Photo:Ninja Hanna; Myles Henrik; Chase Denton; Philipp Raheem
Ninja Hanna; Myles Henrik; Chase Denton; Philipp Raheem
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Ramon Vega
Handré IsaÃ
Looking for something refreshing in Latin music?Ramon Vega’s charm and catchy tunes are the way to go.
The rising star — whose uncle is the legendary “El Shaka” Vega and whose brother and father led Conelio Vega y su Dinastia — is making waves with his unique sounds.
“When I make music I always try to be honest with myself, and I feel that in every song I make,” Vega, who grew up in the desert outpost of Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, tells PEOPLE.
“In my childhood I was a very restless child, and then I learned to play the accordion, then the guitar, the piano, etc., and I feel that you can hear those sounds in my music,” he adds. “I grew up with Mexican music, and you can hear that sound in my music too, but if it makes me happy to do a reggaetón, you will hear me in do reggaetón, or funk or trap or house or a corrido. But always being honest with myself, always doing everything with love and respect for the art is my goal."
“At 8 years old I started playing the sixth bass, and that’s where I started doing regional Mexican music covers for YouTube and Facebook,” he says.
Earlier this month, Vega released “mE vALe maDRE,” where he used an irresistible tune and his sense of humor to essentially say “I don’t care” over and over. Now, he’s working on his next body of work.
When he’s creating music, inspiration “comes from the place, the context of that moment or that day in which I am creating, because just as there are good days, there are also bad ones.”
He adds, “Most of the time the inspiration begins to come from my memories. I really like composing with my guitar and my friends.”
Listen to “mE vALe maDRE”here.
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Alicia Creti
Alicia Creti.Anthony Campusano
Anthony Campusano
Despite her lifelong musicianship,Alicia Creticould’ve been working in finance right now if things went differently.
“When I was about 7 years old, I wrote my first song and was so eager to show it to my mom, she quickly put me in piano lessons,” the Montreal native, 24, tells PEOPLE. “It’s been me, the piano and the pen ever since.”
“I have always written music about anything and everything I was going through, it’s what got me through life’s obstacles, whether it was pain, grief, love or joy,” says Creti. “I tend to think in song, as if my life has a soundtrack, I’ve always been wired this way.”
Check out Creti’s latest single “Strange,” and you’ll be belting out its chorus in no time.
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Rowan Drake
Chase Denton
Making music is a part of whoRowan Drakeis — and he hopes to provide a sense of escape for his listeners, even if it’s just for a moment.
“It was a natural and essential way to release emotions when they could not be expressed otherwise,” he tells PEOPLE.
“It’s the place where all my songs have unfolded and a place where my life feels as if it resumes. I think that while being here I will inevitably boil over emotionally in some way. This will lead, as it always does, to creation,” he says. “Some creations are just my own and others find their way to the world and become everyone’s.”
Reflecting on the one thing he would like people to know about him, Drake says that most people who listen to his music “only see me in moments when I feel broken” but not his joyful moments.
“Most of the time the same people who see and listen to my darkest moments are responsible for bringing me great joy and I regret that they don’t know this side of me," he says.
Listen to Drake’sDear Ella.
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Destroy Lonely
Destroy Lonely.Myles Henrik Hall
Myles Henrik Hall
Rap music is inDestroy Lonely’s blood, but he’s paving his own path.
“I started with music in a studio at my school and a studio at my close friend’s house. From there, I recorded myself often until I finally got into a professional studio,” Destroy Lonely tells PEOPLE. Eventually, he got signed to Playboi Carti’s Opium label and has since toured with the “Miss the Rage” hitmaker as well as performed his own headlining shows. “Honestly, I just wanted to inspire and do more, and I knew I had a story to tell.”
Destroy Lonely describes his melodic and moody style of hip-hop as “a sonic lifestyle or an audio painting.” Less than two months after releasing the 26-trackIf Looks Could Kill, he’s already working on new music. “I’m just trying to expand my world [and] allow different places for all my fans to go,” says the rapper.
Take a listen to Destroy Lonely’s guitar-laced single, “If Looks Could Kill.”
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Towa Bird
Thong Luc
Towa Birdis a forced to be reckoned with.
