15 Fresh Females Who Will Rule Pop In 2014
Say hello our fave up-and-coming ladies of 2014!
We're not even two full weeks into 2014, so we still feel like we're allowed to talk about the new year like it's a "thing," Specifically, if the "thing" we're referring to is all the totally rad ladies that are slated to kill the pop music game in the next 12 months!
Just in case you're not totally clear, we're talking up-and-coming U.K. songstress Elli Ingram, Jhené Aiko and Tori Kelly, prolific singer-songwriter Kate Davis, and tons more of our favorite females poised to take over music this year.
So without further ado, we present our picks for the 15 Fresh Females Who Will Rule Pop In 2014! Oh, and please see us after about signing our petition to officially designate 2014 as "The Year Of THE LADY!" Thx.
Who: Jhené Aiko
Where She's From: Los Angeles
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: Don't get us wrong -- 2013 was good to Jhené Aiko. Despite compulsively repeatable, brooding tracks like “The Worst," from her Sail Out EP, we're still waiting on this music industry vet's debut LP. Thankfully, that long-awaited collection will finally drop in 2014, and we're ready on every level.
+ Watch Jhené Aiko's "The Worst" video, and listen to "The Vapors" featuring Wiz Khalifa.
Who: Georgia Nott of BROODS
Where She's From: Auckland, New Zealand
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: If you haven't yet familiarized yourself with BROODS' utterly infectious brand of synth-pop (think if St. Lucia and Ellie Goulding became more than friends) then you're lucky we're here to help. Georgia Nott's pitch-perfect, ethereal lead vocals (is she always in an acoustically amazing church or shower?!) have already secured her a place in 2014's pop hierarchy.
BROODS' first single, "Bridges" debuted in the Top 10 on New Zealand's charts this month, and we'd be lying if we said we didn't also admire one of their famous fans: Lorde. The "Team" singer even tweeted about BROODS last year, which basically guarantees a pop culture groundswell.
+ Listen to BROODS' "Bridges."
Who: Mandy Lee of MisterWives
Where She's From: The Bronx
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: We've already crowned MisterWives "the new golden children of pop music" ever since we developed an unhealthy addiction to trio's "Reflections," which, by they way, was just chosen as iTunes' "Single Of The Week. (Coincidence? Probably not.)
There's basically no way that this upcoming year won't be a doozy for gifted (and gorgeous) lead singer Mandy Lee and her dudes. Oh, and considering the troupe has plans to record their debut disc this year as well, it's possible that total world destruction may also be in the cards for 2015, too.
+ Listen to MisterWives' "Reflections."
Who: Kate Davis
Where She's From: Portland, Ore.
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: We first introduced you to this soulful vocalist when she debuted her heart-twanging cover of Katy Perry's "Roar" to a group of VERY ADOPTABLE Humane Society cats. But it's Kate's poignant and moving original records that are sure to catapult her to Lorde levels this year. Seriously, prepare to ugly-cry when you first hear "Phillip."
Kate's already been selected as one of three winners to be featured at the Lincoln Center and Prudential's "Invest In The Future Of The American Song" event, which is really just a high-falutin' way to say GET INVOLVED. NOW.
+ Listen to Kate Davis' "Smoke" and "Movie."
Who: Betty Who
Where She's From: Sydney, Australia
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: Betty was catapulted to fame when her euphoric pop gem, "Somebody Loves You," soundtracked that viral Home Depot proposal video in late 2013. Next thing you know, Betty had signed a major recording contract with RCA and begun her upward trajectory toward queendom!
Now, Betty's hard at work recording her debut album, which is set to drop later this year. 2014? Our prediction? Britney meets Robyn meets GOD JUST PUT THAT ALBUM OUT ALREADY!
+ Watch Betty Who's "You're In Love" video.
Who: Tori Kelly
Where She's From: Wildomar, Calif.
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: We've been Stanning hard for Tori Kelly ever since we buzzed about her way back in -- *wipes dirt off shoulder* -- 2012! Now, the one-time YouTube star is on the express train to fame.
Tori was signed to Scooter Braun's house of music royalty (Justin Bieber, Cody Simpson, The Wanted, basically EVERYONE) last year, and her Mariah Carey-meets-Jill Scott-meets-Lauryn Hill-caliber pipes helped her ink a major deal with Capitol Records.
She later released her Forward EP to critical acclaim, and if you can listen to "Paper Hearts" without bawling, then check yourself into the nearest hospital and have them run a CAT scan to find your missing soul.
+ Watch Tori Kelly's "Dear No One" video.
Who: White Sea
Where She's From: Los Angeles
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: Singer-songwriter Morgan Kibby, aka White Sea, has a serious knack for crafting songs with lush, Kate Bush-level landscapes that may or may not make you weep heavily in public. (Just us?)
