By: Ahad Ghani
Tove Lo:
A few summers ago, Tove’s “Habits (Stay High)” was inescapable. While her music’s quality has since remained consistent, none of her follow-ups to that song have garnered the same attention. She recently released Blue Lips (2017), the second half of her two-piece concept album, preceded by Lady Wood (2016). One of the album’s standouts, “Cool Girl,” inspired by the film Gone Girl, is about questioning the power moves in a relationship. Both albums were succeeded by short films that follow Tove and her fictional relationships, while exploring the lyrical content of the songs.
Her brash, confessional style sets Tove apart from her contemporaries. She’s collaborated with the likes of Coldplay, Nick Jonas, and Major Lazer, as well as serving as a co-writer on Ellie Goulding’s massive hit “Love Me Like You Do.” Tove has also contributed to the soundtracks of Fifty Shades Darker and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 in the form of “Lies in the Dark” and “Scream My Name.”
Top 3 Songs: Cool Girl, Talking Body, True Disaster
Tinashe:
Tinashe is undoubtedly talented. She has the voice, the moves, and the catchy tunes. Her choreography in the music video for “Company” and her vocals in “Flame” are a testament to her talent. She’s also had a recurring role on Two and a Half Men, among other TV roles. However, unlike her peers Kehlani and Ella Mai, Tinashe has never fully resonated with audiences.
Tinashe’s style of music includes hip hop, pop, and R&B. With features from Future and A$AP Rocky, Aquarius (2014) was adored by critics as well as its fair share of fans. She has collaborated with a multitude of artists such as Nick Jonas and Britney Spears, as well as tour with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Maroon 5. It’s only fair that Tinashe have her breakthrough as a full-fledged pop star soon.
Top 3 Songs: All Hands on Deck, No Drama (feat. Offset), Slumber Party (with Britney Spears)
Marina and the Diamonds:
Despite her several critically acclaimed albums and a devoted fan base, Marina has yet to achieve a huge hit, and it’s not for lack of trying. Her single “Primadonna,” produced by the people behind Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”, should’ve been her breakthrough song. From her anthemic electro-pop songs to her aesthetically pleasing visuals, Marina might just be the most underrated artist on this list.
In her concept album Electra Heart (2012), Marina portrayed several personas in songs such as “Homewrecker” and “Teen Idle,” which depict different stereotypical female archetypes. For her album Froot (2015), written entirely by herself, she took on a more indie-pop sound. Upon hearing about the Boston Marathon bombing, the artist began developing a song about the violence of sexual assault and murder, which would eventually become “Savages.” For her forthcoming album, she is speculated to drop “and the Diamonds” from her stage name.
Top 3 Songs: Can’t Pin Me Down, Primadonna, Blue
Bebe Rexha:
Bebe Rexha’s songs are crafted to dominate the pop charts, which is a shame since her biggest hit to date is “Meant to Be,” a country song. She’s had success on the pop charts in the form of “Hey Mama,” a collaboration with David Guetta and Nicki Minaj, and “Me, Myself & I” with G-Eazy. However, her solo music has yet to garner the same amount of attention.
She has a charming personality and a powerful voice that sounds just as good onstage. Her album Expectations (2018), preceded by two EPs, remains one of the most solid debuts of the year. With potential hits reminiscent of Rihanna and Shakira, such as “Self Control” and “I’m a Mess,” it’s clear that Bebe is destined to be the new face of pop music, alongside Dua Lipa and Camila Cabello.
Top 3 Songs: Ferrari, I’m a Mess, In the Name of Love (with Martin Garrix)
Troye Sivan:
Troye is the male pop star 2018 needed. Despite a string of Top 10 albums and a couple million followers, he’s destined for much more. Troye, who made his start on YouTube, released his critically acclaimed debut Blue Neighborhood in 2015. In “Heaven,” which details Troye’s struggle with coming out as gay, he questions if he’ll ever make it to Heaven. The album was preceded by a music video trilogy, which follows Troye’s fictional relationship and the struggles they face.
Sivan followed up his debut with one of the best albums of the year, Bloom (2018), which not only features huge electro-pop moments such as “My My My!” but more downbeat tracks, including “Postcard.” He has collaborated with the likes of Ariana Grande, Alessia Cara and Martin Garrix. Catch him in Vancouver on The Bloom Tour on November 8, 2018.
Top 3 Songs: Dance to This (feat. Ariana Grande), Bite, Cool
Charli XCX:
Charli has written massive hits for the likes of Selena Gomez and Camila Cabello, to name a few. She’s also had solid success on her own, notching Top 10 hits in the form of “Boom Clap” and “Fancy” with rapper Iggy Azalea. However, since then, she has failed to score a hit as big as the aforementioned songs, which is quite disappointing since she’s managed to release some of the catchiest pop songs ever.
Charli isn’t afraid of taking risks, having collaborated with equally underrated artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen and MØ, as well as every artist that appears on this list. Her 2017 music video for “Boys,” directed by Charli herself, features numerous cameos, from Joe Jonas and Cameron Dallas to Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco. She’s known to experiment with different styles of music, and takes on a more futuristic pop sound in her 2017 mixtape Pop 2.
Top 3 Songs: Boys, Moonlight (with Lil Xan), Porsche (feat. MØ)
