jan. 25)
With such a charming stage name, it’s almost too on-the-nose that October London makes delightfully bewitching R&B perfect for an autumn afternoon. Hailing from Indiana, the singer/songwriter has an enthralling old-soul, silky smooth delivery that nets comparisons to the legendary vocals of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke.
London first made waves back in 2016 when he scored a feature on Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid. Since, he’s released a handful of EPs and albums — including 2023's The Rebirth Of Marvin and Technicolor EP — that have collectively garnered millions of streams.
In 2023, he hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart and performed at the 2023 Soul Train Awards — and that’s all before his North American tour launches in Seattle in January 2024. — TL
Sammy Virji
What To Watch For: North American tour (Jan. 26)
One of the first things that new fans notice about Sammy Virji is his boundless, ever-smiling energy. The Oxford-born DJ and producer is part of a new generation championing UK garage (UKG), a distinctly British genre experiencing a resurgence two decades on from its heyday. Virji's DJ sets — which blend UKG classics alongside bass-driven house and his own grin-inducing edits — have landed him on lineups alongside scene veterans like DJ EZ and DJ Q and new school revivalists Conducta and salute.
Virji also excelled as a producer in 2023, dropping the raucous "Shella Verse" with grime MC Flowdan, the pumping house single "If U Need It," and "Hot In Here" alongside bassline master Champion. Meanwhile, his whirlwind set from DJ Mag HQ in August has hit a million views on YouTube, as fans clamor for his unreleased edits and remixes.
From late January, Virji heads out on his debut North American tour, with a string of shows already sold out. For stateside fans, it's a rare chance to catch one of Britain's best in sweaty, jump-up club mode. — JT
VCHA
What To Watch For: New single "Girls of the Year" (Jan. 26)
In July 2022, JYP Entertainment founder J.Y. Park and Republic Records CEO Monte Lipman made history by announcing the development of the first American girl group trained under a K-pop system. The duo spent the next year recording "America2Korea," a nationwide talent search and survival competition series that would later birth VCHA.
Between months of training in Seoul and Los Angeles, the show’s six winners — Camila, Lexi, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee — previewed what’s to come with a teaser EP, SeVit (New Light), featuring the three original tracks they performed on the finale of "A2K." On Jan. 26, the dream will become even more of reality with their official debut single. — D. Mariah
Dylan Marlowe
What To Watch For: Headlining tour (Feb. 1)
Dylan Marlowe is preparing for a busy 2024.
Based in Nashville, the Georgia-born country singer was always surrounded by music, either listening to his drummer father’s Christian metal-rock band or following his mom’s passion for traditional country. Around his senior year of high school, Marlowe picked up a guitar, and it’s been history ever since.
From cheering to friendship in "Boys Back Home" to remembering a heart wrenching goodbye in "Record High," it’s clear Marlowe knows how to pen a hit. He’s already scored his first No. 1 on the country radio charts, through his songwriter credit on Jon Pardi’s single "Last Night Lonely."
The 26-year-old is already headlining his own tour early next year, along with opening dates for country rocker Brantley Gilbert. And with all these upcoming tour dates, it’s no wonder he was just named a promising new artist in Country Music Television’s Listen Up campaign. — TL
The Last Dinner Party
What To Watch For: Prelude to Ecstasy (Feb. 2)
There's an out-of-time quality to The Last Dinner Party, and it's not just their envy-inducing ruffled wardrobe. At times they sound like Kate Bush fronting Sparks — which is to say premium drama and lush, even baroque indie rock brilliance.
The quintet of Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland, Abigail Morris, Aurora Nishevci, and Emily Roberts sprung from seeming total obscurity into one of the buzziest acts from the UK. While many artists with this kind of attention had seeded mixtapes and singles in social media and streaming, word started to spread internationally on The Last Dinner Party when they had released only one officially recorded song.
Of course it helped that the track in question was the immaculately dramatic "Nothing Matters." They're now up to four singles, not to mention high-profile spots at festivals like Glastonbury, TV performances, and even opening slots for Florence + the Machine and the Rolling Stones. By the time their debut record, Prelude to Ecstasy, hits in February, The Last Dinner Party will be more than ready to take the leap to superstardom — if they haven't already reached it before then. — Lior Phillips
Destin Conrad
What To Watch For: Submissive tour (Feb. 4)
Destin Conrad has come a long way since his days on Vine. Little did he know that amongst his million followers was Kehlani, who would later invite him to the songwriting camp for her 2020 record, It Was Good Until It Wasn't: "That experience pushed me because I never did that. I felt the pressure to prove myself," he said in his biography.