And, if the incredible “They Don’t Know" is indicative of anything, it's that 2014 is gonna be The Year Of White Sea. Oh, and that you should throw a massive listening party/ White Sea shrine-building event (craft night!) when White Sea's full-length disc, In Cold Blood, drops this year via Mom + Pop.
+ Listen to White Sea's "They Don't Know."
Who: Angel Haze
Where She's From: Detroit
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: Angel Haze means business. After frustrations with her label, the "Echelon (It's My Way)" rapper intentionally leaked her debut studio album, Dirty Gold, which bumped her official release to an earlier date. We imagine that same chutzpah's gonna get Angel anywhere she wants to in 2014, which presumably is at the top of the damn game.
Who: Foxes
Where She's From: Southampton, England
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: True, Foxes (aka Louisa Allen) had a killer 2013. "Clarity," her collaboration with DJ/ producer/ wunderkind Zedd, put her on the map, but it's thanks to strong releases like "Youth" that have us all crazy-eyed for the March 3 release of Glorious, her full-length debut LP.
+ Watch Foxes' "Youth" video.
Who: SZA
Where She's From: New Jersey
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: You might recognize the striking SZA from our "Buzz On" article this past March. (Look, Ma, cool points!) Or, perhaps you saw her perform with mentor Kendrick Lamar at the 2013 BET Awards. Either way, we're here to guarantee the success of SZA's forthcoming Z EP -- not to mention basically everything she ever puts out from this day forth. (Also, totally unrelated to SZA's astounding musical prowess, but... WE COMPLETELY DIE FOR HER HAIR.)
+ Watch SZA's "Ice Moon" video.
Who: Milly Pye
Where She's From: Northwich, England
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: In late 2013, One Direction's Liam Payne tweeted about 17-year-old Milly Pye. Lo and behold, the gravely voiced singer with a budding rocker-chic sensibility is a hit amongst Directioners and industry sorts alike. Oh, and once more for emphasis, ONLY. SEVENTEEN. Wow.
Who: FKA Twigs
Where She's From: Gloucestershire, England
Why She's Going To Rule 2014 : Haven't we always said that 2014 needs a flawless trip-hop artist!? (YES. DUH.) It's thanks to her ethereal and totally weird-in-a-good-way "Water Me" video, FKA Twigs started the year off right by being included on the BBC's coveted Sound Of 2014 list.
FYI, you might recognize FKA as one of Jessie J's backup dancers in the "Do It Like A Dude" video. Cool, but we're more than ready to see FKA Twigs step into the spotlight.
Watch: + Watch FKA Twigs' "Water Me" video.
Who: Taylor Jardine of We Are The In Crowd
Where She's From: Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: For We Are The In Crowd, 2014 means A NEW ALBUM! Led by the fierce (and always-flawless) Taylor Jardine, the Poughkeepsie crew are slated to release a brand-new LP on Feb. 18.
Although the album is called Weird Kids, the disc's second single, "The Best Thing (That Never Happened)," is a solid slice of pop-punk perfection! #CanWeSitWithYou
Who: Bridgit Mendler
Where She's From: Mill Valley, Calif.
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: While you might recognize Bridgit's gorg blonde locks and stunning FACE from her starring role in Disney's "Good Luck Charlie," it's her career as a solo artist that's landed her on this esteemed list. You've probably also jammed out to Bridget's song "Hurricane" (which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100), and girlfriend's already been named as one of Billboard's "21 Under 21."
Why does all this matter? (Aside from making you feel REALLY insecure about your non-accomplishments thus far in life?) Because you should DEFINITELY rev up for Bridget's brand-new album, scheduled to drop sometime this year.
+ Watch Bridgit Mendler's "Hurricane" video.
Who: Elli Ingram
Where She's From: Brighton, England
Why She's Going To Rule 2014: A 19-year-old British singer-songwriter, Elli Ingram began as many do -- posting cover versions of popular songs on YouTube! Her OOC interpretation of Kendrick Lamar's "Poetic Justice" caught the eye of, well, the entire music biz, and she soon signed a major deal with Island Records.
While Elli released her Sober EP earlier this year, word on the street is that the sultry-piped chanteuse is spending 2014 hard at work on her debut disc -- which, in case you couldn't tell, THRILLS US TO NO END.
+ Watch Elli Ingram's "Mad Love" video.
Photo credit: Island Def Jam/Shervin Lainez/Lauren Desberg/Capitol/RCA/Hollywood Records/Top Dawg Entertainment/Universal Music Grop/Mom + Pop Records/Harvest Records/Hopeless Records/BROODS/Republic Records/Young Turks/Angelic Union
