New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "Breakthrough" can mean many things. These artists we've picked show a year that was fascinating and tumultuous. For some, it's been about breaking out of the underground. This happened after For others, it's been about immediate hype. They also represent an ever-more globalized and genre-fluid world. Icelandic bass and London jazz have made waves in our world over the past year. So have Nigerian alt-pop and classic Los Angeles alt-rock. Also, vintage grime menace and "horrorshow" São Paulo rave sounds. But they all have one thing in common: a huge impact. Give each a spin, and you'll see why they've hit a point where they can't be ignored! For more insights, visit the
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Bloody Civilian
She still needs to make an album. But Emoseh Khamofu, also known as Bloody Civilian, has already topped Nigeria's alt-music charts. She was on the Wakanda Forever soundtrack, singing with Afrobeats star Rema. She also signed with Def Jam.
Her style is unclassifiable. It mixes aspects of performance art, including various South and West African dance styles, electropop, and indie rock, to express her unique and provocative worldview.
But most of all, her songs are instant and unforgettable, ensuring the hype will only last a while.
EVA808
Eva Jóhannsdóttir was born and raised in Iceland. Now, she lives in Sweden. She has already made big waves in the underground bass music world. It's where dubstep, grime, and hip-hop intersect. She has released music on various connoisseurs' labels and has a renowned live show.
But ÖÐRUVÍSI - her second album and first on her Gler label - is something else. It still has a low-end impact. But, its experimentalism expands in all directions. It has elemental and emotional power. This power matches the finest in any electronic genre. It's also announcing a world-class talent here to make significant waves.
Marla Kether
She's already built a career as a session bassist. But, under the Saffron program for women and non-binary people, Marla Kether has a unique voice. She is Congolese-British. Her time in the program has taught her to fuse Afro-Brazilian, house, soul, and disco rhythms. She uses her bass playing—sometimes in many layers—to create a core for her grooves.
Her two EPs in 2023 were a massive statement of intent, and we're buzzing to see where she goes with her debut album.
Blondshell
You don't always need to be cool to make waves. Sometimes, you need to nail the classic values of songwriting and performance. And that's what Los Angeleno Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum, aka Blondshell, has done in 2023.
She combines decades of classic and indie/alt-rock. She mixes the noisy grunge of Hole and Nirvana with the catchy radio appeal of Kelly Clarkson. She even adds a bit of Eagles and Fleetwood Mac without the joints showing. She retreated and regrouped after an initial flurry of interest in her early pop work as BAUM. She is working as her true self as Blondshell - grabbing people's ears.
YAZMIN LACEY
The UK's new soul-jazz generation keeps deepening and broadening its appeal and scope. Yazmin Lacey has built an excellent reputation with a series of EPs since 2017. But, her Voice Notes album in 2023 marked her as a confident force.
She can shift smoothly. She covers "Sweetest Taboo" live. Then, she can get discordant and back. She has the range, wit, and musical skill to make big moves.
DJ K
The ghettos or favelas are in Brazilian cities. They have long been hotbeds for energetic dance music. But, even by existing standards, the sound of "bruxaria" is eye-popping. Bruxaria combines horror film darkness, strange distortion, and a piercing shriek. The shriek is off-putting but makes sense as you immerse in it. Bruxaria is a hardcore rave style. It has surprising sophistication, invention, and imagination.
DJ K has led the charge from Heliópolis, São Paulo's biggest favela since he was 17. He has been a producer and is now known as one of the most radical electronic experimenters.
Flowdan
Calling someone 20 years deep in the game a breakthrough artiste seems funny. But that's exactly what Marc Veira, aka Flowdan, is. His peers from the first generation of grime MCs became household names. He was always a more underground proposition for years. Whether he was solo or with experimental producers like The Bug, this was true. Yet, that has made him the beloved of major dance producers.
In 2023, he appeared on Skrillex's "Rumble" (with Fred again...) and "Pepper" (with Lil Baby). He also appeared on "Baddadan" by Chase & Status. These show his menacing but controlled deep voice. They reached vast global audiences. The world will be his oyster in 2024
Lola Young
She's the perfect example of young London. She was taught in jazz, poetry, hip-hop, grime, and R&B. She's cheeky but deep. She's ready to face challenging issues of mental health, sexuality, abuse, and more. But she can still entertain big crowds. Lola Young channels Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Kae Tempest. For sure. But she has created one of the most unique performance personae.
Her videos and social media presence are thrilling. Her debut album is called My Mind Wonders And Sometimes Leaves Completely. It looks like a springboard to a serious career.
Ren
His performance videos made Welsh rapper and songwriter Ren go viral more than once. But, his long, intense rants about mysticism and mental health made him seem like a cult artiste.
But that's not so. His first solo album, Sick Boi, was a surprise number-one hit in the UK. He might be a very new kind of star.
Azu Tiwaline
Electronic music has long used sounds from the Middle East and North Africa, so it's fitting. Artists like the Tunisian producer Azu Tiwaline should step up and show us how it should be done. Her sparse, spacious, and finessed pieces have won over the "post-dubstep" world. She has released them on several EPs. She also has a unique ability to paint pictures with sounds.
Her second album, The Fifth Dream, was released in 2023. It shows how deep she can go. It blends the old rhythms of her desert home with super-modern techniques.
Final Thoughts
2023 has been a fantastic year for new artists around the world. These artists have impacted their genres. They range from Yazmin Lacey's soulful sounds to DJ K's experimental beats. Marla Kether blends different styles, and Ren brings raw, authentic expression. Each artist offers something unique. Looking ahead, these rising stars will keep shaping the global music scene. They will also inspire future talents.
