There’s arguably never been a better time for artists on the ascent. With micro-fandoms finding kinship on the internet, songs blowing up on TikTok before going mainstream, and all-out fervor for live experiences in a post-lockdown world, a host of exciting new names are capturing the zeitgeist. 

Each of the 25 rising artists featured here has their own leveling-up story. Some have spent the past year touring with huge names, winning over new fans city by city. Some are set to release highly-anticipated debut albums that deliver on the promise of their early singles. And others are finally breaking through after years of steady grind.

It’s a sonically eclectic group, spanning gritty rap to aching indie-pop to throwback soul, with artists hailing from the U.S., UK, Australia, Mexico and South Korea. If there’s a common thread these rising stars share, it’s a sure sense of their purpose and a hopeful eye to the future. Whatever your musical preference, you’ll find a new favorite to cheer on in 2024. 

Writers Taila Lee, D. Mariah, Lucas Villa and Lior Phillips contributed to this list.

RIIZE

What To Watch For: A new single (Jan. 5)

SM Entertainment’s newest boy group has a simple mission: rise and realize together. That’s why their name, RIIZE, is a portmanteau of the phrase.

Already, the septet has solidified themselves as one of K-pop’s fifth-generation leaders. Their mini-album, Get a Guitar, sold over 1 million copies in less than a week and quickly landed them at the top of Korea’s music charts. And 2024 is on course to be an even bigger year for them. RIIZE will kick off the year at the Seoul Music Awards, where they received nominations for Rookie Of The Year, Popularity Award and more. Three days later, they’ll share their third release. — D. Mariah

Nailah Hunter

What To Watch For: Lovegaze (Jan. 12)

Nailah Hunter’s music is the soundtrack of a dream.

Inspired by everything from her dad’s church band to Hayao Miyazaki films, Hunter creates a divine ambience by blending a diverse array of sounds. Intricate folk, alternative indie and new age all factor into the L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist and composer's music, but one instrument has truly shifted her sonic trajectory: a baby harp received on her 19th birthday.  

Now a harpist, the musician employs this beloved instrument to craft an exquisite, atmospheric sound that’s like a gateway to another world. Her 2021 harp-driven reimagination of Radiohead’s "Talk Show Host" boosted her following, but she’s released music since 2019.

Hunter’s debut album Lovegaze drops on Jan. 12, and if anything like her latest releases, fans can expect a quietly glamorous, and perhaps mystifying, sonic dreamscape. — Taila Lee

TSHA 

What To Watch For: U.S. tour (Jan. 12)

With a deep love of house, R&B, hip-hop and pop running through her veins, TSHA's sound is all her own. The British DJ and producer born Teisha Matthews first cemented herself as one-to-watch with 2020's accomplished Flowers EP on pioneering electronic label Ninja Tune. Two years later, her debut album, Capricorn Sun, deftly showcased the full breadth of her skills, from the achingly emotive house of "Sister" to the driving breakbeats of "Dancing In The Shadows." 

In 2023, TSHA leveled up again with a standalone single, "Somebody," featuring the vocal heft of [Gregory Porter](https://www.grammy.com/artists/gregory-porter/5803) and [Ellie Goulding](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ellie-goulding/19043) (who slid into TSHA's DMs). "Somebody" showcases the producer's potential outside club music — a point she's driven home by debuting a full band live show. To start 2024 right, she's spending January on tour around the U.S., including a special edition of her Jackfruit club night in New York. Expect sets with plenty of bump, groove and deep feeling. — Jack Tregoning 

Brittney Spencer 

What To Watch For: My Stupid Life (Jan. 19), dates supporting Grace Potter and multiple festival appearances

Though her debut album is titled My Stupid Life, Brittney Spencer’s music is anything but thoughtless.

Rather, the album's title speaks to Spencer distancing herself from the need to feel perfect, and it’s this vulnerability that makes the Baltimore-raised singer/songwriter so relatable. Touching souls with her country EP Compassion and singles like "Sober & Skinny," Spencer has been steadily making a name for herself ever since her cover of the Highwomen’s "Crowded Table" went viral. 

She’s toured as a backing vocalist for Carrie Underwood and performed at the CMA Awards, but Spencer’s biggest year just might be 2024. Not only will she be spending the first few months opening for Grace Potter’s Mother Road Tour, but she’ll also be hitting a few major festivals, including the sold-out 2024 Stagecoach Festival in April and Kentucky’s Railbird Festival in June. — TL

October London

What To Watch For: The Birth Of Marvin Tour (Jan. 25)

With such a charming stage name, it’s almost too on-the-nose that October London  makes delightfully bewitching R&B perfect for an autumn afternoon. Hailing from Indiana, the singer/songwriter has an enthralling old-soul, silky smooth delivery that nets comparisons to the legendary vocals of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke.  

London first made waves back in 2016 when he scored a feature on Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid. Since, he’s released a handful of EPs and albums — including 2023's The Rebirth Of Marvin and Technicolor EP — that have collectively garnered millions of streams. 

In 2023, he hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart and performed at the 2023 Soul Train Awards — and that’s all before his North American tour launches in Seattle in January 2024. — TL

Sammy Virji

What To Watch For: North American tour (Jan. 26)

One of the first things that new fans notice about Sammy Virji is his boundless, ever-smiling energy. The Oxford-born DJ and producer is part of a new generation championing UK garage (UKG), a distinctly British genre experiencing a resurgence two decades on from its heyday. Virji's DJ sets — which blend UKG classics alongside bass-driven house and his own grin-inducing edits — have landed him on lineups alongside scene veterans like DJ EZ and DJ Q and new school revivalists Conducta and salute. 

Virji also excelled as a producer in 2023, dropping the raucous "Shella Verse" with grime MC Flowdan, the pumping house single "If U Need It," and "Hot In Here" alongside bassline master Champion. Meanwhile, his whirlwind set from DJ Mag HQ in August has hit a million views on YouTube, as fans clamor for his unreleased edits and remixes. 

From late January, Virji heads out on his debut North American tour, with a string of shows already sold out. For stateside fans, it's a rare chance to catch one of Britain's best in sweaty, jump-up club mode. — JT

VCHA

What To Watch For: New single "Girls of the Year" (Jan. 26)

In July 2022, JYP Entertainment founder J.Y. Park and Republic Records CEO Monte Lipman made history by announcing the development of the first American girl group trained under a K-pop system. The duo spent the next year recording "America2Korea," a nationwide talent search and survival competition series that would later birth VCHA.