Three years later, the fine-tuning of skills has led to his most mature project, SUBMISSIVE, which he released in October. "So much has changed in my life that has forced me to submit," he explained. "I didn't realize at the time that it gave me the power to be dominant, to be an adult, to grow."
Next year, Conrad will spend February to April promoting the album on the 36-stop Submissive Tour through the United States. — DM
Royel Otis
What To Watch For: Pratts & Pains (Feb. 9)
After a few years of honing their honey-and-silk guitar pop, the duo of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic broke through in their native Australia with the punnily titled Sofa Kings EP in 2023.
The Sydney group specialize in a blend of propulsive rhythms and laid-back cool, and early indications suggest their upcoming LP Pratts & Pains could cement their case for slacker rock royalty. Freshly released single "Heading for the Door" builds to just the right level of guitar crunch to keep the falsetto flow from getting too sweet.
Fans of Broken Bells' shimmer and Metronomy's synthy clarity will find plenty to latch onto, but the college rock twist adds a fresh layer of intrigue. And while the February release date sets Royel Otis' debut album up as the perfect summertime sway for Aussie heat, Maddell and Pavlovic's nostalgia-triggering indie rock has the sort of magic to savor through the cold winter months in the Northern hemisphere, too. — LP
Bratty
What To Watch For: Tres Tour (Feb. 12)
Bratty, the brainchild of Mexican singer/songwriter Jennifer Abigail Juárez Vázquez, is refreshing Latin pop by infusing it with an alternative and angst-driven edge. The project gets its name from Best Coast indie rock duo’s song "Bratty."
In April, Bratty made a mark as one of the few Latin acts to perform at Coachella. November saw the release of her third and breakthrough album Tres, which skillfully blends sunny surf rock with dark tones of grunge, while translating these style into Spanish on songs like "Radio" and "Ya No Es Lo Mismo." Come February, Bratty will embark on her inaugural U.S. headlining tour, the Tres Tour. — Lucas Villa
Chappell Roan
What To Watch For: Tour dates supporting Olivia Rodrigo (Feb. 23)
As her debut album suggests, Chappell Roan has experienced the rise and fall of a Midwest princess.
Before she was 20, the Missouri native signed a coveted deal with Atlantic Records. After three years of making music she didn’t love, they dropped her. Then, she ended her relationship with her longtime boyfriend and moved back home with her parents.
But that slump wasn’t the end of Roan’s story. She returned to Los Angeles in a last-ditch effort, created her first LP and began performing under a drag persona to much success. "I always dreamed of being able to feel this feeling, and I just happened to be able to sing it and it came out in music," Roan told Variety.
Midwest Princess is only the first step into this new era of liberation — in February, she’ll perform on the highly anticipated, sold-out Guts World Tour in support of Olivia Rodrigo, who she met through their mutual collaborator, Dan Nigro. — DM
Flyana Boss
What To Watch For: The Bosstanical Garden Tour (Feb. 24)
Flyana Boss knows how to run it up — after all, the hip-hop duo’s most viral TikTok is of them running and rapping.
Spotlighting their catchy rap hit "You Wish," the video racked up millions of views and consequently translated into millions of streams. Given the pair’s hard-hitting flow and unshakeable confidence, it’s no surprise Flyana Boss’ career has skyrocketed this year.
Folayan and Bobbi LaNea first met at Los Angeles’ Musicians Institute, but they didn’t become Flyana Boss (which, yes, rhymes with Diana Ross) until they reunited a while later. The rap duo dropped three EPs this year — Boffum, Vitamin FB and Make It A Double — signaling more of the exuberance and excellence to come.
With creativity and a sick beat or two, the lovable hip hop duo is taking the world by storm. Since going viral, the pair have collaborated with Missy Elliott, opened for Janelle Monáe on tour, and even have their own headlining 2024 tour. Trying to get on Flyana Boss’ level? You wish. — TL
Natalie Jane
What To Watch For: An international tour (Feb. 26)
With more than 9 million followers on TikTok, you have probably seen at least one of Natalie Jane’s buzzing videos. Maybe it was the one where she belted Gnarls Barkley’s "Crazy" in a parking garage, that time she harmonized "Part of Your World" on a kitchen countertop, or one of the many other snippets that made her one of the app’s most viewed artists of 2023.
Now, she’s ready to carve a path of her own beyond the phone screen.
