Finding a new artist before they really blow up is always fun. And right now, there are plenty of musicians who seem to be on their way there. Some have already had a song take off online, while others are gaining fans through touring, festivals, or opening for much bigger names. From pop and R&B to rock, rap, and country, here are some up-and-coming artists to have on your radar.
JayDon
JayDon has been performing since he was eight, with acting roles in K.C. Undercover, Little, and The Lion King along the way. In 2025, he signed with Usher and L.A. Reid’s Mega label and shifted more of his attention toward music. His EP Me My Songs & I includes the singles “Lullaby” and “I’ll Be Good.”
Jamal Roberts
Jamal Roberts won Season 23 of American Idol in 2025, and things moved pretty quickly from there. He went on to open for Brandy and Monica on The Boy Is Mine Tour. His song “Still,” with Jonathan McReynolds, also earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song.
Sienna Spiro
Before releasing her own music, Sienna Spiro was posting covers and singing videos on TikTok. Her debut EP Sink Now, Swim Later arrived in 2025 after songs like “Maybe” and “Taxi Driver” started getting attention. She’s since opened for both Sam Smith and Teddy Swims.
3Quency
Brianna Mazzola, Nori Moore, and Wennely Quezada met while competing on Netflix’s Building the Band. Together, they formed 3Quency, won the show, and later signed with Sony Music and Columbia Records.
Moody Joody
Moody Joody’s upbeat pop first started getting attention with the trio’s 2024 EP Dream Girl. They’ve since opened for ARIZONA and MisterWives and played both SXSW and Austin City Limits. Their single “OOPS!” comes ahead of a debut album expected in 2026.
iAMLYRIC
Houston rapper iAMLYRIC spent years posting freestyles before releasing her first official single, “Broken Barbies,” in 2025. Her music pairs a deep, smooth voice with a mix of rap and R&B. Her debut project BLKBRD features Isaiah Rashad, The Ichiban Don, and Joose.
PRYVT
The members of PRYVT met on Discord in 2023 and decided to start making music together. Their indie rock songs switch between English and Korean, and tracks like “PALETTE” and “MAYBE I’M RIGHT” have helped them rack up millions of streams. The band released its second album, BACK TO REALITY, in 2025 and is touring internationally in 2026.
Nick Mara
Nick Mara spent several years in PRETTYMUCH before leaving the boy band in 2022. He returned to music as a solo artist with “Grateful” in 2025. Since then, he’s released “Dangerous” and “High Fashion” while working toward more solo music.
Midnight ‘Til Morning
Midnight ‘Til Morning formed on Netflix’s Building the Band, where the four members finished in fourth place. After the show, they released their first EP, Afterglow, in October 2025. They also headed out on their first tour, with dates across North America and Australia.
Anna Shoemaker
Anna Shoemaker has been putting out music since 2018 and first found an audience through SoundCloud. Her debut album, Everything is Fine (I’m Only on Fire), arrived in 2022. Three years later, she returned with the alternative-pop album Someone Should Stop Her.
Say Now
British girl group Say Now has been together since 2022. Ysabelle Angeli, Amelia Onuorah, and Madeleine Haynes have since opened for Kylie Minogue, Jade, and Omar Rudberg and won Glamour’s Rising Star Award. More recently, they’ve released singles including “Brick by Brick” and “Supermarket.”
Florence Road
Irish band Florence Road started out playing covers together in a garden shed. They’ve since opened for Olivia Rodrigo, Wolf Alice, and The Last Dinner Party, a pretty big jump from where they began. Songs like “Hanging Out To Dry” and “7563” have helped turn the four-piece into one of Ireland’s newer indie-rock names.
Amira Elfeky
Amira Elfeky’s music sounds like it could have come out during the height of early-2000s nu-metal. The Connecticut singer mixes heavy guitars with dark, dreamy vocals and has already worked with Architects. She’s also opened for Bring Me The Horizon, putting her music in front of a much larger rock audience.
Samara Cyn
Samara Cyn has been getting attention for rap that feels conversational rather than overly calculated. She moves comfortably between rapping and melodic vocals, with jazz and soul often sitting underneath both. Her growing audience has made her one of the newer rappers worth keeping an eye on.
