7 artists to watch in 2025
who's breaking out big time this year?
2024 was certainly a landmark year for pop music. We witnessed underdog success stories like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan as they became pop juggernauts in real time, and we also had several other artists breaking into the mainstream this past year, from Doechii to Benson Boone, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey, and Gracie Abrams.
As we speak, Lola Young is already having her moment—her song “Messy” is currently dominating the charts, while her feature on the Tyler the Creator track “Like Him” is picking up steam too.
Predicting the next pop sensation in today’s music scene is impossible. Sure, a viral TikTok trend can instantly change an artist’s trajectory, but behind each overnight success are many arduous years of perfecting one’s craft. There’s really no formula for success, but I’m keeping an eye on artists rapidly cultivating an online following and landing important gigs like festivals or as openers of major concert tours this year. And of course, artists with music that have caught my attention.
Here’s my list of 7 artists to watch in 2025!
Rachel Chinouriri
I’m back on my Rachel Chinouriri agenda. Yes, I absolutely enjoyed her debut album What a Devastating Turn of Events last year, but I have a good feeling about her blowing up this year. She’s currently opening for Sabrina Carpenter on the European leg of the Short n’ Sweet Tour and I’m sure she’s gaining new fans every night, just like Carpenter did when she was the opener on the Eras Tour.
Chinouriri knows it’s her time to strike now and she’s making the most of it. She has already dropped a brand new song “Can we talk about Isaac?”, a breezy indie rock track just in time for her new stint. And when Carpenter’s European tour wraps in April, Chinouriri has a new EP ready to go. Chinouriri’s blend of introspective singer-songwriter edge infused with anthemic British rock has been well received so far, and she’s quickly amassing goodwill with each new release. It’s a promising start to her 2025 so far, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for her.
Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae has been grinding for years now, but 2025 might just be the year she finally sees her big break. The American R&B singer opened for SZA on the CTRL tour back in 2017, released a couple EPs, earned critical acclaim with her 2022 debut Hypnos, and kept the momentum going with her sophomore album Bird’s Eye last year. Her infectious lead single “Love Me Not” has been doing its job of spreading the gospel of Lenae, and I’m placing bets on the groovy R&B bop becoming a huge smash this year.
Lenae is also a fellow Short n’ Sweet Tour opener; she’ll join Carpenter in the fall for the tour’s North American leg. But her rise could begin even before that—Lenae is performing at Cochella this April, and it feels like the right stage to launch her to stardom.
Chloe Qisha
While she hasn’t released a full album yet, Malaysian-born and UK-based artist Chloe Qisha already has the makings of a bona fide pop star. A self-described pop girlie “out of the womb,” she is a student of pop through and through. A listen through her sparse but growing discography reveals her keen understanding of brand-building in pop music, with each release being a carefully curated addition to her ever-evolving mood board.
It also helps that Qisha’s bright singing voice just feels so tailor-made for radio. There’s certainly a noticeable it girl quality in Qisha—her assured confidence, but more importantly, her ambition. “I want to show people I’m a master of all pop, and I want it to be pushing the envelope,” she says.
Qisha has already caught the attention of Kelly Clarkson, who covered her song “I Lied, I’m Sorry” on her Kellyoke. This is just the beginning, I reckon.
ROLE MODEL
In certain niche corners of the internet, Tucker Pillsbury—better known as ROLE MODEL—is already a star. Whether it’s his past relationship with influencer Emma Chamberlain or his babygirl boy-next-door image, he has built up a loyal fanbase over the years.
But 2025 is shaping up to be his biggest year yet. He’s already an opening act for Gracie Abrams’s The Secret of Us Tour, and his latest indie pop single, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out,” is currently making waves on the internet.
Beyond just the music, ROLE MODEL has mastered the art of fan engagement on social media. His alternate TikTok account @saintlaurentcowboy boasts nearly half a million followers, where he shares candid and off-the-cuff snippets of his life. I reckon his ability to assemble this level of fan connection will surely pay off in the long run.
Olivia Dean
At this point, it seems safe to bet on a Sabrina Carpenter opener, and Olivia Dean is yet another one that’s firmly on my radar. She will be joining Carpenter on tour later this year, but the English singer-songwriter is already off to a good start to 2025 already, landing a track on the new Bridget Jones sequel film—‘It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be.”
With her soulful voice and a relatable Gen Z energy in her songwriting, Dean has the potential to move a lot of young listeners with her music.
sombr
Admittedly, I first discovered sombr through his collaboration with Rachel Chinouriri, but I do see a lot of potential in the indie singer-songwriter. He’s another one who’s still crafting his artistic identity, dropping singles in a steady fashion that would hopefully culminate in a full-length album this year.
sombr’s hazy and melancholic vibe is perfect for late night overthinking and the most gut-wrenching TikTok fan edits you’ll ever see. He exudes that exact sad boy charm that will surely make fangirls swoon, and it feels like only a matter of time before he cements himself as internet’s favorite sad boy.
Sarah Kinsley
Sarah Kinsley’s alternative sensibilities suggest she’s the type of artist who’ll remain no bigger than an indie underdog, but in today’s unpredictable music landscape, who really knows?
What’s undeniable is her striking and bold voice that immediately sets her apart from most artists. There’s a richness to her voice that feels both grand and intimate, and in her anthem “The King,” you can really feel the weight of her words so strongly as she sings with such stirring conviction.
Fun fact: Kingsley spent her teenage years in Singapore and cites Lorde’s Melodrama as a major artistic inspiration. Maybe that’s why I’m already so biased.
Here’s a playlist to get you acquainted with these artists!
Loved this! It gave me some new artists to check out so I’m grateful for that! I agree, it’s a safe bet that any opener for a big artist like Sabrina or Gracie will gain so many new listeners. Alessi Rose is an artist I think might see overnight success soon. I can’t stop listening to her right now. Her sound is very much like Olivia Rodrigo’s to me
ummm okay, great minds think alike because I've been listening non-stop to Rachel, Chloe, and Sarah! I also just wrote a Substack post on the intersection of fashion and indie pop girlie music because this is all that occupies my brain, haha. I'd say that Maude Latour and Emei are ones to watch as well.