Five Musical Artists You Need to Know
With midterms coming up, I’m sure we are all listening to music more than usual to help us cope with suddenly having 3 projects due all at once plus a paper. Listening to music is a great way to stay entertained and engaged when doing schoolwork. Lucky for us, finding new music is easier than ever! Platforms like YouTube, Sound Cloud, Spotify, 8 Tracks and others allow anyone to discover their new favorite artist at any time. These platforms are also helpful for artists to grow their fan bases by having their work easily accessible. These five up and coming artists come from a variety of backgrounds and sounds, and are sure to make your study jam sessions more enjoyable.
Zella Day
Zella Day (yes, that is her real name!) is a 20-year-old songstress originally from the small town of Pinetop, Arizona. Pinetop is a small town with a big folk influence and this is reflected in her music. Her style of music could be described as Western folk pop. She’s known by her hits “Hypnotic” and “East of Eden”, but her slower tune “Jameson” showcases her amazing vulnerability in songwriting. You could also venture into the Zella archives for a track that didn’t make it on her debut album, “No Sleep to Dream.” Zella’s live shows are amazing and she makes a point to connect with each individual in the crowd.
For fans of: Lana del Rey or Haim
Halsey
Halsey is the industry’s new pop darling, but with a twist. She has a no nonsense take on pop music and her view as a woman in the music industry. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind on Twitter or post an amazing selfie on her Instagram that makes us question everything. Halsey got her start by posting the occasional acoustic cover on YouTube, and later posting her first self produced single “Ghost” on Sound Cloud. Soon after posting the single, she had record companies knocking at her door to sign her. She signed with Astralworks and as they say the rest was history. She is currently on tour and stopping in Seattle on November 12th. Her song “New Americana” has been popular on the radio but try listening to “Drive” or “Colors” for a diversion from her high-energy sound.
For fans of: Marina and the Diamonds and Lorde
Lianne La Havas
Lianne La Havas is a folk and soul singer from the United Kingdom. Her second album “Blood” was released earlier in the summer of this year. Her singles “What You Don’t Do” and “Unstoppable” have been doing well for themselves so far. Her second album picks up the tempo a little more and plays with sounds and her genre as a whole. She explains she got the inspiration for “Blood” while visiting family in Jamaica. Being immersed in her family’s roots and the music of the island. Her singles from “Blood” are clearly standout, but don’t ignore the tracks further down the LP, like “Tokyo.”
For fans of: Corrine Bailey Rae or Janelle Monáe
MisterWives
MisterWives was born out of a connection from three friends and a hilarious take on the phrase “sister wives.” Mandy Lee the lead singer is in a band full of dudes, so they thought the only appropriate name for the band would be MisterWives. Their debut single “Reflections” was instantly a chart topper on the indie charts and soon crossed over into mainstream music thanks to being featured in several popular Vine videos. This band has as much raw talent as is possible. Their live show sounds exactly like the album, and Mandy Lee’s vocals are seriously mind blowing. If you like fun, up-tempo pop/rock band music with brass influence, MisterWives are absolutely for you. Their singles “Our Own House” and “Hurricane” will make you instantly want to jump around, but a seasoned fan favorite track “Twisted Tongue.”
comes off of their EP.
For fans of: Walk the Moon and Phoenix
Swim Deep
Swim Deep is a British indie band from Birmingham, England. They released their first single back in 2012 and have a sound reminiscent of the late 1980’s. Their first album “Where the Heaven Are We” had a very soft melodic sound, but their second album “Mothers” is quite the departure from their previous sound. It has a spacey feel to it quite like Tame Impala’s recent release. Their two popular singles from their first album “King City” and “Honey” are great chill and study tracks. Their new sound is definitely more edgy and will take some getting used to for seasoned Swim Deep fans.
For fans of: The 1975 and Tame Impala
Maybe you already know of these artists, maybe you don’t! Either way these acts will be ones to watch. Happy listening!