2020 was a chaotic and tumultuous year but one thing that never let up was the dope music by artists staking their claim on the music world. All of our social lives have been stunted, however, music and their accompanying visuals have been a means for all of us to connect, escape, and even reminisce about a better reality.
We've been accustomed to live shows and the ability to have more access to our favorite artists, so this quarantine has been a weird adjustment. We've seen at home concerts and modified award shows, all of which proving how necessary music artistry is in our lives. These new kids on the block have made their mark this year, amidst such an alternate reality. Nevertheless, these new artists have not let our current reality hold them back from delivering exactly what we need.
Now, most of these artists did not debut this year but I am including them because this was the year they broke past the "underground" threshold, In my humblest opinion but in no particular order.
Take a look at the list of the top new artists of 2020 below!
1. GIVEON
GIVEON'S debut project TAKE TIME came out weeks after the lockdowns ensued; I could not have picked a better time. Each song is a different part of the journey that almost seems to end so fast. He's lyrical and sensual, going deep into the lowest and highest registers. TAKE TIME is a classic in my book, with that said, his most recent project when it's all said and done also took my breath away.
2. MEGAN THEE STALLION
Megan hasn't been playing fair for a while now but this year she really ate and left no crumbs! Not only did her debut album just drop but she collabed with BEYONCÉ GISELLE KNOWLES-CARTER and to add a very juicy grammy award-winning cherry, CARDI B. Simply put this was meg's year despite the chaos she was involved in, she overcame and beat the odds.
3. Mariah the scientist
Hailing from Atlanta, Mariah the Scientist stole my heart with the instant classic "Always n Forever" featuring Lil' Baby. Together, the hit song has garnered major acclaim for Mariah and rightfully so. Her album, Master, debuted in 2019 but the recent success of her latest single skyrocketed her reach. I would call her a hidden gem but only for so much longer. she definitely stands out amongst her peers in the ATL music scene, making me love her even more.
4. BLXST
"LA WILL NEVER BE THE SAME" reads the billboard on Slauson and La Brea for the latest installment in BLXST'S discography, No Love Lost. this summer, Blxst released a project followed by a deluxe version that truly left me reeling. He details relationships, connections, and the impact of his lifestyle in catchy melodies and mellow instrumentation. With his budding popularity from his joint project with bino, No love lost has left its mark on LA indeed.
5. MULATTO
Mulatto AKA "BIG LATTO" (let's just not talk about it ok?) Has most definitely shaken up the rap game. Her irrefutable talent and creative presence had an irresistible allure to it all year. The girl has been grinding the entirety of 2020, striving to really be about the title of her debut album Queen of da Souf.
6. CHOLE X HALLE
The sister duo Chloe x Halle have been the powerhouse of the year. Their sequel album Ungodly Hour was like taking a journey through different parts of life, womanhood both good and bad. Personally, I loved every second. Their album was both groundbreaking and trailblazing. Though all award shows have been virtual, the level these ladies take each performance to nearly made the entire pandemic forgettable. This album may have been perfect, but I am still holding out for a deluxe.
7. QUEEN NAIJA
Queen Naija came for the R&B game with a vengeance this year. After the birth of her second child, she took time away from her craft to ground herself in her sound and form a cohesive body of work, but the result, her album Missunderstood which came out late October. this project took a lot of reconstruction to get to the piece of art we hear today. With serious storytelling to silly love songs to fun a girl's anthem, her album created a great bench for her music. Queen is slated for a deluxe album in the coming year and I'm excited as ever, additionally, I hope we get that Ari Lennox collab they have teased us with for a year.
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