The Hong Kong-born rising star started playing guitar at 12 years old and formed her first band at the age of 14. She went on to study at Goldsmiths, University of London and dropped out after two years to pursue her love of music.
“I never really thought [music] was going to be my job — and that I’d actually be able to support myself,” she tells PEOPLE. “I assumed that I would be juggling a full-time job and music would be my side hustle. I only found that those things could intersect as it was happening. Lucky me.”
The singer-songwriter finished her forthcoming debut albumAmerican Herolast year — and now she’s gearing up for upcoming live performances where she’ll open for Reneé Rapp.
“I’ve been excitedly putting together my live show. Performing live is really the first place where I found my adoration for music,” she says. “Opening for Reneé Rapp this autumn makes me very proud. I’m honored to be able to perform for her audience.”
Her upcoming album is expected to be an “exploration of queerness, identity, and the complexities of love,” per a press release, and largely documents her relationship. Her girlfriend, along with her friends and her home are her main inspirations in her music.
Watch the music videos for singles“Wild Heart”and“Boomerang.”
06of 23COBRAHCOBRAH.Ninja HannaWith provocative bangers like “Good Puss” and “Brand New Bitch,”COBRAH’s done a complete 180 since her days as an elementary school teacher.Hailing from Sweden, the 26-year-old electronic performer released her debut single in 2018 while she was still teaching. In 2020, she left her job to pursue musicianship full-time and follow the buzz she was receiving online.“I’ve always had this passion since I could remember that I wanted to be an artist and perform, so from a very young age I started playing music and trying different instruments,” COBRAH tells PEOPLE. “It wasn’t until I was 20 I really started getting into the music I do now and [becoming] more of a sound design and production nerd.”It’s clearly paying off, as she’s since taken her bombastic sound, self-described as “bass heavy beats with dirty hooks,” around the world on tour both solo and with Charli XCX. Two years after dropping a self-titled EP, she’s in the midst of crafting new music — but she won’t be rushed.“I’ve been trying to do things to get me inspired, but it never works,” explains COBRAH. “I think creation comes from within, and so nowadays things come to me when I do the most mundane things like taking a shower.”Next time you’re at a house party, queue up COBRAH’s latest single, “SUCK.”
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COBRAH
COBRAH.Ninja Hanna
Ninja Hanna
With provocative bangers like “Good Puss” and “Brand New Bitch,”COBRAH’s done a complete 180 since her days as an elementary school teacher.
Hailing from Sweden, the 26-year-old electronic performer released her debut single in 2018 while she was still teaching. In 2020, she left her job to pursue musicianship full-time and follow the buzz she was receiving online.
“I’ve always had this passion since I could remember that I wanted to be an artist and perform, so from a very young age I started playing music and trying different instruments,” COBRAH tells PEOPLE. “It wasn’t until I was 20 I really started getting into the music I do now and [becoming] more of a sound design and production nerd.”
It’s clearly paying off, as she’s since taken her bombastic sound, self-described as “bass heavy beats with dirty hooks,” around the world on tour both solo and with Charli XCX. Two years after dropping a self-titled EP, she’s in the midst of crafting new music — but she won’t be rushed.
“I’ve been trying to do things to get me inspired, but it never works,” explains COBRAH. “I think creation comes from within, and so nowadays things come to me when I do the most mundane things like taking a shower.”
Next time you’re at a house party, queue up COBRAH’s latest single, “SUCK.”