Between months of training in Seoul and Los Angeles, the show’s six winners — Camila, Lexi, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee — previewed what’s to come with a teaser EP, SeVit (New Light), featuring the three original tracks they performed on the finale of "A2K." On Jan. 26, the dream will become even more of reality with their official debut single. — D. Mariah

Dylan Marlowe

What To Watch For: Headlining tour (Feb. 1)

Dylan Marlowe is preparing for a busy 2024.

Based in Nashville, the Georgia-born country singer was always surrounded by music, either listening to his drummer father’s Christian metal-rock band or following his mom’s passion for traditional country. Around his senior year of high school, Marlowe picked up a guitar, and it’s been history ever since.

From cheering to friendship in "Boys Back Home" to remembering a heart wrenching goodbye in "Record High," it’s clear Marlowe knows how to pen a hit. He’s already scored his first No. 1 on the country radio charts, through his songwriter credit on Jon Pardi’s single "Last Night Lonely."

The 26-year-old is already headlining his own tour early next year, along with opening dates for country rocker Brantley Gilbert. And with all these upcoming tour dates, it’s no wonder he was just named a promising new artist in Country Music Television’s Listen Up campaign. — TL

The Last Dinner Party

What To Watch For: Prelude to Ecstasy (Feb. 2)

There's an out-of-time quality to The Last Dinner Party, and it's not just their envy-inducing ruffled wardrobe. At times they sound like Kate Bush fronting Sparks — which is to say premium drama and lush, even baroque indie rock brilliance. 

The quintet of Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland, Abigail Morris, Aurora Nishevci, and Emily Roberts sprung from seeming total obscurity into one of the buzziest acts from the UK. While many artists with this kind of attention had seeded mixtapes and singles in social media and streaming, word started to spread internationally on The Last Dinner Party when they had released only one officially recorded song. 

Of course it helped that the track in question was the immaculately dramatic "Nothing Matters." They're now up to four singles, not to mention high-profile spots at festivals like Glastonbury, TV performances, and even opening slots for Florence + the Machine and the Rolling Stones. By the time their debut record, Prelude to Ecstasy, hits in February, The Last Dinner Party will be more than ready to take the leap to superstardom — if they haven't already reached it before then. — Lior Phillips

Destin Conrad

What To Watch For: Submissive tour (Feb. 4)

Destin Conrad has come a long way since his days on Vine. Little did he know that amongst his million followers was Kehlani, who would later invite him to the songwriting camp for her 2020 record, It Was Good Until It Wasn't: "That experience pushed me because I never did that. I felt the pressure to prove myself," he said in his biography.

Three years later, the fine-tuning of skills has led to his most mature project, SUBMISSIVE, which he released in October. "So much has changed in my life that has forced me to submit," he explained. "I didn't realize at the time that it gave me the power to be dominant, to be an adult, to grow."

Next year, Conrad will spend February to April promoting the album on the 36-stop Submissive Tour through the United States. — DM

Royel Otis

What To Watch For: Pratts & Pains (Feb. 9)

After a few years of honing their honey-and-silk guitar pop, the duo of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic broke through in their native Australia with the punnily titled Sofa Kings EP in 2023.  

The Sydney group specialize in a blend of propulsive rhythms and laid-back cool, and early indications suggest their upcoming LP Pratts & Pains could cement their case for slacker rock royalty. Freshly released single "Heading for the Door" builds to just the right level of guitar crunch to keep the falsetto flow from getting too sweet.

Fans of Broken Bells' shimmer and Metronomy's synthy clarity will find plenty to latch onto, but the college rock twist adds a fresh layer of intrigue. And while the February release date sets Royel Otis' debut album up as the perfect summertime sway for Aussie heat, Maddell and Pavlovic's nostalgia-triggering indie rock has the sort of magic to savor through the cold winter months in the Northern hemisphere, too. — LP

Bratty

What To Watch For: Tres Tour (Feb. 12)

Bratty, the brainchild of Mexican singer/songwriter Jennifer Abigail Juárez Vázquez, is refreshing Latin pop by infusing it with an alternative and angst-driven edge. The project gets its name from Best Coast indie rock duo’s song "Bratty." 

In April, Bratty made a mark as one of the few Latin acts to perform at Coachella. November saw the release of her third and breakthrough album Tres, which skillfully blends sunny surf rock with dark tones of grunge, while translating these style into Spanish on songs like "Radio" and "Ya No Es Lo Mismo." Come February, Bratty will embark on her inaugural U.S. headlining tour, the Tres Tour. — Lucas Villa

Chappell Roan

What To Watch For: Tour dates supporting Olivia Rodrigo (Feb. 23)

As her debut album suggests, Chappell Roan has experienced the rise and fall of a Midwest princess. 

Before she was 20, the Missouri native signed a coveted deal with Atlantic Records. After three years of making music she didn’t love, they dropped her. Then, she ended her relationship with her longtime boyfriend and moved back home with her parents. 

But that slump wasn’t the end of Roan’s story. She returned to Los Angeles in a last-ditch effort, created her first LP and began performing under a drag persona to much success. "I always dreamed of being able to feel this feeling, and I just happened to be able to sing it and it came out in music,"  Roan told Variety. 

Midwest Princess is only the first step into this new era of liberation — in February, she’ll perform on the highly anticipated, sold-out Guts World Tour in support of Olivia Rodrigo, who she met through their mutual collaborator, Dan Nigro. — DM

Flyana Boss

What To Watch For: The Bosstanical Garden Tour (Feb. 24) 

Flyana Boss knows how to run it up — after all, the hip-hop duo’s most viral TikTok is of them running and rapping.

Spotlighting their catchy rap hit "You Wish," the video racked up millions of views and consequently translated into millions of streams. Given the pair’s hard-hitting flow and unshakeable confidence, it’s no surprise Flyana Boss’ career has skyrocketed this year.

Folayan and Bobbi LaNea first met at Los Angeles’ Musicians Institute, but they didn’t become Flyana Boss (which, yes, rhymes with Diana Ross) until they reunited a while later. The rap duo dropped three EPs this year — Boffum, Vitamin FB and Make It A Double — signaling more of the exuberance and excellence to come.

With creativity and a sick beat or two, the lovable hip hop duo is taking the world by storm. Since going viral, the pair have collaborated with Missy Elliott, opened for Janelle Monáe on tour, and even have their own headlining 2024 tour. Trying to get on Flyana Boss’ level? You wish. — TL

Natalie Jane

What To Watch For: An international tour (Feb. 26)

With more than 9 million followers on TikTok, you have probably seen at least one of Natalie Jane’s buzzing videos. Maybe it was the one where she belted Gnarls Barkley’s "Crazy" in a parking garage, that time she harmonized "Part of Your World" on a kitchen countertop, or one of the many other snippets that made her one of the app’s most viewed artists of 2023. 

