The music industry is one of the most cutthroat, creating an atmosphere of sheer competition. Not everyone can be a Beyoncé or a Nicki Minaj, after all. But there are smaller artists out there creating music all their own. They're lesser known, but their music is just as powerful. Here's a few worth noting.
1. Bebe Rexha
Most known for her work David Guetta's "Hey Mama" and G-Eazy's "Me, Myself & I," Bebe has been a songwriter in the industry for a while. She's now breaking out with her own hit singles such as "No Broken Hearts" and "In the Name of Love," in which she collaborated with Nicki Minaj and Martin Garrix, respectively. Her debut album A.Y.F. is expected to be released soon, but until then she has an EP entitled I Don't Wanna Grow Up that you can sink your teeth into.
2. NAO
NAO combines electropop and soul music to craft her own unique style. Based out of England, the 28 year old singer-songwriter just dropped her debut album entitled For All We Know this summer. NAO herself describes her music as "wonky funk."
3. Phoebe Ryan
Phoebe Ryan began as a songwriter where she found a fair amount of success writing for singers such as Britney Spears and Melanie Martinez. It was then that she started singing where she again found success. Her debut EP Mine is a smash hit with works such as the titular track and a cover of R. Kelly's "Ignition (Remix)." She's reportedly working on her first album, but details are being kept under wraps.
4. Estelle
Estelle is by far best known for her 2008 collaboration with Kanye West, "American Boy." The song achieved massive success, ranking highly in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 list. One year later, she worked with David Guetta to create the electronic hit "One Love." Since then, she's released more music and become the voice of Garnet on Cartoon Network's Steven Universe.
5. The Veronicas
The Veronicas became commonplace in the United States in 2007 when their hit single "Untouched" was released. It became an instant bop, but after that the Australian duo slid out of the limelight in the U.S. In the meantime, the sisters worked on their third studio album that was released seven years later in 2014. On it, they proclaim, "Did you miss me? I'm a Veronica!" The twins continue to work on new music, having released a new single entitled "In My Blood" this year.
6. Zella Day
Zella Day is an indie pop singer-songwriter from Arizona. She's received most of her critical acclaim from her album Kicker, although she did have another album and two EPs prior. The success of this album has allowed her to become a performer at events such as Coachella and on the television show Conan.
7. The Pierces
Another duo, this one has been in the industry for a lot longer than The Veronicas. The Pierces's first album was released in 2000, but their stardom would later arise when their single "Secret" became the theme song for Freeform's Pretty Little Liars. The Pierces now have five albums and three EPs under their belt.
8. Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor like The Pierces before her skyrocketed her career when her song "You've Got Time" became the theme song for Netflix's Orange is the New Black. Spektor's discography currently holds six powerful albums, with a seventh being released on September 30, 2016.
9. Tinashe
Tinashe entered the music scene in 2014 when her hit debut album Aquarius was released in the United States. Multiple singles sprung from the album, amounting to a successful first run in the industry. Included in these was "2 On," which reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. The former Two and a Half Men actress is now working on her second album entitled Joyride. In late 2015 she released the first single "Player," while her single "Superlove" would later become the lead single for the album after its release in July 2016. A release date for the album is still shrouded in mystery, but it shouldn't be long before Tinashe graces our radio stations again.
10. Jess Glynne
Jess Glynne's breakout came with her collaboration with Clean Bandit. The two parties worked together to craft the hit "Rather Be," which gained worldwide success. She also collaborated with Tinie Tempah to create the single "Not Letting Go" while working on her own single "Right Here." Fall of 2015 brought the release of her debut album I Cry When I Laugh, which spawned six singles of its own. The album also led to three separate tours.
11. Ingrid Michaelson
Ingrid's another veteran in the music industry, having released her first album in 2005. Since then, she has released six more albums, accumulating to make one heck of a resumé! One of her biggest songs came with her album Lights Out and was entitled "Girls Chase Boys." Her seventh album was released in August of this year, and to commemorate this she's going on the Hell No Tour. The tour kicks off October 6 in Cincinnati, OH.