07of 23Elevator BoysElevator Boys.Johannes KapolElevator Boysare taking music to the next level this summer.The 5-part boy band is a friend group from Berlin includingJacob Rott,Bene Schulz,Tim Schaecker,Julien BrownandLuis Freitag, who got their start on social media.“We work really hard for everything. What many people don’t know is that we founded our own company a year ago with our own team,” Brown tells PEOPLE. “We manage ourselves, create products, invest in new businesses, and are always reaching for new goals. If you are an influencer and you try to branch into different areas like music or acting, you have to work twice as hard to achieve it because people will judge you.”He adds, “When we started with ourTikToks in elevators, people made jokes about it and thought that we would be gone in a second. We didn’t listen to them and just proved them wrong. Now we will do the same with music.”The group’s debut single “Runaway” will drop on July 21, and they’re currently hard at work in the studio.“We are working non-stop and always aiming for the next goal. Sometimes it all gets too much and we need a break. Mental health is a very important topic for us. Our song should be an anthem for everyone who can relate to that,” says Schaecker, with Freitag adding, “It’s also a great tune for the summer. We all love it so much and can’t wait to listen to it on the radio!”As for their introduction to music, Rott says the band was enjoying their time together and waiting for the right moment to enter the scene — now they’re full speed ahead.“We received some music opportunities a while ago, but it never felt right. We wanted to focus more on our friendships and other projects. However, people always called us the boy band that doesn’t sing,” he says.“So, after some time, we decided to go into the studio in Los Angeles to write and produce some songs. There was no pressure or real goal behind it; we just hung out and experimented. After three days in the studio, all of us were so excited and hyped about the results that we knew we had to become a real boy band!”He concludes, “That was 8 months ago, and since then, we have been working non-stop on it: taking weekly vocal lessons, writing songs, learning how to produce, and talking to music executives. We are involved in everything. It’s our highest priority now, and we love it.”Look out for their debut single on July 21.
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Elevator Boys
Elevator Boys.Johannes Kapol
Johannes Kapol
Elevator Boysare taking music to the next level this summer.
The 5-part boy band is a friend group from Berlin includingJacob Rott,Bene Schulz,Tim Schaecker,Julien BrownandLuis Freitag, who got their start on social media.
“We work really hard for everything. What many people don’t know is that we founded our own company a year ago with our own team,” Brown tells PEOPLE. “We manage ourselves, create products, invest in new businesses, and are always reaching for new goals. If you are an influencer and you try to branch into different areas like music or acting, you have to work twice as hard to achieve it because people will judge you.”
He adds, “When we started with ourTikToks in elevators, people made jokes about it and thought that we would be gone in a second. We didn’t listen to them and just proved them wrong. Now we will do the same with music.”
The group’s debut single “Runaway” will drop on July 21, and they’re currently hard at work in the studio.
“We are working non-stop and always aiming for the next goal. Sometimes it all gets too much and we need a break. Mental health is a very important topic for us. Our song should be an anthem for everyone who can relate to that,” says Schaecker, with Freitag adding, “It’s also a great tune for the summer. We all love it so much and can’t wait to listen to it on the radio!”
As for their introduction to music, Rott says the band was enjoying their time together and waiting for the right moment to enter the scene — now they’re full speed ahead.
“We received some music opportunities a while ago, but it never felt right. We wanted to focus more on our friendships and other projects. However, people always called us the boy band that doesn’t sing,” he says.
“So, after some time, we decided to go into the studio in Los Angeles to write and produce some songs. There was no pressure or real goal behind it; we just hung out and experimented. After three days in the studio, all of us were so excited and hyped about the results that we knew we had to become a real boy band!”
He concludes, “That was 8 months ago, and since then, we have been working non-stop on it: taking weekly vocal lessons, writing songs, learning how to produce, and talking to music executives. We are involved in everything. It’s our highest priority now, and we love it.”
Look out for their debut single on July 21.
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Sizzy Rocket
Sizzy Rocket.Angelo Kritikos
Angelo Kritikos
Nothing has ever come more naturally toSizzy Rocketthan music.
The eclectic pop singer-songwriter, born Sabrina Bernstein, got her start performing locally as a child and eventually “found the power of my voice.” She’s since collaborated with the likes of Run the Jewels and toured the world with high-energy concerts that would convince attendees she’s a full-on punk artist.
Despite her rowdy energy, however, she’s more reserved IRL than one might expect. “Yes, I’m a crazy rockstar but in my daily life I’m more of a poet, introverted and quiet. I love to read and my favorite thing to do is go to this cute French spot in my neighborhood and just scribble down poetry and sit there with a glass of wine or a coffee,” Rocket says. “It’s so powerful to be able to tap into this extreme confidence through my persona and going all out on stage will always be part of who I am — but Sabrina, without the persona, is more of a writer.”
A true sonic anomaly, she’s created within pop, rock and alternative genres in the past. But right now, she’s working on “feral club rat bangers” that might just blow up your speakers. “I’m working on an EP, and the whole thing is a completely new sound for me,” says Rocket. “For me, it’s all about making a statement — like, I want to get into your subconscious.”