Now, she’s ready to carve a path of her own beyond the phone screen.

Jane premiered her EP, Where Am I?, on Nov. 17. The EP leads with alt-pop break up anthems "Seven" and "AVA" — two songs that are a trademark of her signature sound of powerhouse vocals, acrobatic riffs and blunt lyrics ("Who the f— is Ava?" she sneers in the latter). Next February, she will embark on her first headlining international tour, beginning in Santa Ana, California, and concluding May 16 in Dublin, Ireland. — DM

Yard Act

What To Watch For: Where's My Utopia? (March 1)

From Idles to Fontaines DC, the latest wave of British post-punk has made for some fascinating thrills. But where so many others (both in this current spate of bands and throughout the genre's history) either shout or offer a stoic cool, Yard Act put on their glasses and dance. 

For their 2022 debut, the quartet of James Smith, Ryan Needham, Sam Shipstone, Jay Russell found a way to puree bits of Sleaford Mods, the Fall, and Devo into a danceable fusion of rapid speak-singing, smirky social commentary, and nerdy rhythmic twitching. After earning raves in the UK and even a collaboration with Sir Elton John, they're set to release Where's My Utopia? Early singles like the groovy "Dream Job" show their satirical teeth. Co-producer and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr. daubs the gloss in a clever push-and-pull with Smith's rakish vocals, the result a neon black wonderland that will keep your feet and brain moving. — LP

Games We Play

What To Watch For: Life’s Going Great (release date TBD) & Northern American tour (March 15)

Games We Play embodies the charm of ‘00s pop-punk: raw lyricism, candid production and, most importantly, a disposition to live carefree. It’s these exact characteristics that herald the band as one of Head of Fueled by Ramen Johnny Minardi’s future faces of the genre, as he recently revealed in a roundtable discussion with GRAMMY.com.

Their upcoming album might be their most vulnerable yet. Ironically titled Life’s Going Great, frontman Emmyn Calleiro narrates his insecurities about his body and upbringing ("Pretty Boy") and becoming a divorcé at 23 ("too young"). The project is slated to release in early 2024. In the meantime, secure your tickets for their North American tour, commencing this March. — DM

Logic1000

What To Watch For: Mother (March 22)

Over the past five years, Logic1000 has emerged as one of dance music's most distinctive talents, with a sound that's rooted in classic house and inflected by UK bass and pop. Born in Sydney, Australia, and now based in Berlin, the producer and DJ born Samantha Poulter has released a string of standout EPs, including her 2018 breakout LOGIC1000 (featuring the R&B-sampling banger "DJ Logic Please Forgive Me") and 2021's You've Got the Whole Night to Go on her own Therapy label, which deepened and refined her sound with a strong thread of '90s nostalgia. 

In March, Poulter is set to release her debut album as Logic1000, *Mother*, which channels the rush of "love and inspiration" she felt as a new mother. Poulter describes the album — which she produced alongside her husband and longtime collaborator Thom McAlister (a.k.a. Big Ever) — as "a love letter to house music." That description fits the warm, enveloping atmosphere of singles "Grown On Me" and "Self To Blame," which both evoke the sun rising after a long night dancing. With the release of her most personal and complete statement yet, 2024 is the year of Logic1000. — JT

Emilia

What To Watch For: .MP3 Tour (April)

Emilia is putting Latin pop from Argentina on the map. The Nogoyá native debuted her first album Tú Crees En Mí? last year in which she explored reggaeton influences. In November, Emilia eschewed that sound for Y2K-inspired pop with her latest release, .MP3 LP. One house-infused banger, "GTA.mp3," channels Kylie Minogue's hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head." 

Emilia also ventured into new territory, blending Brazilian funk with EDM in "No_Se_Ve.mp3" alongside Ludmilla. In April, she will embark on the .MP3 Tour in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Last year, made history by selling out 10 concerts at Bueno Aires' Movistar Arena in under 10 hours. — LV

Teezo Touchdown

What To Watch For: Spend The Night Tour (April)

There's no one in the hip-hop world quite like Teezo Touchdown. Aaron Lashane Thomas not only refuses to fit into any traditional genre or style lines, his penchant for weaving nails into his hair and painting black Ts on his face show his approach before he even opens his mouth. 

That said, listeners have already become familiar with his unique flair — whether on tour with Tyler, the Creator, Vince Staples, and Kali Uchis, or in features with Drake and Travis Scott. The 31-year-old Texan's ability to leapfrog between styles and vibes reflects the wide musical spectrum of his youth, which included Marvin Gaye, Judas Priest, and Kraftwerk. The late-2023 release of his debut album How Do You Sleep At Night? highlighted that perfectly, Teezo nimbly bounding from rapping over thunderous Weezer guitars to delivering soulful Autotuned lines with Janelle Monáe. 

Now raking in millions of Spotify listens and set to take off on his own headlining tour, Teezo is more than ready to move into the spotlight, a fascinating character and artist. "I know that I'ma make it, baby, no if, ands, or buts/ I know that I'm a superstar but no one's looking up," he drops on album highlight "Familiarity." By the time 2024 rolls in, people won't be able to stop looking. — LP

ScarLip

What To Watch For: Scars & Stripes (Release date TBD)

An endorsement from Cardi B would mean a lot to any rapper, but for ScarLip (a.k.a. Sierra Lucas) that cosign resonated at another level. Both women share Bronx roots ("Don't come to Bronx with that s— 'cause we ain't f—in' with that s—," Scar spits on her smash single "This Is New York"), but their unflagging intensity and unique approaches to rap are perhaps deeper commonalities. And Cardi's not the only one taking notice; in addition to millions of streams, Snoop Dogg jumped onto a remix of "This Is New York" called "This Is Cali" and legendary producer Swizz Beats is set to produce Scar's debut EP.

ScarLip at times reaches into a DMX bark, capturing the grimier corners of New York rap. Her ability to burn the drill beats with a growly snarl and then float above the rhythm feels like the embodiment of New York tough — and gets the blood pumping. — LP

La Cruz

What To Watch For: A new album (Release TBD)

La Cruz is breaking ground in reggaeton as the genre’s first openly gay artist singing to other men in his lyrics. The Venezuelan singer is charting a similar path as other LGBTQIA+ artists like Young Miko and Villano Antillano that have become some of reggaeton's biggest stars. 

