Top 5 Female Artists You Should be Listening to in 2017
#5: Allie X
Since 2014 this Canadian singer-songwriter has been making some serious waves in the music industry. Her first single, “Catch”, made it to number 55 on the Canadian Hot 100. Since then she has continued to produce songs dripping with style that are firmly rooted in the synthpop genre. Allie X straddles the line between Top 40 pop queen and experimental indie darling - a position that is making her a musical must-follow. Her brooding lyrics and melancholy beats combine to create a sound that is truly unique. If you’re in need of a fresh female summer soundtrack then check out her debut studio album, CollXtion II, which dropped on June 9th, 2017.
#4: Jorja Smith
When an artist like Drake asks you to feature on their latest creation, you know you’re doing something right. Born in 1997, Jorja Smith is a young up and coming British singer whose raw talent caught Drizzy’s attention, resulting in her lending her voice to a couple of tracks on his 2017 playlist More Life. In 2017, the classically trained vocalist also released two singles of her own, both of which immediately blew up online. Go check out the music video for “Teenage Fantasy”; it’s the perfect blend of Smith’s incredible singing voice and soulful storytelling style. This is one female artist we expect to be hearing a lot of in the near future.
#3: Maggie Rogers
10 Questions with Maggie Rogers
Folk, pop, rock…it’s hard to pinpoint exactly which musical genre Maggie Rogers associates with. Perhaps that’s why she’s been able to amass such a large following in such a brief period of time. While Rogers has been releasing music since 2012, it wasn’t until she presented Pharrell Williams with her song “Alaska” in a 2016 NYU master class that she truly gained mainstream attention. Since then the Maryland native’s music career has been on the upswing, with her 2017 EP Now That The Light Is Fading peaking at number 39 on the U.S. Rock billboard charts. The future is definitely bright for this rising star.
#2: Kehlani
It’s incredible what Kehlani has accomplished so far at only 22 years young. Since leaving Poplyfe, a teen pop group that competed in season 6 of “America’s Got Talent”, the Oakland native has gone from being homeless to headlining sold out shows. Her mixtape,You Should Be Here, was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards and her song “Gangsta” was featured on the “Suicide Squad” soundtrack in the summer of that same year. She followed this up by dropping her debut album,SweetSexySavage, in January of 2017, and went on a world tour soon afterwards. Her unapologetic lyrics and captivating beats make her the perfect artist for your next party playlist!
#1: SZA
20 Female Artists Who Died Too Soon
Fresh off the release of her 2017 debut album Ctrl, SZA is THE number one female artist you should be bumping this year; and for good reason. The soulful singer combines elements of R&B, hip-hop and cloud rap for a sound that is truly one of a kind. Since 2014 SZA has been featured on songs by artists such as Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar…so yeah, she’s got some serious industry cred. With comparisons being drawn between her and neo-soul legends Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu, it’s clear SZA is trending in the right direction. Just don’t make that comparison in front of her... she’s made it clear that she’s doing her own thing. Do you agree with our list? Which female artists have you been listening to this year? For more entertaining Top 10s and awesome Top 5’s, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.