Put on your loudest headphones and blast Rocket’s latest single, “MOMMY.”
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Saleka
Saleka.Philipp Raheem
Philipp Raheem
Salekais that soothing soul you’ll need on your playlist this summer.
The Philadelphia native started playing piano at 4 years old: “My piano teacher was very passionate, and her belief in me made me take it very seriously at a young age,” she tells PEOPLE.
She continues, “As I got older, I started falling in love with composition, singing, and other genres of music, so classical music turned into song writing and production.”
“My grandma — who is the coolest lady, I hang out with her everyday — was supposed to finish a high school level education in India and have an arranged marriage. Instead, she fought her way to college at 14, med school at 16, then married for love, moved across the world with no money and quickly rose to the top of her field despite being one of very few female doctors."
She adds, “There are many stories like this in my family. Their bravery and lifelong work are what created the safety and security for my sisters and I to pursue careers in what we love. I owe everything to them.”
Listen to her debut albumhere.
10of 23BAYLIBAYLI.Emerson Kane & Charlotte RutherfordBAYLImight have multiple careers’ worth of music under her belt, but she’s still just getting started.Born and raised in New York City, the singer-songwriter launched into musicianship as a backup singer for indie bands when she was a teen and later played in an alternative band called The Skins that toured with the likes of DNCE.“The professional aspect happened quickly and felt happenstance,” BAYLI tells PEOPLE. “My early band members and I started receiving major, national tour offers and a record deal after being a band for just one year.”After the group disbanded, she went solo and has since released two EPs and worked with artists likeGia Woods, iLoveMakonnen and the late SOPHIE. Along the way, she’s established herself as one of the first openly lesbian pop stars — though her music surpasses genre. “The best way to describe my sound is that it’s simply BAYLI,” she notes.The performer’s gearing up to release a new single later this summer called “BOTH!,” and she’s also in the midst of working on her next project, which she hopes is her “most meaningful yet.” But it’s in the beginning stages.“I’m mostly in the studio, collecting inspiration and looking for opportunities to work with the most elite collaborators, including many artists I’ve looked up to for years, to help make this project the best my fans have ever seen from me,” teases BAYLI.While you await BAYLI’s next single, get yourself hyped with her recent one, “Telly Bag.”
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BAYLI
BAYLI.Emerson Kane & Charlotte Rutherford
Emerson Kane & Charlotte Rutherford
BAYLImight have multiple careers’ worth of music under her belt, but she’s still just getting started.
Born and raised in New York City, the singer-songwriter launched into musicianship as a backup singer for indie bands when she was a teen and later played in an alternative band called The Skins that toured with the likes of DNCE.
“The professional aspect happened quickly and felt happenstance,” BAYLI tells PEOPLE. “My early band members and I started receiving major, national tour offers and a record deal after being a band for just one year.”
After the group disbanded, she went solo and has since released two EPs and worked with artists likeGia Woods, iLoveMakonnen and the late SOPHIE. Along the way, she’s established herself as one of the first openly lesbian pop stars — though her music surpasses genre. “The best way to describe my sound is that it’s simply BAYLI,” she notes.
The performer’s gearing up to release a new single later this summer called “BOTH!,” and she’s also in the midst of working on her next project, which she hopes is her “most meaningful yet.” But it’s in the beginning stages.
“I’m mostly in the studio, collecting inspiration and looking for opportunities to work with the most elite collaborators, including many artists I’ve looked up to for years, to help make this project the best my fans have ever seen from me,” teases BAYLI.
While you await BAYLI’s next single, get yourself hyped with her recent one, “Telly Bag.”
11of 23Sammy WilkAaron SnaidermanSammy Wilk’s music will get the vibes going this summer.Wilk grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was introduced to reggae and his guitar — giving him a foundation to create a unique sound that’s perfect for the summer.“I find a lot of my inspiration from just experiencing life,” Wilk, who started out as a rapper, tells PEOPLE.He adds, “Most of the songs I write are based off my personal experiences and feelings, whether that’s about girls or partying, but I can also take inspiration from other people’s perspectives on situations and the angle that they’re coming from.”His talent caught the attention of Ky-Mani Marley and they collaborated to release the song “Light Up.”Currently working on an EP, Wilk says he’s “really excited” about it and has “found” his sound — which he describes as “indie surfer music.”“In Between” his life as a musician, Wilk wants readers to know that he’s also just a regular guy.“I go through life, try to enjoy myself and not take myself too seriously. I also really try to keep a good balance in my life between working out and eating healthy, to indulging in a few drinks with friends and having fun on the weekends.”Listen to his latest single“Red & Gold.”