In November last year, La Cruz released his debut album Hawaira, which brought themes of gay love and lust into the reggaeton arena. During Pride Month, he went viral on social media with the sexy reggaeton romp "Quítate La Ropa," which caught the attention of Colombian superstar Karol G. Ahead of his next album in 2024, La Cruz turned up the heat with his freaky follow-up single "Easy Boy." — LV

Gabito Ballesteros

What To Watch For: A new album (Release TBD)

Gabito Ballesteros is rapidly emerging as a bright new talent in the música Mexicana scene. This past year, the Mexican singer became a sought-after collaborator and co-writer, working with artists like Peso Pluma, Becky G, Piso 21, and Conexión Divina. His notable collaboration with Peso Pluma and corridos tumbados trailblazer Natanael Cano on "AMG" reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

After signing with Cano's record label, Ballesteros and his fellow artists from Los CT joined Interscope Records in October. As he prepares for his first album release with Interscope in 2024, Ballesteros released his fiery cover of the classic "A Puro Dolor" by Son By Four. — LV

Latin Mafia

What To Watch For: Debut album (Release TBD) and multiple festival performances in Latin America

Latin Mafia, a versatile Mexican pop group, defies genre boundaries. The group includes producer Mike de la Rosa and his twin brothers Milton and Emilio. Their music, which blends R&B, reggaeton, trap, and house, is infused with heart and soul. 

In the emotional "No Digas Nada," Milton and Emilio confront machismo and toxic masculinity prevalent in Latinx culture, opening up about their struggles with anxiety and mental health. Latin Mafia gets the party started with the explosive reggaeton banger "Julietota," which ends on a contemplative R&B note. Next year, the group will hit the festival circuit with performances at Lollapalooza Argentina, Lollapalooza Chile, Colombia's Estéreo Picnic, and Mexico's Tecate Pa'l Norte. Latin Mafia's debut album will follow in 2024. — LV

Xavi

What To Watch For: An album of original material (unconfirmed)

Xavi is on track to becoming música Mexicana's biggest breakthrough star in 2024. The Mexican American singer released his breakthrough single "La Víctima" through Interscope Records in August. Since then, the haunting breakup anthem has gone viral on TikTok with over 53,000 video creations. 

At 19-years-old, Xavi sings with a soulfulness that's beyond his age. In December, he scored his first Top 10 hit on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart with "La Víctima." As the sole wordsmith behind the song, Xavi also sits at No. 1 on the Latin Songwriters chart. Xavi is continuing to tease his hotly-anticipated debut project with his latest single, the fiery "La Diabla." — LV

30 Must-Hear Albums Coming Out In 2024: Green Day, Usher, Tyla & More

Before this year, Chappell Roan had never even been to Coachella. Now, not only can she say she's attended — she's performed in the desert, too. 

Roan played an evening set on the Gobi Stage on April 12, and is set to return for Weekend 2. Fans clad in everything from cowboy boots, Sandy Liang-inspired bows and, perhaps most importantly, jorts, gathered to celebrate their shared love of Roan's radiance, karmic kink and gay cowgirl doctrine.  

Throughout her performance, bubbles breezed through the air as Roan belted out her infectious (and aptly titled) track "Femininomenon," which speaks to lover girls forced to live in an online-dating hellscape. "Ladies, you know what I mean?/ And you know what you need and so does he/ But does it happen? No!" Following collective screams of pure joy, the already enlivened crowd roused to match Roan beat-for-beat, shouting back in perfect unison, "Well, what we really need is a femininomenon!" 

In an era of bedroom pop and sad-girl music, Roan has been hailed by both critics and fans for bringing fun back to pop music. Along with her staunch sense of self, Roan's penchant for explicit lyrics that are equally parts introspective and horny makes her dance-pop anthems all the more infectious. 

Roan's ambitiously experimental debut album, 2023's The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, cemented her status as one of the most exciting pop stars on the rise. While she only recently landed her first single on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Good Luck, Babe!," her rapidly growing fan base — and an opening slot on Olivia Rodrigo's sold-out GUTS World Tour — indicate that she's on her way to superstardom.

Perhaps part of Roan's magic is that it was all on her own terms. After parting ways with her first label, Atlantic Records, she built a loyal following as an independent artist before signing with Island Records last year. Even as a major label artist, she's determined to only do things her way; her indefatigable commitment to her craft — as well as writing her own rules when it comes to fashion and makeup — is precisely why her fans are so enraptured by both her music and persona. 

Her fearlessness was on full display during her first Coachella set, where the words emblazoned on her bodysuit read "Eat Me." She talks the talk, and walks the walk (in fabulous, knee-high boots, of course), matching her unabashed aesthetic with equally bold career moves; for one, the openers for her headlining tour are local drag queens.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Doniella Davy (@donni.davy)

With eyeliner winged to the heavens, near-perfect vocal stability and fiery curls ablaze, Roan's shimmering Coachella Weekend 1 performance proved that her stage presence is equally dynamic. And if she had any doubters, she had one thing to say to them: "B—, I know you're watching!" 

In between rehearsals for her Coachella debut, Roan took a look back on her journey to one of music's most coveted stages. Below, hear from Roan about five of the most impactful milestones in her career — so far. 

Releasing Her Debut Album, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess

I ended up signing [with Island Records in 2023] because this project honestly got too big to be independent anymore. I just wasn't willing to give up anything, any creative control or for any amount of money. 

Being an independent artist was really special because I proved to myself that I could do all these hard things that I had never done. I built it with an entire friend group and many, many years of work. So it wasn't just me, but it proved a lot to me.

It proved I can make it through hard circumstances — with no money. You truly can. You do not need a label to do a lot of what an artist's career requires. You don't need a label to put on your own show, or make a music video, or even write a song, or find creative people. You don't need that s—t. I mean, a label is just money, you know? You don't need a lot of money to do this. To make it grow is, I think, where it takes a lot of money. That's what was difficult.

Music allows me to express anything, even things that I've never experienced before. It allows me to express queerness, even if it was only daydreams at that point. It allows me to express parts of me that I'm not even ready to accept yet.

I don't give a f— if you don't  f— with the music. You don't have to come to the concert. That's the whole point of it. You don't have to like it. I think throughout the year, I'm like, "What can I get away with?" Because right now it's pretty tame for what it is like to be a gay artist. But I just want to push it to see how far can I go — with the most controversial outfits or things to rile people up. I'm not really afraid to do that.

