1. Kesha (or Ke$ha) - Kesha (pronounced Keh-sha) has been in the music world for a couple years but has only been doing her own independent stuff performing and recording on her own. She is now ready to break into the mainstream music world with her new record deal with Sony. You will recognise her voice from FloRida's #1 "Right Round" even tho she isn't credited in US. She has about 25 tracks floating around the internet that will not be on her album out this summer. To imagine her sound think if Katy Perry and Lady GaGa had a kid with a Katy-type voice and Lady GaGa style. Its an awesome sound that will def fit into the music scene today. My fav tracks by her are Butterscotch, Mr. Watson, and Backstabber. All her tracks are fun peppy dancey tracks but she does have some killer ballads like CUNxTuesday that can prove she has the voice behind the awesome beats and attitude.
Butterscotch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFcdJI6_llgMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/keshaishot2. Travis Garland - Travis used to be the lead singer of NLT, a boyband originating from Texas. This band was one of the best bands in a long time, kinda like the urban pop version of *NSYNC with killer dancing and amazing vocals. These vocals were headed by Travis. Despite this quality of this group they never did well commercially after trying with 3 singles and their albums leaking incredibly early. Over 2 albums worth of tracks by them have leaked and thus helped the push backs of their debut album, so the band has gone on an undecided length break. Travis has thankfully started focussing on his solo career. He has the potential to be the younger and better version of Justin Timberlake. Travis has a better range than Justin and a more powerful and soulful voice than Justin also, and on top of his insane vocal abilities Travis also can dance at least on the same level as JT. He has also done about 13 solo tracks that are either his real songs or demos for other artists, my favs are Electromagnetic (a demo), When You Learn How To Love (a real track), and his AMAZING cover of Dead'N'Gone by T.I. and JT.
Electromagnetic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxpLDt5pqbQMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/travisgarlandmusic3. Calvin Goldspink - Calvin is from the UK and has been in the music industry for a while. In his early teenage years he was lucky enough to be picked, out of thousand of kids, to be part of S Club Juniors, a mini me version of the top selling UK band S Club 7. After S Club 7 disbanded S Club Juniors renamed themselves S Club 8 to appeal to an older crowd. They then renamed themselves again to iDream, adding 5 more ppl for a total of 13 bandmates; this new name also came with a TV show similar to the S Club 7 shows watched around the world. After S Club Juniors/S Club 8/iDream disbanded Calvin focused on acting and landed a lead role on The CW's Life Is Wild. The show was cancelled so Calvin went back to music. Joe Simpson (Jessica's and Ashley's father) found him and has become his manager. No word as to when he will be officially releasing stuff, but I am guessing it'll be this year sometime. He has several songs posted on his official myspace and his sound is similar to an acoustic Jesse McCartney, kinda if Jesse and Jason Mraz had a kid, haha. His voice is a lot more soulful than his S Club days and it shows in his new songs. My fav is Your Never Not Beautiful.
Never Not Beautiful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KE1e9JWqDAMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/calvingoldspink4. Gloriana - Gloriana is made up of 4 members, 2 brothers, 2 chicks. 1 of these chicks being Cheyenne Kimball, the former winner of Most Talented Kid. Cheyenne had 1 solo album and a reality show on MTV tracing her journey to releasing her solo album. Despite the show her album didn't perform well enough on the charts and she didn't release anymore solo records. Gloriana was formed last year mainly by happenstance and now they have a major record label and are doing very well on the country charts and on CMT's video countdown. They are just a younger version of Little Big Town or Lady Antebellum, they are more of a combo of these two groups, their sound isn't exactly like either. Their harmonies are AMAZING!! My favorite track is Wild At Heart which is their first single, they have a couple other tracks floating around the internet that are also solid country tracks.
Wild At Heart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv3PJ1YSHFsMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/gloriana5. Carter Twins - The Carter Twins are also new on the country music scene. They have released their first single Heart Like Memphis and are watching it do very well on the charts and on CMT's video countdown. They are doing a lot of promo around at radio stations and smaller venue concerts recently to promote themselves and their new album. Idk exactly when its gonna be released, but I'm guessing a mid/late summer release. They are like a newer, younger, and a bit poppier version than Brooks and Dunn or Montgomery Gentry. They are def less country than those 2, but also still very country. Kinda like the male version of Taylor Swift, except there is 2 of them.