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Sammy Wilk
Aaron Snaiderman
Sammy Wilk’s music will get the vibes going this summer.
Wilk grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was introduced to reggae and his guitar — giving him a foundation to create a unique sound that’s perfect for the summer.
“I find a lot of my inspiration from just experiencing life,” Wilk, who started out as a rapper, tells PEOPLE.
He adds, “Most of the songs I write are based off my personal experiences and feelings, whether that’s about girls or partying, but I can also take inspiration from other people’s perspectives on situations and the angle that they’re coming from.”
His talent caught the attention of Ky-Mani Marley and they collaborated to release the song “Light Up.”
Currently working on an EP, Wilk says he’s “really excited” about it and has “found” his sound — which he describes as “indie surfer music.”
“In Between” his life as a musician, Wilk wants readers to know that he’s also just a regular guy.
“I go through life, try to enjoy myself and not take myself too seriously. I also really try to keep a good balance in my life between working out and eating healthy, to indulging in a few drinks with friends and having fun on the weekends.”
Listen to his latest single“Red & Gold.”
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Trevor Daniel
Trevor Daniel.Courtesy of Trevor Daniel
Courtesy of Trevor Daniel
Trevor Danielhas scored hits and collaborated with stars like Selena Gomez, Bebe Rexha and Julia Michaels — but he’s not merely chasing fame.
“I feel like a lot of people make music because they think it’s a cool thing to do or to chase some subjective level of fame but that’s not why I’m in this,” Daniel, 28, tells PEOPLE. “I just want to make songs that I think are sick and that invite people to discover a universe of music where they can connect to what they’re feeling about their life and have a good time.”
At the moment, Daniel’s crafting his next album,Sad Now Doesn’t Mean Sad Forever. “The overall vibe is to recognize that whatever feels overwhelming that you’re going through, it doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck in these feelings forever,” he teases of the upcoming project, for which he’ll soon reveal the release date. “There’s so much goodness to be found if we all learn to keep going.”
Take a drive and play Daniel’s new single “Heartstrings” through your speakers.
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Micky James
Brooke Yarsinky
Micky Jamesmakes “glamourous, dirty pop music” that David Bowie fans will eat up!
The rising star was born and raised in Philadelphia and New York City, where he developed an affinity for theatrical performances and knew that’s what he wanted to do with his life.
“I grew up in a very musical family which led me to picking up the guitar at a very young age,” James tells PEOPLE. “My dad introduced me to The Beatles first, and my cousins and uncle introduced me to a variety of different artists — such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, etc.”
Adding, “From my teenage years on I performed in many bands, which led me to drop out of school and pursue music professionally. From there it was a whirlwind — I started my first band as a frontman and got signed to a major label. Eventually, that group disbanded, leading me to my current project as a solo artist.”
He recently released “Loner of the Year,” which is the title track from his forthcoming EP: “I want this EP to sound like a party record for the loners.”
From his eccentric fashion to his exuberant demeanor, James has a knack for embracing what makes him unique.
Listen to“Loner of the Year”here.
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Delacey
Delacey.Lissy Laricchia
Lissy Laricchia
You’ve already heardDelacey’s lyrics. Now, get ready to hear them directly from her.
After co-writing smash hits like Halsey’s “Without Me” and Dove Cameron’s “Boyfriend,” the California native has released her second album,The Girl Has a Dream— her latest product from a lifelong love of songwriting and performing.
“I always knew I would pursue [musicianship], which was kind of a problem for me because it made me super distracted and bad at putting an effort into school growing up. I barely showed up to high school ever,” Delacey admits to PEOPLE, noting that she started out with “no actual connections” in the music industry.
Little did the singer-songwriter know, she’d go on to write massive, diamond-certified songs. “I was definitely naive, but there is something beautiful about that,” says Delacey. “Once you really get into the music industry, you lose that and become kind of jaded.”