Having a song [like "Casual] with the lyric, "Knee deep in the passenger seat/ And you're eating me out," and it's being considered to go to radio. That's kind of a big thing to get away with. 

It's not even that big of a thing. What's that song? Is it Flo Rida? That's like, "Can you blow my whistle, baby/ whistle baby." Okay, that's obviously about like a f—ing blowjob. [Laughs.] No one cares about that. To me, I'm like, Let's talk about eating out on the radio. I actually think it has to be bleeped, but still, if I can get away with it, that's cool.

Feeling Financial Freedom & Stability

Not making money at all just sucked. But I learned how to do my own makeup and bedazzle and sew a little bit. I think that the scrappiness came from [the idea that] it's scrappy if it's fun. 

I think that's what kept me going — because if this wasn't fun, I would not even be here. But it was scrappy and fun, and it was with my friends. It didn't feel dire. I was also just working at a coffee shop, and I was a nanny, and I was working at a donut shop. I was doing part time jobs all on the side too. So it was all just rough [in the beginning].

I have freedom because now [singing] is my full-time job. It provides for me now. As the project grows, I can do bigger shows and be like, I want outfit changes now, and I want more lights, and I want confetti. I can afford confetti now! 

It's about expanding the universe in a thoughtful way. And not just like throwing a s— ton of money at things to make things look expensive or wear all this designer s— for no reason. 

I just try to look at how we are starting to gain momentum financially and see how can I intentionally use that to, one, pay the team in a way where they're not bare bones anymore, and two, [ask ourselves] how can we honor this project and this album and the queer community? Can we pay drag queens more? Can we bring drag on the road? Now, financially, doors have opened where we can walk through them with love and intention. Just recklessly, throwing money at s— to see if it works. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ･ﾟ: *✧ Chappell Roan ✧*:･ﾟ (@chappellroan)

Opening Olivia Rodrigo's Arena Tour

Olivia [Rodrigo] just asked. It was official, we went through our management. But I was like, Oh my God. 

Preparing a 40-minute set is a different vibe than headlining, obviously. You are going out to an audience that is not there for you and doesn't necessarily care if you're there or not.

This is, like, my fourth or fifth artist I've opened for. But for an arena tour, I just needed to gather my nerves. I think that's the difference between any other show. Like, F—, there's 20,000 people out there right now. I've never performed in front of that many people. I don't know what this emotion is, and I just have to tame it right now.

Standing Up For Herself Creatively, Even When There's Pushback

I stand up for myself, I would say, every day. Sometimes, you get this opportunity, a huge opportunity with a lot of money on the table. [Yet,] I'm just like, That just doesn't make sense creatively. That doesn't align with my values. I'm not doing that. 

One huge creative decision was I stood up and pushed the entire headlining Midwest Princess tour back to the fall. The album was supposed to come out while we were on tour. I was like, "This is a horrible idea!" 

That caused a big ruckus, but it ended up being fine, and I was right. I'm usually right. [Laughs.] It's like a mother with her kid — a mother knows best. I feel like [that] when it comes to the integrity of my project.

I know how it is to not be able to afford a ticket or even f—ing food. A concert ticket, a lot of times, means multiple meals for someone. I get it, I couldn't afford some artists' tickets. That's why it's really important to me to try to keep them as low as I can and my merch as low as I can. 

There's pushback of ticket prices being low and we're playing rooms that are so expensive. The fee to even play them is so expensive. So, you have to raise the ticket prices to just even be able to afford to play the room. There's always an argument [with my team] there, every tour. I'm in control of stuff and if I'm saying this is how it's going to be —- it's just going to be that way.

Performing At Coachella For The First Time 

[After the first weekend of Coachella] I am feeling very relieved. I was so stressed about many things. How is the outfit going to work? Will the crowd really be engaged? It went so well, I have no qualms with anything. I loved every second of it.

It feels like I am partying with [my fans]. I am not performing to them; I’m performing with them. [I want people to remember] a really fun, freeing show. Very campy but very meaningful too. 

4 Ways Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS World Tour Shows A New Side Of The Pop Princess

While reggaeton and música Mexicana currently dominate the Latin music scene, Latin pop is experiencing a vibrant revival — with female artists leading the charge. Both legacy and newer acts are putting a fresh spin on the genre, and their work is resonating with a new generation of fans.

Latin pop was one of the first Spanish-language genres to go global in the 1980s, thanks to the success of artists like Gloria Estefan and Luis Miguel. Into the next decade, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Thalia, and Paulina Rubio continued to put a proudly Latin American and Spanish twist on popular musical trends in the U.S. at the time. 

After the Latin pop explosion of the 2000s with Shakira’s global crossover, Christina Aguilera embracing her Ecuadorian roots, and the breakthroughs of co-ed group RBD and Belinda, the genre waned in popularity in the decades that followed as reggaeton and Latin trap became the leading Spanish-language sounds.

As nostalgia for Latin pop reaches a fever pitch, it has experienced a resurgence. Shakira made Latin pop a main event again last year when she explored electronica with trap beats in the kiss-off anthem "BZRP Music Sessions #53." Beloved 2000s co-ed group sold out arenas across the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia with its comeback tour. Female-fronted trio Belanova is coming back from a hiatus with the Vida En Rosa Tour after its electro-pop classics went viral on TikTok. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, here are 10 female artists to watch out for in Latin America and Spain who are leading a new Latin pop revolution.

Belinda

The most veteran artist on this list is Spanish-Mexican star Belinda. After making her mark on Latin America with children's telenovelas and in the U.S. in The Cheetah Girls 2 movie, she reshaped the pop-punk sound of the 2000s with her breakthrough album Utopía. At the 2007 Latin GRAMMY Awards, she was the only teen nominated for Song of the Year, for the angst-driven "Bella Traición."

Following a hiatus to work on other projects, she's primed to reclaim her place in Latin pop after signing with Warner Music last year. Belinda blends Mexican corridos tumbados with a twinkle of Latin pop in the fiery single, "Cactus." Like Shakira, she used her song as a therapeutic way to roast an ex (in this case Christian Nodal). Her recent studio sessions with corridos tumbados pioneer Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma's co-writer Tito Doble P hint at further exploration of her pop spin on música Mexicana she's dubbed "corridos coquette."

Danna Paola

Danna Paola is another veteran making her mark in Latin pop. She first secured her star status in Mexico and Latin America appearing in children's telenovelas and through her teenage music career. After starring in the Netflix series Elite from 2018 through 2020, she gained global notoriety. In 2021, she garnered her first Latin GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album for her sixth studio album, K.O.

