Singers to watch closely in 2024, from Tyla to Chappell Roan

1. Mette, Pharrell Williams’ former dancer to watch in 2024

Her name isn’t widely known, but this American artist born in 1991 used to be a member of the dance crew The Baes touring with Pharrell Williams, and has appeared in the film Hustlers starring Jennifer Lopez, as well as in the music video for Lemon by N.E.R.D and Rihanna. Now the American dancer wants to establish herself as a singer, mixing pop, electronica and euphoric R’n’B sounds. After releasing an effective and captivating first single, Petrified, in 2021, she came back with the powerful Van Gogh and the hypnotic Mama’s Eyes, along with a sublime video shot in Marseille. (VS)

Very little is known about Dutch-Caribbean R’n’B singer Naomi Sharon, except that she is Drake’s protégée. She is actually the first female artist who signed with OVO Sound, the rapper’s label. Drake wrote to her on Instagram in 2019 to express his interest in her music. With bewitching tracks and videos, phenomenal charisma and a voice akin to Sade’s, the artist is set to be the talk of the town in the coming months. (VS)

3. Cleo Sol, the sublime voice from the collective SAULT

The 34-year-old British singer and songwriter Cleopatra Zvezdana Nikolic, aka Cleo Sol,  already has several solo albums to her name and is said to be a member of the mysterious collective Sault. Yet only a few of us know her name. Dua Lipa adores her, as she is one of the most beautiful R’n’B voices of the moment. Her music, inspired by Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, is a spellbinding journey back to the heyday of Motown (VS).

4. Tyla, the princess of amapiano

Endorsed by rappers Chris Brown and Travis Scott, as well as reality TV star Kim Kardashian, 22-year-old South African singer Tyla is following in the swaying footsteps of Rihanna and Aaliyah. With her sculptural beauty, her sublime R’n’B voice reminiscent of the very best priestesses of the genre from the 2000s, and her amapiano sounds – this voluptuous, heady hybrid of jazz and deep house music born in South Africa – the artist is the perfect embodiment of the vital energy of her native country. It’s no coincidence that Tyla, whose hit single Water (2023) is a banger, wants to represent the soul of South Africa abroad. (VS)

5. Shay Lia, Kaytranada’s close collaborator

It is worth keeping an eye on the 31-year-old Franco-Djiboutian artist Shay Lia. This exceptional singer, musician and dancer based in Paris and Montreal is a close collaborator of Canadian-Haitian electronic musician Kaytranada, and has already unveiled her second record Facets. Her first EP, Dangerous, had already been acclaimed by the critics and shortlisted for the 2019 Polaris Music Prize, a ceremony held every year in Toronto. His new opus confirms her place as a talent to watch closely. Released in October 2023, Facets is a sensual odyssey inspired by the work of Janet Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Sade (EC).

6. Slayyyter, the pop star inspired by Madonna and Lady Gaga

Glamorous, sexy pop still has a long way to go. This year, 27-year-old American pop star Slayyyter has unveiled Starfucker, a gleaming new album inspired by Hollywood and the unhealthy obsession with fame. At the crossroads between Lady Gaga, Madonna’s Erotica (1992) and Marina and the Diamonds’ Electra Heart (2012), this new project is driven by a fictional character named Belladonna, whom she features in her excellent single Miss Belladonna: “I feel like the album comes from this character’s point of view. She starts drama, she’s a bit of a bitch. She’s using men to her advantage. She’s the ultimate starfucker,” Slayyyter comments in an interview with Music Feeds (EC).

7. Vagabon, the electro-pop singer praised by Pitchfork

Laetitia Tamko, 31, better known as Vagabon, already counts numerous achievements, including being the opening act for Courtney Barnett. With three albums to her name – including Sorry I Haven’t Called, released this year – the Cameroonian-born and New York-based singer-songwriter and musician defends a refined sound, somewhere between luminous lo-fi pop and synthetic sounds. She performed live at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Paris on November 8th, 2023 (EC).

