14 Comments
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mackenzie may's avatar

loved my first listen to what a devastating turn of events a few months ago, can't wait to play it back as the year ends!

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Sema's avatar

the replay value is endless!

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emma radosevich's avatar

Rachel Chinouriri!! I didn’t know she was going to open for Sabrina, good for her. My indie sleeper darling is Monica Martin. Idk if she wants the spotlight, but she is gorgeous and has the voice of an angel.

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Sema's avatar

just checked out Monica Martin, wow that voice! thank you for introducing me to a new artist!

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Madeline Perkins's avatar

i started listening to rachel chinouriri bc of you!! i’m in nyc rn and gracie abrams is playing radio city music hall—no way she’s in venues that small for much longer! can’t wait for you to quote-tweet this article in 3 years when every prediction comes true ✨

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Sema's avatar

thats so awesome to hear, rachel's music is so good! Yeah Gracie be selling out bigger venues for sure soon, i hope you enjoyed her show! ahah thank you, really excited to see how all these artists impact pop culture in a few years!

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sarah duignan, phd's avatar

ahhh i love this list!!! nissan altima by doechii has been on repeat for me lately and i can’t wait to see what else tyla comes up with! excited to check out the artists here im not familiar with

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Sema's avatar

So happy you love the list! "Nissan Altima" is such a vibe, and I can’t wait to see what Tyla does next too, she has so much potential! Hope you enjoy the other artists!

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allegra heart's avatar

i would argue that these are already big name pop stars!

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Sema's avatar
Oct 5Edited

hmm, I tried to see it from your perspective but I disagree. The first 3 are stars who have had their moment but are still on the rise. But my actual list is made up of artists who just released their debut album/EP or are just starting to make noise. None of these artists are that known for their music. Sometimes virality/internet discourse skews people into thinking they’re bigger than they are hence they’re still stars on the rise to becoming much bigger names in pop.

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allegra heart's avatar

sure! these are also famous people who are multimillionaires but i hear that they aren’t like, taylor swift level famous!

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allegra heart's avatar

along with millions of monthly listeners on streaming platforms. i would say that “rising” is a stretch that’s all!

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Cherrelle's avatar

This was exactly what I was thinking myself.

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Sema's avatar

I understand both your perspective, but if we’re playing the numbers game, none of the artists on my actual list, not the first 3 are selling out arenas or have even cracked the top 40s on Billboard. If I asked people outside to name a song, they likely couldn’t. My Substack focuses on pop music and its sub-genres, so I’m not here to recommend obscure artists. I'm highlighting those who are known but haven’t fully broken through to the general public—those who aren’t chronically online. These artists are still building their cultural impact. Definitions can vary, but when I say 'rising stars,' I mean artists who are on the path to becoming established in pop music. I’m focusing on truly the art since everyone loves to talk about numbers, but I’m not a music label—it’s not my business. If I focused on who’s famous and a millionaire, then anyone could be considered a star these days! Streaming numbers and money don't always equal lasting influence. It seems like the internet and I got the definition wrong! Fame can be perceived differently, but I see these artists working toward becoming established in pop artists beyond just numbers.

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