After scoring a few reggaeton-infused hits, Paola broke onto the Latin pop scene in 2022, with the euphoric pop song "XT4S1S." She continued to explore genres with a nod to house music in the kiss-off anthem "1Trago" and synth-pop in the introspective "Tenemos Que Hablar." In the music video for the latter, Paola revealed there was a point in her career where her image and sound were controlled by a past management team. Now that she has reclaimed her career, she has co-produced most of her recent tracks. There's a darkness in the haunting "Aún Te Quiero" as Paola lets go of the past. Her progressive Latin pop album is due out later this year. 

Daymé Arocena

Daymé Arocena emerged as a Latin jazz star in 2014 as part of the Cuban-Canadian collective Maqueque. Her work with the jazz troupe garnered her a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2018 for her work on Jane Bunnett and Maqueque's Oddara collaboration. 

After growing up in Cuba, Arocena moved to Canada and more recently Puerto Rico. There she worked with Eduardo Cabra, most known for his work in progressive urbano group Calle 13, on her new LP, Al-Kemi, which was released on Feb. 23. 

With her latest work, Arocena is proving she's an all-around Latin pop star. She blends the sounds of the Caribbean with stateside influences of jazz, R&B, blues, and disco. Showing there's no limits to the sounds of Latin pop, the reggaeton-fused R&B of "Suave y Pegao" with Puerto Rican artist Rafa Pabön and the funky "American Boy" also highlight how Arocena's soulful voice can't be bound to one genre. 

Kenia Os

Following in the footsteps of Belinda and Danna Paola is Mexican artist Kenia Os. Like many Gen-Z artists, the 24-year-old singer first started out as an influencer on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where she has amassed millions of followers. Os parlayed her massive social media audiences into a successful music career.

With her debut album Cambios De Luna in 2022, Os mixed elements of Latin trap and reggaeton into pop songs. After going full Latin pop on her follow-up LP K23, she went global. Os explored nineties house music in the alluring "Flores" and synth-pop in the flirty "Malas Decisiones." The latter became one of the biggest Latin pop hits of 2023 after it went viral on TikTok. The visual project for the K23 album later earned Os her first Latin GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Long Form Music Video. 

As she prepares her third album, Os continues to push the genre to new places, dabbling in drum and bass in her latest single "Bobo" featuring Álvaro Díaz. 

Sofia Reyes

Throughout her career, Sofia Reyes has seamlessly weaved together Latin genres with elements of pop. In 2017, the Mexican star was nominated for Best New Artist at the Latin GRAMMY Awards. A year later, Reyes scored her first global hit with the cumbia-infused reggaeton of "1, 2, 3." Reflecting her boundless Latin pop sound, the song featured Jason Derulo and Puerto Rican singer De La Ghetto. 

Last November, Reyes released Milamores, the most adventurous album of her career yet. She became one of the first mainstream Latin acts to explore hyperpop in the frenetic "tqum" featuring Danna Paola. One of hyperpop's top artists, GRAMMY winner Kim Petras, jumped on the remix with Reyes and Paola. To create a therapeutic pop experience, she incorporated the healing frequencies of sound bowls in a few of the songs. That feel-good energy came through in the tropical "Rosas" and reggae-infused "Gaia" featuring Dēlian. A celestial standout on the album was "Luna" where Reyes sang about wanting to take a trip with her lover to the moon. Reyes' unique vision of Latin pop is out of this world. 

Aitana

Aitana is one of Spain's biggest Latin pop stars who has had success translating the sound of Y2K pop into her own fun and fierce version. The Barcelona-based singer became a household name in her home country after finishing as a runner-up on the reality show singing competition Operación Triunfo in 2017. Though she didn't win, Aitana achieved international recognition. A year later, she leveraged that exposure into her breakthrough hit "Teléfono," which was certified platinum in the U.S. and resulted in a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2019 Latin GRAMMY Awards.

For her third album Alpha, which was released in September 2023, Aitana was fully inspired by music from the nineties and 2000s. The feel-good "Las Babys" recalled the Eurodance of the Vengaboys and she embraced pulsating electro-pop in "Los Ángeles." The dreamy "Formentera" featuring Nicki Nicole sounds like something that could've come from The Cardigans. Aitana also teamed up with Danna Paola for the techno fantasy "AQYNE," reminiscent of the songs from Dance Dance Revolution. 

Emilia

Emilia is leading the Latin pop scene in Argentina. Thanks to the Y2K aesthetic on her latest album .MP3, the Argentine star is going global. Because of her refreshing spin on Latin pop, she was listed as one of GRAMMY.com's 25 Artists To Watch In 2024.

Emilia first broke through the Argentina music scene with her debut album Tú Crees En Mí? in 2022. That LP was loaded with trap and reggaeton-infused bangers like "Cuatro Viente" and "Intoxicao" featuring Nicki Nicole. 

On her follow-up .MP3, she leaned fully into the Latin pop genre. Living up to the LP's retro name, Emilia embraced music from the nineties and 2000s with tracks like the Kylie Minogue-inspired "GTA.mp3." On "La_Original.mp3." she introduced pulsating house beats, teaming up with fellow Argentine pop star Tini to sing in Spanish about having a "legendary flow" like "Madonna in the nineties." Emilia has since sold-out dates in Argentina, Uruguay, and Spain for her upcoming .MP3 Tour. 

GALE

Before becoming a rising Latin pop star and receiving a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist last year, GALE was co-writing hits for other artists. The Puerto Rican singer helped pen songs for Selena Gomez, Christina Aguilera, Anitta, Cardi B, and Shakira. After letting Shakira know that she wanted to become an artist of her own, the Colombian pop icon encouraged GALE to go for it.

For her debut album, Lo Que No Te Dije, which was released in May 2023, GALE seamlessly blended the music of her island with nods to the pop music she grew up with from Britney Spears, Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne. 

GALE channels the angst of Lavigne into the pop-punk of "Inmadura" and the explosive "Problemas." She pushes back against receiving unsolicited explicit photos from men in the defiant "D Pic." Against the dreamy synth-pop of "Nubes," she sings about the joys of female self-pleasure. Her breakup anthem, "Nuestra Canción," features house music colliding with reggaeton. Recently, GALE paid homage to Shakira by covering her classic "Inevitable." 