8. Angélica Garcia, a successful cross of Kate Bush with Rosalía

Listening to American singer-songwriter Angélica Garcia is like hearing a cross of Kate Bush with Rosalía. Oscillating between experimental pop, electronica, cumbia and indie rock, the young artist even had one of her tracks, Jicama, featured on Barack Obama’s playlist, alongside Frank Ocean and Alicia Keys. During her visit in Paris, the charismatic singer delivered an incendiary performance at POPUP! du Label on June 5th, 2024. (VS)

9. Isabella Lovestory, the new underground queen of reggaeton

Originally from Honduras and now based in Montreal, Isabella Lovestory is the missing link between Kali Uchis and Rosalía. The 30-year-old songwriter and avant-garde DJ with an erotic, playful Y2K universe, released her debut album, Amor Hardcore, produced with Mura Masa in 2022. Her provocative pop, peppered with a reggaeton and dancehall flavors, is made for endless parties spent inside sultry nightclubs. (VS)

10. The Last Dinner Party, the all-female rock band acclaimed by Nick Cave and Florence + The Machine

Grandiloquent and ultra stylish, the musicians and singers of the London-based band The Last Dinner Party have it all. The five artists made a name for themselves being the opening act for Nick Cave, Florence + the Machine and the Rolling Stones, and thanks to their lyrical first single with very sexual lyrics, Nothing Matters. Reminiscing ABBA, Kate Bush and Warpaint, their music is likely to be widely talked about in the next few months. Last February, the release of their debut studio album, Prelude to Ecstasy, produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz), caused quite a stir. (VS)

11. Mitski, the underground indie rock singer who became famous on TikTok

Mitski Miyawaki, aka Mitski, 33, has an unusual career. The Japanese-American indie rock singer and songwriter released several records that were only noticed by insiders before she became hugely successful on TikTok. It was on the platform that her songs first caught the audience’s attention, including the melancholic track My Love Mine All Mine. The singer, who learned everything at a music conservatory, performed two memorable shows at the Grand Rex in Paris on May 17th and 18th, 2024 . (VS)

12. Chappell Roan, the queer pop singer close to Olivia Rodrigo

American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan, 26, is one of the pop singers to watch in 2024. Born in Missouri, the overtly queer artist is bringing a breath of fresh air to the music scene with her festive, eighties-inspired pop featured on her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Mindwest Princess, unveiled on September 22nd, 2023.

The singer, who has recently been the opening act of Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts tour, also performed live at Coachella in April 2024. Drawing her inspiration and excessive make-up from drag queens, the artist has already won more than 2.8 million followers on Instagram.

13. Kelsea Ballerini, the country singer at the crossroads between Taylor Swift and Shania Twain

With her pop-infused country tracks, Kelsea Ballerini seems to be the perfect fusion between Taylor Swift’s artistic DNA and Shania Twain’s. The American singer-songwriter, from Tennessee, who was nominated for the 2023 Grammy Awards in the category “Best Country Solo Performance”, has quickly established herself as a must-see artist. With three albums already under her belt, the influencer of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and the American country band Sugarland unveiled an excellent new track called Love Me Like You Mean It at the beginning of April. We already love it… (EC)

14. Joalin, the singer and dancer who slipped away from the band Now United

At just 23, singer Joalin is also one of the singers to watch closely in 2024. Born in Turku, in South-West Finland, she spent her early years in Mexico alongside her mother and stepfather, who introduced the young girl to dance. One day she crossed paths with producer Simon Fuller, former manager of the Spice Girls, who decided to integrate her into the famous pop band Now United in 2017.

For a few years, the teenager traveled the globe with the 17 other members of this global pop group before forging her own musical identity. In 2022, she launched her solo career with a debut EP titled I’m The One, a mix of reggaeton and R’n’B. Since then, the former dancer has released a series of infectiously energetic singles, including the danceable La Chica-cà and the rap-influenced Bikini (2024). (EC)

15. Maeta, the new voice of R’n’B to watch closely in 2024

Born in Indianapolis and now based in Los Angeles, Maeta has made a name for herself thanks to tracks produced by Kaytranada, like Teen Scene or the aptly named Endless Night, to her sensual voice and 2000s-inspired imagery. Sure, her jazz and pop-infused R’n’B isn’t reinventing the wheel, but her authentic lyrics that push listeners to identify – especially about toxic relationships – make her an artist to keep an eye on. Signing with Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation, she is said to be preparing a new album to be released very soon. (VS)

16. Clara La San, the mysterious songwriter who follows in Doja Cat’s footsteps

Little is known about composer and producer Clara La San, not even her face as she neither shows it on Instagram or in her music videos. In June 2024, she released the excellent album Made Mistakes with her own label, CLS Music. The record features a number of silky, synthetic and airy R’n’B tracks, such as Talking to You and Don’t Worry About It, that will appeal to fans of Doja Cat, FKA twigs, Eartheater, Amaarae and SZA.

Produced by Yves Rothman (Blondshell, Yves Tumor) and mixed by Tony Maserati (Notorious B.I.G., Beyoncé, Usher), Clara La San’s songs successfully combine a soulful voice destined to appeal to the widest audience possible with experimental sound textures coming straight out of an American arthouse film. (VS)

Translation by Emma Naroumbo Armaing.