Black musicians can and should be credited for the huge influence that they have had across many genres. The month of February is Black History Month, so in celebration here is a list of some Black artists to support and listen to:
Adia Victoria:
Born and raised in South Carolina, Adia Victoria’s music is under the genre of “gothic blues”. Her most recent album is called, A Southern Gothic. In Rolling Stone, she said “I wanted to make this young Black girl’s narrative just as emblematic of a Southern experience as Faulkner could write.”
Favorites: Mean-Hearted Woman, Carolina Bound, Magnolia Blues
Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks is supporting Harry Styles on the European leg of his “Love on Tour” tour. Her music is indie pop with sweet poetic lyrics.
Favorites: Porta 400
FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs’ music is probably on the more avant-garde side of this list. Her music is art-pop/electronic. Her album MAGDALENE is one of my personal favorites.
Favorites: Two Weeks, Mirrored Heart
Jensen mcRae
If you like artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, l have a good feeling you will like Jensen McRae. Her fanbase has been building on TikTok and listening to her now could be your chance to claim you knew her before she got big.
Favorites: Wolves
PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress is a bedroom pop queen. You probably know her song “Just for me”, which went viral on TikTok. Her songs are usually shorter and always leave you wanting more.
Favorites: Break it off
Solange
Solange is the sister of Beyoncé, so there is a good chance you have probably already heard of her. Spotify describes her music as “pop oriented contemporary r&b”.
Favorites: Binz, Cranes in the Sky
WILLOW
You probably are already very aware of Willow Smith and know her trending songs “Wait a Minute!” and “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l”, but it always surprises me how many people who know those never dive in to her full discography. Her style is very alternative and her recent album is worth the listen.
Favorites: Marceline, Naive