Mariangela

Another artist bringing an alternative edge to Latin pop is Mariangela. She was born in Monterrey, Mexico and later grew up in San Antonio, Texas. Mariangela's bicultural upbringing is reflected in her music, which blends Latin American genres with elements of pop and alternative music. As a singer/songwriter, she is inspired by artists like Paramore's Hayley Williams, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Lana Del Rey. 

In 2022, Mariangela pulled inspiration from Depeche Mode’s "Never Let Me Down Again" for her song "Soñarte," which mourned the passing of a friend. The following December, she released her first EP 4+1, in which she explored other genres with her alternative grit. The EP included an entrancing and rock-infused take of the classic "Cama y Mesa" by Roberto Carlos. 

On Feb. 1, Mariangela dropped her debut album Sensible, which included a few of her past singles with newly-recorded songs. In her kiss-off anthem "Acto Final," she goes pop-punk as she bids an ex farewell from her life for good. Mariangela's electrifying spirit is reviving Latin pop like a shock from a defibrillator. 

Nohemy

Nohemy is reshaping music from Puerto Rico with a pop perspective. The rising Puerto Rican star gained attention in 2020 starring in the Natti Natasha-produced series "Bravas." Post-show, Nohemy continued forward with her music career, working with German producer The CRVV. 

On her debut album NOHAUS, released in March 2023, Nohemy's sound blends the pop that she grew up on, Caribbean rhythms, and European influences from The CRVV. Nohemy wrote the songs and co-produced the LP, collaborating closely with The CRVV to blend house, elements of trap, reggaeton, and pop in the fierce club banger "Loca" and the heart-wrenching "Perdón." 

Nohemy received a co-sign from one of her compatriots, Robi, who was featured on a remix of her dreamy love song "Te Vas." She continues to evolve, releasing singles including the atmospheric "¿Y Ahora Que?" and reggaeton-infused romp "On Top." 

How The Latin GRAMMYS Brought Latin Music Excellence To The 2024 GRAMMYs

Since releasing her debut single three years ago, Olivia Rodrigo has not shown any signs of slowing down. And with a sold-out arena tour underway, the three-time GRAMMY winner is keeping that momentum going in awe-inspiring fashion.

As the GUTS World Tour — Rodrigo's first headlining arena trek — kicked off at Palm Springs' Acrisure Arena on Feb. 23, the pop star immersed fans with a dedicated space to examine the moments when you feel unpretty, never have the perfect perfume, or can't help being unapologetically feral. Blooming under a full, Pisces moon, Olivia Rodrigo's luminous performance marked an undiluted moment of self-expression. 

Toeing the line between fragile girlhood and brutal adulthood, Rodrigo was unafraid to embrace the Olivia who once was and who is becoming. And as a result, she unleashed a fresh, freer side of herself — one she's ready to share with the world.

Below, read through four ways Olivia Rodrigo's Guts World Tour unveiled a liberated version of the chart-topping superstar.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo)

She's Unafraid To Celebrate Herself

What makes Rodrigo's GUTS Tour magnificent is it's less about the finer details — like massive sets or onstage collaborations — and more so about her journey since her rise to fame. Rodrigo's honest examination of herself was refreshingly lethal in the zeitgeist of pop music's increasingly formulaic state. In 90 minutes, the show's comparably straightforward set list made sure the album's focus on autonomy was central, woven with her simultaneously intimate and acute insights. 

At the start of the show, the backdrop displayed perfectly arranged lit candles spelling out her album's title. Before singing "teenage dream," she proclaimed, "I just turned 21!" (her birthday was Feb. 20). "I'm really f—cking excited about it. I went to the gas station the other day and bought a pack of cigarettes!" As she fervently played the piano, she reminisced about writing the song, noting that she penned it ahead of her last birthday as a teenager, "when I was really afraid of growing up," she admitted to the crowd. 

All throughout her melodic existential crisis, a video of her younger self was projected onto the screen. She ended the song with an audio of herself as a child, someone off camera asking her to introduce herself; it was so emblematic of the blitheness youth often brings. And though she recently celebrated a young adult milestone, it was still rather jarring to hear her youthful voice deliver the track's heavy lyrics. 

The next two songs served up a mix of painful vulnerability and complete release. Some of the most painful sentiments of GUTS' "pretty isn't pretty" — "I started to skip lunch, stopped eating cake on birthdays," for one — were the lines the audience most enthusiastically sang along to. After hefty musings, it made perfect sense for her to transition to "love is embarrassing," where she allowed herself to let loose. Prancing around on stage, she held up a big "L" to her forehead before laughing and stomping out flailing choreography. The track ended with all of her backup dancers bent over, shimmying their derrieres as Rodrigo sent a shimmering wink to showgoers.

Rodrigo allowed seriousness and silliness to exist simultaneously, and it was clear that every single person in the crowd felt heard. It made the night all the more special, knowing even a star whose impact is nearly immeasurable can also "feel like s—" on their birthday — and it was entirely ok. 

*Olivia Rodrigo at the opening night of the GUTS World Tour on Feb. 23 | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Acrisure Arena*

She's Signaling Her Evolution While Honoring Her Past

Fans who have known Rodrigo since her starring role in the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark have met many iterations of Olivia Rodrigo: The one who made palatable Disney Channel music, the one breaking ground with her sound, the one unafraid to embrace her pop-punk propensity. The show underscored her evolution as an artist, while being unafraid to make references to her past. 

She unabashedly looked back to past Olivia in a quietly powerful performance of "All I Want," a track she wrote when starring on Disney+'s "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." Despite the glamour of her propelling fame, Rodrigo absolutely refused to be anybody but herself throughout her time on the show. "I was literally peeing my pants on the set" while demonstrating her lyrics to the showrunners, she professes, laughing and shaking her head as she sat on the ground, with nothing but a guitar player backing her silken vocals.  

It was a decidedly striking move to reference her squeakier past in a more simplistic form — especially because, as the concert progressed, her performance only became more and more complex and risqué. In a daring act, the dazzling purple backdrop ignited as fallen candles virtually burned everything in sight and, through the ashes, emerged something a bit darker. Now clad in a bold, red jumpsuit, Rodrigo delivered the GUTS hidden track "obsessed" while balanced on top of a glass floor, thrusting her hips into the air and screaming into the backdrop. 

Though her vocal delivery was nearly identical to the studio versions of her songs, what made the show all the more mesmerizing was how deeply she felt each and every one of her lines. Even more so than her vulnerability, the fury Rodrigo fully embraced throughout the show was perhaps one of the most freeing aspects of it. 

