As a self-proclaimed hipster when it comes to music, I’ve come to appreciate songs from a variety of places around the globe. I love discovering new bands, artists, and their sounds. So, here is a short list of some of my top songs from artists around the world!
Germany – Mark Forster
Mark Forster is a German singer with Polish roots who has released several successful albums. He started his career as a pianist, as well as writing TV jingles. My favourite of his songs is “Chöre” (German for “chorus”), but you should also check out “Wir sind groß” and “Sowieso”!
South Korea – BTS (방탄소년단)
This K-Pop band has been around since 2013 and has released a number of successful hits since that time. I personally started to become interested in the band because of their incredibly impressive talent when it comes to dance. Take a look at the music videos for their songs “Dope”, “Fire”, and “Not Today” to see what I mean! One of my favourite songs is probably “War of Hormone”, but this might change with the release of their newest album that dropped in September. Listen to hits like “DNA”, “Mic Drop” and “보조개” (Dimple/Illegal) if you want to hear more of them!
Belgium – Stromae
Stromae is definitely one of my favourite artists of all time. I’ve never found myself skipping any of his songs when they play. The Belgian singer/songwriter made his way to the music scene around 2009 with his hit “Alors on Danse”. Though his music mostly falls under the hip hop and electronic genres, he produces songs that are inspired from a wide range of styles. I would recommend giving a listen to his songs “Carmen”, “Ave Cesaria”, and “Dodo”.
Colombia – Maluma
This Colombian singer grew up wanting to become a soccer player, and merely sang for pleasure. He made his way to the music scene with the release of “Farandulera”, and since then has released many hit songs. You can really see how he has progressed as an artist when you listen to his more recent songs such as “Borrό Cassette”, “El Perdedor”, “Sin Contrato”, and his collaborative track “Chantaje” with Shakira.
France – Jain
Jain definitely has a special place in my heart. She has one of the most unique voices that I’ve had the pleasure of listening to in a while. She released her first album Zanaka in 2015, and her career has skyrocketed since then. Though she is French, she sings in English, which I find to be an interesting twist. Her music videos for “Come”, “Makeba”, and “Dynabeat” are all works of art. “Makeba” actually won Best Clip of the Year 2017 in France! You can see the production that went on behind the scenes to deliver a truly incredible video. Try giving a listen to “Mr Johnson”, “Hope”, and “Heads Up” if you have a chance!
England – Lucy Spraggan
I will admit I am a new fan of Lucy Spraggan, but as of yet I haven’t found a song that I don’t like. I originally discovered her acoustic version of “Tea & Toast” (which I would highly recommend listening to), but she made her debut on The X Factor UK with her song “Last Night” in 2012. I’d also recommend checking out her song “You’re Too Young”.
So there you have it! Congratulations, you are now one step closer to calling yourself a musical hipster! I hope you find something you like from the songs above!