1. Dua Lipa
21-year-old Dua Lipa is an up-and-coming pop singer from London, England. Although she has yet to release her debut album, you may have already heard from her as she is featured on Martin Garrix’s single “Scared To Be Lonely”, which is currently charting at #10 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic chart. To me, what makes Dua Lipa special is the fact that she is unlike many pop music acts out right now. Her voice is strong, each song differs in sound from the next, and her lyrics are powerful. If you haven’t yet, I definitely recommend you give her a listen. Her debut self-titled album is set to be released on June 2nd, 2017.
Recommended listen: “Be The One” or “Room For 2”
2. Lights
Lights is someone I personally have been listening to for many years. I first discovered her while browsing YouTube as a child, and I was instantly hooked and have been listening to her ever since. Born Valerie Anne Poxleitner, Lights is a Canadian synth-pop singer and songwriter. Her voice is very unique, her lyrics are deep, and no matter what you’re going through or what kind of mood you’re in, she’s guaranteed to have a song you can relate to. Her songs can differ between love songs, sentimental songs about growing up, or even fun songs written about boots. Give her music a listen, you definitely won’t regret it.
Recommended listen: “Everybody Breaks A Glass” or “Drive My Soul”
Kali Uchis
Born Karly Loaiza, Kali Uchis is a Columbian-American singer-songwriter, record producer, and music video director from Virginia. Her musical style can be described as old school R&B-esque with pop influences. Her songs are dreamy, empowering, and incomparable to anything that’s out right now. What I love most about Kali Uchis is her use of both English and Spanish in her music, and how proud she is of her heritage. She is a strong Columbian woman, and her music definitely reflects that.
Recommended listen: “Only Girl” feat. Steve Lacy and Vince Staples, or “Lottery”
Kehlani
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of Kehlani, but if you haven’t, here’s background on her. Born Kehlani Ashley Parrish, she is an R&B singer from Oakland, California. Kehlani has well-established herself as a force to be reckoned with in R&B with her brilliant debut album SweetSexySavage debuting at #3 on the Billboard 200. Her lyrics range from uplifting and confident, to emotional and heartfelt, but one thing that is always consistent with Kehlani is her ability to always keep things real. Be on the lookout for Kehlani, as she’s only just getting started.
Recommended listen: “Undercover” or “Advice"
Khalid
Khalid is a 19-year-old R&B singer from El Paso, TX. He first started gaining popularity when his single “Location” was featured on Kylie Jenner’s Snapchat, and he’s only been going up from there. His debut album American Teen was released on March 3rd, 2017, and his lead single “Location” is currently peaking at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. American Teen contains songs that I feel like everyone, no matter what, can relate to, but more specifically teens in this day in age. He perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be a modern teen in the most relatable way. If you are looking to get hooked on a new album, then American Teen is definitely your way to go.
Recommended listen: “Another Sad Love Song” and “8TEEN”