Snatching her purple guitar with unhindered passion, she whipped her hair and fell to the floor while thrumming along to "brutal," to match her guitarist beat-for-beat in intensity. In another audacious move, Rodrigo even grabbed a drumstick out of her drummer's hand and began whacking the drums as well, throwing the stick into the air after the final beat. 

During an almost-required lyric change on "all american b—," she sang she's grabbing her "all-American tits" rather than just her "all-American hips," — which, of course, necessitated an aggressive chest clench. In one of the most memorable moments of the night, Rodrigo asked the crowd to think of someone who "really pisses them off" and commanded everyone to scream as loud as they could. Shutting off the lights, the arena was filled with nothing but raw yodels and screams into the void — and it was glorious. 

As the stakes have gradually become higher and higher, Rodrigo's performances came down to something easily decipherable: shameless joy with a side of defiance. 

*Chappell Roan at the opening night of the GUTS World Tour on Feb. 23 | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Acrisure Arena*

She's Highlighting Diverse Talent Front & Center

Rodrigo's choice of supporting acts further display her understanding of dynamic artistry, as buzzing pop and indie acts Chappell Roan, The Breeders, PinkPantheress and Remi Wolf will rotate through the opening slot. Roan is support for the first stretch, and her set underscored the meaning of a true pop princess in the making. 

Delivering flawless vocals and addicting charisma, Roan proved she knows how to serve a memorable performance. As she skipped through the stage and clutched her guitarist while hitting an immaculate high note during "My Kink Is Karma," it was clear that Roan is ready for her arrival as pop royalty. 

Nothing about her performance screamed rookie; if anything, it was a masterclass in how to take up space. When she belted, "Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong!" from the outstanding single "Pink Pony Club," she jumped into the air, pure bliss emanating all the way from head to her sparkly, silver boot-clad toes.

*Olivia Rodrigo at the opening night of the GUTS World Tour on Feb. 23 | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Acrisure Arena*

Her Community Of Fans Is Unmatched — And She's Here For It

Despite what was going on onstage, Rodrigo's show made it clear that her authenticity has helped her build quite the loyal following. Along with scream-singing the majority of the set list, fans were dressed to the nines, some adorning elaborate recreations of her music video and performance outfits. 

Her fellow Pisces were celebrating their birthdays, wearing Olivia Rodrigo-themed sashes — some turning 13, some 30. All around the arena, fans ran up to one another wishing each other happy birthdays, asking how the other made a certain outfit. Bows, à la Sandy Liang, were sprinkled throughout the crowd, and even became an integral part of Rodrigo's choreography during "lacy." 

At the surface, it's easy to dismiss Rodrigo's fandom — especially given her more sanitized, mainstream roots in the industry. Navigating through the crowd, you would hear disgruntled murmurs from security staff, dismissing everyone as just "an annoying group of 14 year old girls" — despite the diversity the audience actually boasted. 

Despite it all, Rodrigo became a beacon of acceptance. Suspended above the audience on a crescent moon during GUTS' "logical" and SOUR's "enough for you" — one of the more poignant moments of the show — she took the time to shout out and get closer to those in the nosebleed sections. "I see you!" she belted out, later taking the time to shine the camera on cute couples and exquisite ensembles during her set. Those three words are precisely why Rodrigo's music has such wide appeal — she speaks to those who have felt easily discarded, like they were too much, too loud, too brash. 

The night ended with star-shaped confetti floating down to the crowd after a buoyant performance of "get him back!" As the clean-up crew unleashed industrial sized vacuums on the streamers, young fans scrambled about, giggling as they tried to grab as many as possible to bring home, some sticking them in their hair as they leapt about the emptying arena. 

Olivia Rodrigo's superpower is her acute ability to make these painful feelings of girlhood feel so uniting. In between the heartbreak and growing pains is this ephemeral moment of unguarded joy, and she brought it all to the GUTS World Tour. 

2024 GRAMMYs: Watch Olivia Rodrigo Bleed Her Soul Dry With Dramatic "Vampire" Performance

Artists on the rise got their metaphorical flowers on Feb. 1, when GRAMMY House played host to the Beats & Blooms Emerging Artist Showcase. The performance-heavy event was produced in conjunction with PEOPLE and Sephora and hosted by comedian Matt Friend.

Some took the floral theme quite literally — like Texas rapper and singer Teezo Touchdown, who took to the stage clasping a giant flower bouquet, his microphone tucked somewhere inside. With his crisp white leather jacket and white gloves, Teezo looked fresh as he performed tracks from his recently released debut album, How Do You Sleep at Night? It wasn't hard to see how late legends like Prince and Rick James have influenced his artistry, and the audience appreciated his fly sartorial style.

Another dynamic performance came from Cocoa Sarai, a Jamaican-American singer/songwriter who has worked with artists such as Dr. Dre and Anderson .Paak (the latter of whom helped Sarai earn a GRAMMY in 2020 for her work on his Best R&B Album-winning project, Ventura). The Brooklyn-born artist — who is part of the new Music Artist Accelerator initiative presented by MasterCard, GRAMMY House’s primary sponsor — delivered an impactful set that included her bird-flipping anthem "Bigger Person" and was assisted by a great beatboxer named Fahz.

As many attendees got glammed up at Sephora's makeup station, the event co-sponsor also presented one of the night's performers. Sephora Sounds highlighted twin sisters Inah and Yahzi of the viral group Ain't Afraid, whose energetic performance hit home. During their charismatic set, which featured the sisters both singing and rapping, the pair told the crowd that their lighthearted stage presence is a way to turn some of their trauma into positive art.

Inah and Yahzi weren't the only sibling duo to take the stage at Beats & Blooms. Brandon and Savannah Hudson — aka BETWEEN FRIENDS — first got national attention as quarter-finalists on "America's Got Talent" in 2013, and have since racked up millions of monthly plays on Spotify for what they like to call "laptop dream pop". BETWEEN FRIENDS performed songs from their 2023 album, I Love My Girl, She's My Boy.

Tiana Major9 closed out the event with an exciting performance that featured a song debut and a sing-along. After premiering a new track called "Braids," the Motown artist got everyone to join together for an exquisite cover of Faith Evans' smoldering "Soon As I Get Home". 

GRAMMY House's three days of events are a place for a diverse array of music industry professionals, musicians and social creators to immerse in the pulse of culture, take the torch and carry it forward — and Beats & Blooms was a powerful example of just that.

The Rise Of Ice Spice: How The "Barbie World" Rapper Turned Viral Moments Into A Full-On Franchise