BY: Alexis Eichelberger

It’s been a long, strange year for everyone. Nevertheless, so many artists found a way to make their mark. There are so many multi-talented musicians from all genres who made us fall in love with them this year, from rising rap stars to indie pop princesses.

Here are eleven of the 2020s most exciting breakout stars:

 

girl in red

Do you listen to girl in red? If you don’t, what’s wrong with you? We know being a fan of Marie Ulven is somewhat analogous to being a woman-loving woman thanks to a TikTok trend. But her soft, romantic indie rock style can inspire anyone.

Ulven is a twenty-one-year-old Norweigan who first captivated American fans in 2019 when she opened for Conan Gray (also included on our list) on his North American tour. This year, she had multiple singles rack up millions of streams, and she announced her first album.

We recommend listening to: “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend” and “Midnight Love”

 

Beabadoobee

Another young phenom, Beabadoobee (Beatrice Laus), is a twenty-year-old Filipino-born British artist whose alt-rock/bedroom pop blend is making her an international star. Dirty Hit Records has signed her. It’s the label behind other British indie rock favorites, most notably The 1975.

Beabadoobee got her big break earlier this year when the artist Powfu sampled her song “Coffee” for his track “death bed,” which blew up on TikTok. Beabadoobee’s stellar year continued with her debut studio album released in October. It’s gotten widespread acclaim.

We recommend listening to: “Together” and “The Moon Song”

 

Tate McRae

Tate McRae’s first taste of fame came from an unlikely place: So You Think You Can Dance. She became the first Canadian finalist when she was just thirteen years old and earned a dedicated following. Her music career first took off last year, when the YouTube video of her original song “One Day” went viral.

McRae released her first EP in January 2020, and her first major single, “You Broke Me First,” came soon after. Once again, McRae likely has TikTok to thank for putting her on the map. After “You Broke Me First” became popular on the platform, it reached number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100. McRae has more big things on the way, and her second EP is due out soon.

We recommend listening to: “that way” and “don’t be sad”

 

Baby Keem

As Kendrick Lamar’s cousin, we had high expectations for Baby Keem. So far, he hasn’t disappointed. The twenty-year-old already has songwriting and production credits on Lamar’s soundtrack for Black Panther, and he’s also making a name for himself as a rapper.

Baby Keem’s first hit, “Orange Soda,” was released in 2019, but it didn’t reach the Billboard charts until 2020. That sleeper hit helped him catch the rap world’s attention. This year, he’s released two more hot singles and featured on XXL’s Freshman Class list.

We recommend listening to: “HONEST” and “APOLOGIZE”

 

Ashnikko

Ashnikko’s first viral single took off in 2019, but her fame reached new heights this year. Born Ashton Casey, she started posting tracks to SoundCloud before her unique blend of hip-hop and electro-pop helped her achieve viral success.

Her second official single, “STUPID (feat. Yung Baby Tate),” became popular on TikTok audio and pushed the track to number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart in late 2019. This year, her “Daisy” is a real breakthrough since its July release. Ashnikko’s debut mixtape is due out February 2021.

We recommend listening to: “Cry (feat. Grimes)” and “Tantrum”

 

LoveLeo

Leo Reilly, or LoveLeo, was inspired to pursue a music career after seeing a high school classmate achieve smalltown fame by uploading a song to SoundCloud. He used beats he found on YouTube to cultivate a signature sound and record his bedroom breakthrough.

That single “BOYFREN” was released at the end of 2019 and helped Reilly’s career take off as he headed into 2020. It also paved the way for another successful single, “ROSIE,” a deal with Republic Records, and his first EP,  LOOK AT THIS MESS I’VE MADE.

We recommend listening to: “HEAD OVER HEELS” and “RECENTLY DELETED”

 

BENEE

Stella Rose Bennett, a.k.a. BENEE, showed promise in the years leading up to it, but the release of her infectiously catchy song “Supalonely” propelled her to stardom. By June of this year, it had more than 250 million streams and continues to climb today.

After her breakthrough single, Bennett began collaborating with veterans and rising stars alike to build her discography. She was nominated for multiple Best New Artist awards and earned some nods for a few other singles. Finally and most importantly, she’ll be releasing her debut studio album on November 13. 

We recommend listening to: “Glitter” and “Afterthought (with Joji)”

 

Conan Grey

By now, this man almost needs no introduction. You must have avoided pop radio for nearly a year to miss out on hearing Conan Gray’s stellar single “Maniac.” And you must be one of the few people who have yet to join TikTok to have not heard “Heather.”

Gray started the year off strong with the release of his debut album Kid Krow in March. It received rave reviews (including one from Gray’s personal hero Taylor Swift) and made him one of 2020s success stories. Seriously, if you haven’t listened to him yet, get ready to fall in love. 

We recommend listening to: “Wish You Were Sober” and “Crush Culture”

 

NLE Choppa

NLE Choppa scored a platinum certification for his single “Shotta Flow” in 2019. He’s another essential face of XXL’s Freshman Class list for 2020.

NLE Choppa released his debut album Top Shotta in early August after several delays, presumably caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, it was worth the wait. He also released another hot mixtape on November 1, his birthday, and reportedly has another project coming soon.

We recommend listening to: “Walk Em Down (feat. Roddy Ricch)” and “Narrow Road (feat. Lil Baby)”

 

Omar Apollo

Omar Apollo, born Omar Apolino Velasco, has been lurking on the fringes of stardom for some time, but we feel confident saying he finally got his big break. His groovy R&B style has landed him gigs at SXSW and Lollapalooza, and we know there are more big things coming.

In October of this year, Velasco released his debut studio album Apolino to warm reviews. His groovy style is a blend of maturity and intimacy. Velasco also appeared on Joji’s second album.

We recommend listening to: “Ugotme” and “Kamikaze”

 

Lil Tjay

Tione Merritt, better known as Lil Tjay, is the Bronx’s newest shining rap star. In 2019, he reached the Billboard Hot 100 twice –– once as a featured artist and the other as a solo artist. This year, he solidified his place in New York’s storied hip-hop scene.

Merritt reached the Hot 100 multiple times this year. His singles “20/20” and “Zoo York” got him there, and he was featured on Pop Smoke’s posthumous album. Finally, Merritt made it on to the XXL Freshman Class list.

We recommend listening to: “Leaked” and “Hold On”