On the new album, her vulnerability is displayed through serene, crisp vocals over pristine lyricism, for which she draws inspiration from “sadness, love, seeing the world, living experiences and not just being in the studio 24/7.”
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Bruno Major
Neil Krug
Bruno Majoris making his dad proud.
“I started in music because my dad played guitar and I think everybody wants to be like their dad, don’t they? And he always had guitars lying around the house and I used to pick them up but they were way too big for me,” Major tells PEOPLE. “So for Christmas when I was 6 years old, they bought me a tiny guitar and that was that.”
At the age of 16, he decided that he would give guitar his all and started playing every day — the rest was history.
The rising star is gearing up for the release of his forthcoming and most ambitious album to date titledColumboon July 21.
“I feel that it is the culmination of everything I’ve been working towards artistically achieving my whole life really. The way I viewed becoming an artist was, I’d learn to play my instruments and then I’d learn to write the songs and then I’d learn how to make the records,” he says.
Adding, “I figured if I had all three legs of the tripod, then making an album would be really easy. But it turns out that making an album is actually a skill in itself. And I think that making my third album, I feel more complete as an artist and more comfortable saying my own truth and more comfortable in my own skin. It really came together more naturally.”
With a platinum-certified single under his belt, Major says he finds inspiration in the world around him and what her obtains from listening to his friends.
As for his sound, there’s no better way to describe it than “chicken soup.”
Listen to his latest single“Tell Her.”
16of 23SofteeSoftee.Meghan MarshallSofteewants you to know three things about her: “I have a bangin’ personality, a sick body and I’m gay as all hell.”Hailing from Minnesota, the singer-songwriter (whose real name is Nina Grollman) has acted in musical theater productions off-Broadway in addition to her pop career. “I started singing really young,” Softee tells PEOPLE. “I would singLion Kingkaraoke all day and make my dad grade me on the songs when he came home from work.”She began producing her own cover songs in middle school using a “primitive free software” and found libration in taking “control” of her sound. “I didn’t pursue music professionally until after college, and even then it was not necessarily with the intention of being a professional musician,” says Softee. “I just needed a creative outlet, and music was that avenue for me.”Last month, she released her second albumNatural, a collection of funky, danceable DIY pop songs largely about finding love with her current fiancée after a rough breakup. “I’d say it’s queer pop fantasia with a sprinkle of existential angst,” she describes her sound.Put Softee’s song “Isn’t Enough” on the playlist for your next dance party.
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Softee
Softee.Meghan Marshall
Meghan Marshall
Softeewants you to know three things about her: “I have a bangin’ personality, a sick body and I’m gay as all hell.”
Hailing from Minnesota, the singer-songwriter (whose real name is Nina Grollman) has acted in musical theater productions off-Broadway in addition to her pop career. “I started singing really young,” Softee tells PEOPLE. “I would singLion Kingkaraoke all day and make my dad grade me on the songs when he came home from work.”
She began producing her own cover songs in middle school using a “primitive free software” and found libration in taking “control” of her sound. “I didn’t pursue music professionally until after college, and even then it was not necessarily with the intention of being a professional musician,” says Softee. “I just needed a creative outlet, and music was that avenue for me.”
Last month, she released her second albumNatural, a collection of funky, danceable DIY pop songs largely about finding love with her current fiancée after a rough breakup. “I’d say it’s queer pop fantasia with a sprinkle of existential angst,” she describes her sound.
Put Softee’s song “Isn’t Enough” on the playlist for your next dance party.
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John Summit
Looking for that perfect summertime movie montage song to drive to?John Summitis your guy.
Summit earned his Master’s degree in accounting and worked as a CPA at a big-four accounting firm — but his love was always in the music.
“Not wanting to be a CPA for the rest of my life was all of the motivation I needed and I ultimately worked my ass off to make music my full-time job,” says Summit, who would DJ at bars in college.
Now, Summit finds inspiration for his music while he’s driving on tour.
“I find inspiration from traveling and seeing the world while on the road touring, and those experiences can bring the biggest inspiration for producing,” he says. “I’m actually currently in Zagreb, Croatia for the first time ever playing a show tonight, and getting to experience new styles of music and cultures from across is certainly inspiring!”
