The Contenders

BY: PROVOKR Editors

It’s the final countdown in the PROVOKR Awards and time for us to reveal the top five artists of 2017. The ones who created the most awe-inspiring work of the year. From music to television to film to art, these men and women are challenging the rest of the world to keep up with their progressive concepts and performances. In no particular order, here are the artists we’re the most excited about. Check in next week for the final winner.

Elisabeth Moss

2017 was Elisabeth Moss‘s year, no doubt. From her Emmy Award-winning role as Offred in Hulu‘s searing series, The Handmaid’s Tale, to the reprise of her role as the deeply damaged Detective Robin Griffin in the Top of the Lake murder mystery, Moss has been turning in profound performances normally beyond the scope of a 35-year-old actor. Not to be outdone, even by herself, she also starred in the surprise winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year for her part in the Swedish satirical drama, The Square.

As for 2018, Moss has four projects already booked, including a role playing one of the most famous women in history: Typhoid Mary.

James Franco

What can we say about James Franco that hasn’t already been said? First, he’s the hardest working man in Hollywood. In 2017 alone, he directed four, wrote two, produced twenty, and acted in seventeen projects, and in one—HBO‘s The Deuce—he played twins! The Disaster Artist, a film about the making of The Room, the worst movie ever made, which he wrote, directed, and stars in, is on more than a few critics’ bests lists. Clearly, the handsome multi-tasker is fearless when it comes to his project choices, which is a good thing for his ravenous fans.

Looks like 2018 will be just as busy for the California boy. He’s got twenty projects already listed on his IMDB page and the year hasn’t even started yet.

Rihanna

Although she’s mostly known as a singer and model, Rihanna sometimes makes appearances in major motion pictures, such as Bring It On: All or Nothing and Battleship. In 2017, she appeared as a shape-shifting alien dancer named “Bubble” in Luc Besson’s crazy sci-fi adventure Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. While it was only a brief cameo appearance, Rihanna was on full display in one of the sexiest scenes of the year. She also made guest appearances on a few hit songs from fellow recording artists like Future, DJ Khaled, and Kendrick Lamar.

And let’s not forget Rihanna‘s fashionable contributions: her gorgeous Fenty Beauty line is sold OUT in most stores, and her Fenty collaboration with Puma—Fenty Puma—was one of the hottest fashions this year. So needless to say, Rihanna has had a pretty good 2017.

Marshmello

While you might not know his face, we’re pretty sure you’re familiar with his music. Marshmello is one of the most sought-after producers working in the music industry today. In 2017, he produced some of the hottest songs of the year from popular recording artists, such as Noah Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Khalid, and Selena Gomez.

And like other DJs and producers of his ilk—such as Deadmau5, Daft Punk, and Squarepusher—Marshmello wears an iconic marshmallow-shaped mask to stay anonymous, so fans can focus on the music and not the image. A true artist, if you ask us.

Kerry James Marshall

Kerry James Marshall’s astonishing survey Mastry began in Chicago, made a stop in New York, and wrapped up in Los Angeles this year. Unlike many artists, this comprehensive exhibition was critically revered across the country for its illuminating exploration of black identity, history, and politics.

Along with the racial implications of the title Mastry, Marshall’s mastery of his craft is not just remarkable, but awe-inspiring. His many narratives, materials, and techniques blend seamlessly together to create arresting, haunting images. 2017 was the year that we saw Marshall receive the recognition he deserves as one of the greatest living artists in America today.