Although the opportunity to enjoy live music dwindled in 2020, that didn’t stop musicians across all genres from churning out tracks that were our emotional support in the midst of a mess. As 2021 pops off and hopefully leaves the tumultuous past year in its wake, let’s take a moment to look forward to new music from some of the underrated artists whose 2020 releases pulled us through the year.
From hip-hop to hyper-pop to r&b, check out these artists sure to make waves in 2021.
1. Shygirl
British DJ, rapper, and singer Blane Muise—more commonly known as Shygirl—has been consistently putting out sexy club bangers for the past couple of years, but ended 2020 with the November release of her seven-track album Alias. Shygirl doesn’t limit herself to one genre, mixing glitchcore adjacent beats and experimental sounds with thumping basslines beneath her smooth, sensual lyricism. With Alias successfully serving up a slice of sex-appeal in the midst of a year that was certainly the opposite, Shygirl has drummed up some impressive momentum going into 2021. We can’t wait to see what she releases next.
2. Tama Gucci
Kymani Floyd, AKA Tama Gucci, is a model and singer hailing from Miami. Blending r&b with a fresh cyberpop spin, Tama Gucci croons over utterly danceable tracks about love and life. Much of the internet was introduced to his angelic vocals after his viral cover of Blueface’s “Thotiana,” but the singer has since made a name for himself with numerous releases in the past few years. After his 2019 EP Fantasy, Tama Gucci’s 2020 single releases—“Crazy About Me” and “I LET YOU”—feature his signature celestial, emotional vocals spliced with head-bopping backing tracks. With new music from Tama Gucci on the horizon in 2021, our ears are definitely ready for it.
3. Erika de Casier
Copenhagen resident and singer-songwriter Erika de Casier’s soulful whisper-singing evocative of early 2000s r&b won our hearts with her 2019 album Essentials. Even as it tackles modern love and technology, de Casier’s tracks are steeped with Y2K nostalgia and appreciation, taking a pop twist on her old-school sound. She blessed fans with a new single “No Butterflies, No Nothing” along with a romantic-era-inspired accompanying video in October of 2020. While the mesmerizing track speaks of trying to fall in love without feeling butterflies, Erika de Casier’s beautiful vocals are more than enough to give us listeners butterflies. Keep an ear out for more alluring tracks in 2021.
4. Osquinn
Osquinn, also known as P4rkr on streaming services, has already made waves in the music industry at just 15 years old while making music from her bedroom. Her songs’ eclectic blend of hyperpop, glitchy beats, teen angst lyricism, and rap ensure that there’s something for every music taste in her already extensive discography. With 10+ releases alone in 2020, including her ruminative December drop “Clairvoyant,” Osquinn is just embarking on her music journey, with much more to come in the upcoming year.
5. Dizzy Fae.
Dizzy Fae, Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter, resists being boxed into one genre with her whimsical and diverse tracks that brush against pop, r&b, hip-hop, and more without being limited by any single classification. Dizzy Fae fully emerged onto the music scene with her 2018 mixtape Free Form followed by NO GMO in 2019, but her August 2020 single release “I’m Good” offered a bit of optimism in a dreary year with its refrain of “Imma be okay.” The lighthearted backing track overlaid with relatable and poignant lyrics showcasing her ability to keep producing tantalizing tracks even in the midst of chaos. Dizzy Fae has sufficiently primed listeners for more releases going into 2021.
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