Up next, the rising star is gearing up to release a remix of one of his “all-time favorite songs” and a collaboration.
For Summit, no one sound defines him besides “killer drums” and a “great baseline.”
Listen to“Where You Are”now.
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Anna Shoemaker
Anna Shoemaker.Josefine Cardoni
Josefine Cardoni
Anna Shoemaker’s music is “alt-pop to scream-sing and play air guitar to in the car.”
The Philadelphia native, 27, has been making music since she was a child, using the art form to express feelings too tough to say out loud. “I was really emotional and painfully shy as a kid — everything sort of felt like the end of the world,” Shoemaker tells PEOPLE. “Writing was the one thing that really felt like a release and even as I’ve grown up, I still feel that way.”
Before the album comes to fruition, get into Shoemaker’s angsty banger, “666.”
19of 23Hannah DasherJeremy RyanDash — don’t walk to listen toHannah Dasher’s music!Before the rising country star could speak, she started to sing.“‘90s country radio, particularly. Alan Jackson’s ‘Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow’ inspired me to make that dream a reality,” she tells PEOPLE.Dasher is gearing up to release her new albumThe Other Damn Halfin August. Currently, she’s working on a music video for her song “I’m Gonna Whoop Your Redneck Ass,” which she teases as a “hoot” and will feature “lots of celebrity cameos.”The singer-songwriter would also like to set the record straight on one thing: “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not actually dating theCornbread Cowboi, though he is one of my best friends.”She labels her sound as “’90s-infused country rock” and finds inspiration from “great music”: “from being fresh in love to being fresh out of it.”Listen to “Cryin’ All the Way to the Bank.”
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Hannah Dasher
Jeremy Ryan
Dash — don’t walk to listen toHannah Dasher’s music!
Before the rising country star could speak, she started to sing.
“‘90s country radio, particularly. Alan Jackson’s ‘Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow’ inspired me to make that dream a reality,” she tells PEOPLE.
Dasher is gearing up to release her new albumThe Other Damn Halfin August. Currently, she’s working on a music video for her song “I’m Gonna Whoop Your Redneck Ass,” which she teases as a “hoot” and will feature “lots of celebrity cameos.”
The singer-songwriter would also like to set the record straight on one thing: “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not actually dating theCornbread Cowboi, though he is one of my best friends.”
She labels her sound as “’90s-infused country rock” and finds inspiration from “great music”: “from being fresh in love to being fresh out of it.”
Listen to “Cryin’ All the Way to the Bank."
20of 23Levi EvansLeandro LaraLevi Evansis paving his own way in music.Evans — who is the son of U2’s The Edge — started playing instruments at a young age and hopes that his authenticity will shine through his music.“Authenticity is important to me and I hope my audience can gather that from my work,” he tells PEOPLE.Currently working on his first body of work, an EP titledHead Chatter,the rising star says fans can expect exactly what the title describes.“[It’s about] all the chatter in my head making its way into music. It is scheduled to come out in the fall of this year.”Though he comes from a musical family, Evans developed his passion for creating music in an after school music production class in high school.“Initially I was making weird electronic instrumentals but that changed when I switched high schools,” he says.He adds, “At Santa Monica High, I started making hip-hop style beats and writing lyrics with my new friends there. That’s when I got really passionate about it. In college, I dove deeper into music and decided that’s what I really wanted to do professionally. I wanted — or more had to — follow that passion.“As for his inspiration, Evans finds it in “live performance”: “New to the live realm, I am learning very quickly how my music translates to a live audience. A song connects or it doesn’t.“Listen to his latest single“Chronic.”
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Levi Evans
Leandro Lara
Levi Evansis paving his own way in music.
Evans — who is the son of U2’s The Edge — started playing instruments at a young age and hopes that his authenticity will shine through his music.
“Authenticity is important to me and I hope my audience can gather that from my work,” he tells PEOPLE.
Currently working on his first body of work, an EP titledHead Chatter,the rising star says fans can expect exactly what the title describes.
“[It’s about] all the chatter in my head making its way into music. It is scheduled to come out in the fall of this year.”
Though he comes from a musical family, Evans developed his passion for creating music in an after school music production class in high school.