Jane premiered her EP, Where Am I?, on Nov. 17. The EP leads with alt-pop break up anthems "Seven" and "AVA" — two songs that are a trademark of her signature sound of powerhouse vocals, acrobatic riffs and blunt lyrics ("Who the f— is Ava?" she sneers in the latter). Next February, she will embark on her first headlining international tour, beginning in Santa Ana, California, and concluding May 16 in Dublin, Ireland. — DM
Yard Act
What To Watch For: Where's My Utopia? (March 1)
From Idles to Fontaines DC, the latest wave of British post-punk has made for some fascinating thrills. But where so many others (both in this current spate of bands and throughout the genre's history) either shout or offer a stoic cool, Yard Act put on their glasses and dance.
For their 2022 debut, the quartet of James Smith, Ryan Needham, Sam Shipstone, Jay Russell found a way to puree bits of Sleaford Mods, the Fall, and Devo into a danceable fusion of rapid speak-singing, smirky social commentary, and nerdy rhythmic twitching. After earning raves in the UK and even a collaboration with Sir Elton John, they're set to release Where's My Utopia? Early singles like the groovy "Dream Job" show their satirical teeth. Co-producer and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr. daubs the gloss in a clever push-and-pull with Smith's rakish vocals, the result a neon black wonderland that will keep your feet and brain moving. — LP
Games We Play
What To Watch For: Life’s Going Great (release date TBD) & Northern American tour (March 15)
Games We Play embodies the charm of ‘00s pop-punk: raw lyricism, candid production and, most importantly, a disposition to live carefree. It’s these exact characteristics that herald the band as one of Head of Fueled by Ramen Johnny Minardi’s future faces of the genre, as he recently revealed in a roundtable discussion with GRAMMY.com.
Their upcoming album might be their most vulnerable yet. Ironically titled Life’s Going Great, frontman Emmyn Calleiro narrates his insecurities about his body and upbringing ("Pretty Boy") and becoming a divorcé at 23 ("too young"). The project is slated to release in early 2024. In the meantime, secure your tickets for their North American tour, commencing this March. — DM
Logic1000
What To Watch For: Mother (March 22)
Over the past five years, Logic1000 has emerged as one of dance music's most distinctive talents, with a sound that's rooted in classic house and inflected by UK bass and pop. Born in Sydney, Australia, and now based in Berlin, the producer and DJ born Samantha Poulter has released a string of standout EPs, including her 2018 breakout LOGIC1000 (featuring the R&B-sampling banger "DJ Logic Please Forgive Me") and 2021's You've Got the Whole Night to Go on her own Therapy label, which deepened and refined her sound with a strong thread of '90s nostalgia.
In March, Poulter is set to release her debut album as Logic1000, *Mother*, which channels the rush of "love and inspiration" she felt as a new mother. Poulter describes the album — which she produced alongside her husband and longtime collaborator Thom McAlister (a.k.a. Big Ever) — as "a love letter to house music." That description fits the warm, enveloping atmosphere of singles "Grown On Me" and "Self To Blame," which both evoke the sun rising after a long night dancing. With the release of her most personal and complete statement yet, 2024 is the year of Logic1000. — JT
Emilia
What To Watch For: .MP3 Tour (April)
Emilia is putting Latin pop from Argentina on the map. The Nogoyá native debuted her first album Tú Crees En Mí? last year in which she explored reggaeton influences. In November, Emilia eschewed that sound for Y2K-inspired pop with her latest release, .MP3 LP. One house-infused banger, "GTA.mp3," channels Kylie Minogue's hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head."
Emilia also ventured into new territory, blending Brazilian funk with EDM in "No_Se_Ve.mp3" alongside Ludmilla. In April, she will embark on the .MP3 Tour in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Last year, made history by selling out 10 concerts at Bueno Aires' Movistar Arena in under 10 hours. — LV
Teezo Touchdown
What To Watch For: Spend The Night Tour (April)
There's no one in the hip-hop world quite like Teezo Touchdown. Aaron Lashane Thomas not only refuses to fit into any traditional genre or style lines, his penchant for weaving nails into his hair and painting black Ts on his face show his approach before he even opens his mouth.
That said, listeners have already become familiar with his unique flair — whether on tour with Tyler, the Creator, Vince Staples, and Kali Uchis, or in features with Drake and Travis Scott. The 31-year-old Texan's ability to leapfrog between styles and vibes reflects the wide musical spectrum of his youth, which included Marvin Gaye, Judas Priest, and Kraftwerk. The late-2023 release of his debut album How Do You Sleep At Night? highlighted that perfectly, Teezo nimbly bounding from rapping over thunderous Weezer guitars to delivering soulful Autotuned lines with Janelle Monáe.
