Your New Musical Obsessions Are Shawn Mendes, FKA twigs, Ty Dolla $ign, Bea Miller And All Of MTV's 2015 Artists To Watch Squad!
It's time to fire up your music-listening device of choice and start adding tracks -- MTV is out with our Artists To Watch for 2015 and, if we have our way, your iPhones/computers/Ponos/brains will be bumping with the likes of Shawn Mendes, FKA twigs, Ty Dolla $ign, Misterwives and more artists you need on your radar.
Before we get to the goods, let's backtrack for a few and take a peek at who we were pumping in 2014 -- you know, so you can go ahead and call us Nostradamus or whatever. So, do names like Bastille, Fifth Harmony and Echosmith ring any bells? We're guessing yes, unless the belfry of your mind is as lacking a hunchback to ring your bell (and clear out the bats).
Now that we've proven our mettle putting on finger on the NBTs (next big things... NBD!), let's take a look at MTV's Artist To Watch class of 2015. These dudes are basically a superlatives page waiting to happen.
Where She's From: New Jersey
Why She Rules: Just 15 years old (16 on Feb. 7!), Bea Miller busted into the music world in 2014 with her debut EP, Young Blood, which debuted at #2 on the iTunes pop chart and earned her opening spots for Demi Lovato and One Direction. Primed to drop her first LP this spring -- replete, we're sure, with more of her powerhouse, wise-as-what vocals -- the Nirvana-inspired songstress aims to keep rock music alive, a worthy goal as we head into a fresh, new year.
What You Need To Do Now: Check out Bea's baes! OOOooooOOOOoooooOOOO!
Where She's From: Gloucestershire, England
Why She Rules: If you ask this 26-year-old singer if she's the girl from that music video, she'll totally lie to you -- at least according to her song "Video Girl," which depicts her past as a dancer in vids for the likes of Ed Sheeran. The year 2014, however, saw the singer getting more shine for her incredible debut LP, appropriately titled LP1, and effectively sparked our full-blown obsession with the electo-tinged, otherworldly R&B star.
What You Need To Do Now: Watch twigs' newest video, "Pendulum," directed by the woman herself.
Where He's From: New York
Why He Rules: A former Google employee (whaaaat?), rapper Hoodie Allen has keep kicking out mixtapes since roughly 2009, releasing his debut studio album People Keep Talking in October 2014 -- a record that debuted in the top 10 on Billboard’s “Top 200 Albums” chart (not bad is an understatement). In the coming months, Allen joins Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa on the road for The Boys Of Zummer Tour, and will likely amass even more fans for his already massive online following.
What You Need To Do Now: Watch him and Ed Sheeran tear it up in their "All About It" music video. We're alllll about that.
Where She's From: New Jersey
Why She Rules: Another under-20 breakout, Lee is a 17-year-old vocal monster (in a good way) who broke through as a runner-up on "The Voice" and recently dropped her excellent debut EP, Broken Ones. The singer has teamed up with hit-maker Sia for her next single, "Tears Fall," which we're looking forward to with a fervor that we're not even sure what to do with.
What You Need To Do Now: Watch Lee's video for "Broken Ones" and try not to feel emotions. We dare you.
Where They're From: New York
Why They Rule: This New York-based indie pop band — comprised of Mandy Lee, Etienne Bowler, Will Hehir, Marc Campbell and Dr. Blum — takes their name from the Mormon term “sister wife," but don't expect any religious standards from them. The name is basically a joke, since Mandy Lee considers all the dudes in the band her husbands -- spouses that she makes lovely, haunting tunes with, as evidenced by their debut EP, Reflections. We're more than primed for more twisted loveliness when their LP, Our Own House, drops Feb. 24.
What You Need To Do Now: Check 'em out live -- right here!
Where They're From: Portland
Why They Rule: These dudes -- aka Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears -- are seriously dedicated to the musical cause. They basically sold all of their earthly possessions to build a studio in an old cement factory -- and it paid off. Big time. Their jam, "Weekend," is basically an anthem for just that, and is sure to appeal to festival fans at SXSW, Bonnaroo and Governor’s Ball when they hit the circuit this summer.
What You Need To Do Now: Learn all the lyrics to the aforementioned jam.
Where They're From: Mississippi
What They Rule: First things first, this brother act -- comprising Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi -- has the best name ever. Look at it for a second. Confusing? Got it? Yup. Those letters up there spell out Drummers Ear -- backwards. Moving on. Not only do these guys have that name thing sorted (they're trolling us, and it's the best), they also put out two platinum-selling hits in 2014, "No Flex Zone" and "No Type," as well as their debut record at the top of 2015, SremmLife, which debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200. Emosewa.
What You Need To Do Now: Learn to spell -- Rae Sremmurd-style.
Where He's From: Atlanta
Why He Rules: An Andre 3000 for the millennial generation, 18-year-old Raury dropped his debut EP, Indigo Child, in 2014 -- AND hooked up with fellow musical prodigy Lorde to contribute "Lost Souls" to her "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1" soundtrack. 2015 spells a debut full-length for the folk/rap/soul star -- and "excitement" all over our hearts.
What You Need To Do Now: Watch him talk collaboration.
Where She's From: California
Why She Rules: Weaver's debut single "OctaHate" received a Twitter co-sign from Passion Pit, Jessie Ware, Paramore and ATW alum Charli XCX -- if that tells you anything about her stunner of a voice. Her debut EP, Promises -- produced by Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit and Benny Blanco -- is out now, and her fest dates at SXSW, Coachella and Bonnaroo promise to accrue her even more Charli-level praise.
What You Need To Do Now: Find out what Charli (and the rest of the world) were tweeting about.
Where He's From: Ontario, Canada
Why He Rules: OK, so get this -- dude went from posting covers of jams to Vine to... wait for it... touring with Taylor Swift this coming summer. Tell your parents to chew on that next time they tell you to put down the phone. Only 16, Mendes was the youngest ever artist to break into the Billboard Hot 100's Top 25 with a debut single, selling more than 150,000 copies of "Life of the Party" in the first week. With some Taylor shine in 2015, Mendes' debut LP has a shot at platinum.
What You Need To Do Now: Find out how to become the "Life of the Party."
Where He's From: California
Why He Rules: He's made hits with Lupe Fiasco, YG, Chris and Wiz Khalifa. He wrote “Only One” with Kanye West and Paul McCartney. He was nominated for a Grammy. Uhh, it's really no secret that Ty's debut album Free TC is basically going to slay everyone within a 100-mile radius when it drops this spring.
What You Need To Do Now: Watch him discuss working with Chris Brown on smash hit "Loyal."