“Initially I was making weird electronic instrumentals but that changed when I switched high schools,” he says.
He adds, “At Santa Monica High, I started making hip-hop style beats and writing lyrics with my new friends there. That’s when I got really passionate about it. In college, I dove deeper into music and decided that’s what I really wanted to do professionally. I wanted — or more had to — follow that passion.”
As for his inspiration, Evans finds it in “live performance”: “New to the live realm, I am learning very quickly how my music translates to a live audience. A song connects or it doesn’t.”
Listen to his latest single“Chronic.”
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Girl Scout
Alvin Lindblom
Girl Scoutis the perfect addition to your European summer vacation playlist.
“We’ve all dabbled from an early age, the biggest catalyst for me was probably entering the jazz scene and discovering how limitlessly creative music could be,” lead singer Emma tells PEOPLE of the four-piece band, which also includes Evelina Arvidsson Eklind, Per Lindberg and Viktor Spasov.
She continues, “Not to say that creativity is limited to any one genre but jazz and improvisation really opened up a whole new world for me. I tried being a realist for a long time and thought I would become a music teacher or vocal coach at some point; we didn’t really think playing in a band was an option. We genuinely fell into making this our main job when we landed a record deal like six months into starting the band. I am so happy we did though!”
The band’s second EP, titledGranny Music, is set for an October release. They’re also gearing up for a series of shows in the fall as they record new music in their “tiny” recording studio in Stockholm.
As a group, they are just “a bunch of music nerds that are really into what we do.”
Soak in that Girl Scout spirit with their latest single”Boy in Blue.”
22of 23KaniiAngelo KritikosKaniiis a creative in every way.The rising star decided at the age of 12 that he would chase his dreams and pursue music as a career.“I’ve been singing since childhood, and I grew up listening to a lot of Motown and a lot of 2000s pop and R&B like Beyoncé and Keyshia Cole,” Kanii tells PEOPLE.He’s currently working on his second EP, which he says is going to be a “sonic step up” from his debut EP.“I am constantly changing and evolving as an artist, so this next work of art should encapsulate the musical growth from the first,” he explains.Meanwhile, his sound is a combination of everything he enjoys: “I generally don’t conform to one style or genre; I like creating things that I would personally enjoy; I don’t want people to have an expectation of the same sound from me. I want people always leave satisfied when they do hear something new from me, no matter what the sound or genre is.”You may also recognize Kanii from his viral song “I Know” on TikTok — which also landed him on theBillboardHot 100.Listen to his debut EPexiit.
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Kanii
Kaniiis a creative in every way.
The rising star decided at the age of 12 that he would chase his dreams and pursue music as a career.
“I’ve been singing since childhood, and I grew up listening to a lot of Motown and a lot of 2000s pop and R&B like Beyoncé and Keyshia Cole,” Kanii tells PEOPLE.
He’s currently working on his second EP, which he says is going to be a “sonic step up” from his debut EP.
“I am constantly changing and evolving as an artist, so this next work of art should encapsulate the musical growth from the first,” he explains.
Meanwhile, his sound is a combination of everything he enjoys: “I generally don’t conform to one style or genre; I like creating things that I would personally enjoy; I don’t want people to have an expectation of the same sound from me. I want people always leave satisfied when they do hear something new from me, no matter what the sound or genre is.”
You may also recognize Kanii from his viral song “I Know” on TikTok — which also landed him on theBillboardHot 100.
Listen to his debut EPexiit.
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Palehound
Palehound.Tonje Thilesen
Tonje Thilesen
El Kempner ofPalehoundfinds strength in songwriting.
“My dad is a great musician, and I grew up always hearing him play guitar. He started giving me lessons when I was 7 and I immediately became obsessed. It felt so powerful to be able to learn and play songs I loved and make them my own,” the musician, 29, tells PEOPLE. “It just always felt like the only path that would make me happy.”
The band’s next album,Eye on the Bat, is set to drop on July 14, and Kempner’s been busy planning out their next set of concerts. “I’ve had these songs written since 2020 and have been dying to get a chance to bring them to life at a show,” they say. “We just started rehearsals and it feels incredible to get to play them for the first time with my bandmates.”
Before you check Palehound out on tour, listen to the band’s recent single, “My Evil.”
source: people.com