Now raking in millions of Spotify listens and set to take off on his own headlining tour, Teezo is more than ready to move into the spotlight, a fascinating character and artist. "I know that I'ma make it, baby, no if, ands, or buts/ I know that I'm a superstar but no one's looking up," he drops on album highlight "Familiarity." By the time 2024 rolls in, people won't be able to stop looking. — LP
ScarLip
What To Watch For: Scars & Stripes (Release date TBD)
An endorsement from Cardi B would mean a lot to any rapper, but for ScarLip (a.k.a. Sierra Lucas) that cosign resonated at another level. Both women share Bronx roots ("Don't come to Bronx with that s— 'cause we ain't f—in' with that s—," Scar spits on her smash single "This Is New York"), but their unflagging intensity and unique approaches to rap are perhaps deeper commonalities. And Cardi's not the only one taking notice; in addition to millions of streams, Snoop Dogg jumped onto a remix of "This Is New York" called "This Is Cali" and legendary producer Swizz Beats is set to produce Scar's debut EP.
ScarLip at times reaches into a DMX bark, capturing the grimier corners of New York rap. Her ability to burn the drill beats with a growly snarl and then float above the rhythm feels like the embodiment of New York tough — and gets the blood pumping. — LP
La Cruz
What To Watch For: A new album (Release TBD)
La Cruz is breaking ground in reggaeton as the genre’s first openly gay artist singing to other men in his lyrics. The Venezuelan singer is charting a similar path as other LGBTQIA+ artists like Young Miko and Villano Antillano that have become some of reggaeton's biggest stars.
In November last year, La Cruz released his debut album Hawaira, which brought themes of gay love and lust into the reggaeton arena. During Pride Month, he went viral on social media with the sexy reggaeton romp "Quítate La Ropa," which caught the attention of Colombian superstar Karol G. Ahead of his next album in 2024, La Cruz turned up the heat with his freaky follow-up single "Easy Boy." — LV
Gabito Ballesteros
What To Watch For: A new album (Release TBD)
Gabito Ballesteros is rapidly emerging as a bright new talent in the música Mexicana scene. This past year, the Mexican singer became a sought-after collaborator and co-writer, working with artists like Peso Pluma, Becky G, Piso 21, and Conexión Divina. His notable collaboration with Peso Pluma and corridos tumbados trailblazer Natanael Cano on "AMG" reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
After signing with Cano's record label, Ballesteros and his fellow artists from Los CT joined Interscope Records in October. As he prepares for his first album release with Interscope in 2024, Ballesteros released his fiery cover of the classic "A Puro Dolor" by Son By Four. — LV
Latin Mafia
What To Watch For: Debut album (Release TBD) and multiple festival performances in Latin America
Latin Mafia, a versatile Mexican pop group, defies genre boundaries. The group includes producer Mike de la Rosa and his twin brothers Milton and Emilio. Their music, which blends R&B, reggaeton, trap, and house, is infused with heart and soul.
In the emotional "No Digas Nada," Milton and Emilio confront machismo and toxic masculinity prevalent in Latinx culture, opening up about their struggles with anxiety and mental health. Latin Mafia gets the party started with the explosive reggaeton banger "Julietota," which ends on a contemplative R&B note. Next year, the group will hit the festival circuit with performances at Lollapalooza Argentina, Lollapalooza Chile, Colombia's Estéreo Picnic, and Mexico's Tecate Pa'l Norte. Latin Mafia's debut album will follow in 2024. — LV
Xavi
What To Watch For: An album of original material (unconfirmed)
Xavi is on track to becoming música Mexicana's biggest breakthrough star in 2024. The Mexican American singer released his breakthrough single "La Víctima" through Interscope Records in August. Since then, the haunting breakup anthem has gone viral on TikTok with over 53,000 video creations.
At 19-years-old, Xavi sings with a soulfulness that's beyond his age. In December, he scored his first Top 10 hit on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart with "La Víctima." As the sole wordsmith behind the song, Xavi also sits at No. 1 on the Latin Songwriters chart. Xavi is continuing to tease his hotly-anticipated debut project with his latest single, the fiery "La Diabla." — LV
30 Must-Hear Albums Coming Out In 2024: Green Day, Usher, Tyla & More