Carter Vail
Carter Vail built a huge online audience by making very funny, very short songs about almost anything. However, his actual music, leans into indie rock and pop and shows there’s much more there than internet jokes. That combination has helped him turn social media followers into actual music fans.
Been Stellar
New York band Been Stellar takes inspiration from the city’s long history of noisy, guitar-heavy rock. Their music can be rough around the edges while still having enough melody to pull you in. A growing reputation as a live band has helped them stand out in an increasingly crowded indie-rock scene.
Malcolm Todd
Malcolm Todd started building an audience online with his mix of indie pop and R&B. “Roommates” became one of his early breakout tracks, pairing his laid-back vocals with the guitar-heavy production heard throughout his music. That online following has since turned into millions of streams and sold-out shows.
Wisp
Wisp is part of a younger generation of musicians bringing shoegaze to a much wider audience. Her breakout track “Your face” pairs quiet vocals with the thick, distorted guitars that have become a signature of her music. After initially finding listeners online, she’s moved into touring and festival performances.
Sofia Isella
Sofia Isella is a singer-songwriter, producer, and violinist who makes dark alternative pop. “Everybody Supports Women” became one of her most talked-about tracks, pairing pointed lyrics with the dramatic sound found throughout her music. She’s already opened for major artists including Taylor Swift and Melanie Martinez.
Oklou
French singer and producer Oklou makes electronic pop built around soft vocals and atmospheric production. Songs like “blade bird” have helped her reach listeners beyond the experimental-pop audience that first embraced her music. Her recent releases have brought considerably more attention to her dreamy sound.
Esha Tewari
Esha Tewari is an Australian singer-songwriter making intimate indie folk and bedroom pop. Her stripped-back songs and conversational lyrics helped her build an audience online while she was still a teenager. Tracks like “beautiful boy” have since brought millions of new listeners to her music.
Good Neighbours
British duo Good Neighbours broke through incredibly quickly with their upbeat indie-pop sound. Their debut single “Home” took off online and became an international hit, giving the pair a huge audience almost immediately. They’ve since been touring and working to turn that early viral success into something much bigger.
Myles Smith
Myles Smith built his early following by sharing covers online before his own music started taking off. The British singer-songwriter blends folk, pop, and acoustic influences, with “Stargazing” becoming his massive breakout hit. He’s since gone from social media discovery to touring internationally.
Medium Build
Medium Build is the project of singer-songwriter Nick Carpenter, whose music sits somewhere between indie rock, folk, and alternative pop. His lyrics tend to be personal and conversational, often dealing with relationships, identity, and growing up. He’s also built a reputation for emotional live performances as his audience has grown.
Paris Paloma
Paris Paloma makes dark folk-pop with lyrics centered heavily around womanhood, relationships, and power. Her song “labour” became a huge online hit and introduced listeners around the world to her dramatic songwriting. Rather than chasing a more conventional pop sound afterward, she’s continued leaning into the folk influences that made her stand out.
Sydney Rose
Sydney Rose makes soft indie pop with an intimate, bedroom-recorded feel. She initially found an audience by sharing covers online before her original music began gaining traction too. Her understated vocals and personal lyrics have made her especially popular with younger indie-pop listeners.
Sarah Kinsley
Sarah Kinsley is a singer, songwriter, producer, and classically trained musician who makes dreamy alternative pop. She produces much of her own work, layering orchestral elements and synths into songs like “The King.” Her music has steadily found a larger audience through touring and festival appearances.
Jensen McRae
Jensen McRae makes folk-pop built around sharp storytelling and lyrics that can be funny one moment and devastating the next. The Los Angeles singer-songwriter initially gained attention online before establishing herself with her own releases. She’s since toured with artists including Noah Kahan and continues to reach a wider folk audience.
flowerovlove
London artist flowerovlove makes bright indie pop influenced by everything from psychedelic music to classic pop. She began releasing music as a teenager and gradually built an audience through colorful visuals and upbeat songs. Tracks like “breaking news” have helped push her beyond the bedroom-pop scene where she started.
Zinadelphia
Zinadelphia combines soul, pop, and funk with vocals that sound pulled from another era. The Philadelphia singer-songwriter started building an online following while independently releasing her own music. Her retro influences are obvious, but the songwriting keeps it from feeling like a straight throwback.
