5 Artists on the Rise You Should be Listening to Right Now
1. Jean Dawson
Jean Dawson is an artist who nearly single-handedly expanded my music taste to a number of new genres. Before him, I mostly stuck to rap and R&B as I enjoyed that style of production, but Dawson opened my eyes to all varieties of rock and songs of many genres that primarily featured guitar. I think this wide expansion of the genres on my playlists is a great representation of how “genre-less” Dawson’s music really is. In his own authentic way, he’s essentially created his own sound; a dynamic mix of punk rock, the early aughts, rap and even R&B. He’s gotten love from names as big as SZA and ASAP Rocky, so definitely be on the lookout for Dawson to blow up soon.
Songs to listen to: Napster, Triple Double, Devilish
2. Rasharn Powell
Like many of my peers, I’m a huge fan of Frank Ocean, to the point where I’ve run through his discography and am constantly left wanting similar music from different artists. The problem with this is that since Frank Ocean is such a gifted musician in all facets, it’s hard for other artists to come close. At least that’s what I thought until I happened upon Rasharn Powell’s music, an artist I now describe to people as the British Frank Ocean. He has a great voice, emotional delivery, beautiful production, and a variety of sounds just as broad as Ocean’s. They are of course distinct artists and can each be appreciated in their own right, however, it's difficult not to hear Ocean’s influences on Powell’s music, in the best way.
Songs to listen to: Warm in these blue jeans, The Heat, Smithereens
3. Jackie Hayes
If you enjoy hard-hitting alt-rock, you need to check out Jackie Hayes. Hayes grew up playing in a church band before moving out of his house and relocating to Chicago at the age of 19 to begin her music career. Her songs bring vibrant colorful energy that is hard to find elsewhere and some of the guitar solos she goes into are just spectacular. Interestingly enough, one of my friends is on a first name basis with Jackie as he’s from the same area of Chicago, definitely a small world moment.
Songs to listen to: Omg, eye 2 eye, dead end
4. Terry Presume
Prior to blowing up and signing on to Columbia Records, Dominic Fike signed Terry Presume onto his own label based in Naples, Florida. Presume’s music is an alternative blend of R & B, rap and rock, and features some meaningful lyricism that delves into issues such as mental health. He has a strong voice and endlessly catchy production that really draws you in.
Songs to listen to: Don’t Play Yourself, Personal, None of this Alone
5. Kenny Mason
Atlanta is a city synonymous with great rap music, and the emergence of Kenny Mason only further cements this in my eyes. A lot of rappers are particularly strong in some elements of the genre such as flow, bars, or production selection, but rarely are they bringing it all to the table. When on occasion it does happen, these artists become renowned. Rappers such as J.cole, Kendrick, and Kanye may come to mind, but in my eyes, Mason also meets these same criteria, albeit with far less buzz. He can change flows at the drop of a hat and features wordplay that will have you constantly rewinding to catch it. Mason is influenced by rock as well and has the rap/rock combo down, which is such a rarity despite how often it’s attempted these days.
Songs to listen to: A+, Much Money, Titan
A lot of the reward of listening to smaller artists is you get the chance to, in a way, accompany them in their rise to prominence. These are five artists I have a strong feeling will be household names soon enough.