Heart Like Memphis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zzrFoPkocIMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/cartertwins6. Parachute - Parachute is brand new on the scene, releasing their first single She Is Love late last month and releasing an amazing viral video for that song. These 5 guys from NC are an amazing musically talented group. They have a guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer, and some other random instrument they break out occasionally. The lead singer Will is a combo of Teddy Geiger and Stephen from Laguna Beach, so he automatically attracts the ladies. But he has the vocals to back it up, he actually sounds like a less gritty version of Teddy Geiger, with a better range. This band has the sound of The Fray or One Republic but with a little more emphasis on the music. They really should be a hit group, if they will be or not is another story. The music industry is so screwey, but I honestly think these guys are here to stay :D. And I'm going to see them in concert May 15th (I hope!!!), if I go I'll be sure to post a review of the concert up here.
She Is Love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghhivSh1hScMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/parachuteva7. BoA - BoA (pronounced like the snake) is a huge pop diva from Korea and Asia. She has been absolutely huge there ever since she was 13. She has just now made her first all English album and released it over here in the states, this is the year of asian invasion with another pop princess Utada making her English debut over here. In this battle tho BoA def wins, her music is a lot more current and way more upbeat. There isn't 1 track on her album that you can sit down and listen to, haha. She hasn't done amazingly well on charts yet, but on dance charts she has done very well. She needs some promo and she could be huge!! I think she should promote this album and then work on her English to rly get it down and do another smashing album. My fav tracks from it are Eat You Up (the first single), Touched, and Energetic.
Eat You Up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNSJnXyiEx4Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/BoAmusicUSA8. Jennette McCurdy - Jennette is well known, but not by this name. Most everyone knows her as Sam on iCarly; and when you look at Sam you would never even imagine she could sing. I didn't either, but I was so wrong. Jennette has such a powerful, beautiful voice, its an insane surprise especially when you picture her as Sam. She sings country which is even better cause we don't have a lot of teen stars that do country, with the right promotion she could be like the country version of Miley. Like full fledge country, not Miley's fake country. I would describe her as a younger Taylor Swift, but with a lot more powerful voice. Her debut single So Close is awesome and rly shows off her vocals. She has said that her 2nd single will be out in May and her album in June. I'm so excited for this and really think she can be very successful in music, now all we need is Freddy to also sing then that whole show could sing.
So Close:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MShUlbXouiMMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/jennettemccurdymusic9. Paradiso Girls - The Paradiso Girls are basically the UK version of The Pussycat Dolls, or at least that is how the industry describes them. My opinion is a lot better than a wannabe version of PCD, these girls have PCD's looks, Girlicious's music style, and Danity Kane's vocals. So they are the ultimate girlgroup. They consist of 5 girls: Chelsea, Lauren, Kelly, Sasha, and Aishe. All the girls represent a diff part of world and sound, we get US, UK, France, Asia, and Carribean in this group. Even tho they are being branded as the UK version of PCD, they are planning on going global immediately and focusing themselves in every market. Their debut single Patron Tequila is a club banger, it has awesome beats and pretty cool vocals also. This year could be theirs if they get promoted well.
Patron Tequila:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2vUo5vGydUMyspace: no official myspace yet
10. Jadyn Maria - Some of you may remember Jadyn Maria as the little Christian artist in the early 2000's or as the Herbel Essence girl; either way she has left that behind. After getting her record deal, on the same label as fellow Christian artist Stacie Orrico, her label was bought out and most of the lower interest artists were just left behind, including Jadyn and Stacie. Stacie rebounded a lot better because she had previous albums and was well established in the industry, but Jadyn was just starting out and had none of that. She took off music for a while, but last year decided to get back in it. She was doing a lot of lowerkey stuff and just getting her name out there. She is friends with Katy Perry and is one of the bridesmaids in her Hot'N'Cold video. Just a couple weeks ago Jadyn was the first artist signed to Ne-Yo's new record label, and that is awesome because Ne-Yo writes and produces huge hits. Only one current track has been leaked by her and its called Villain and it features FloRida, and its probably one of the best new artists tracks I've heard this year. If you want more of her voice check out her earlier Christian era tracks Choices and Rock You Senseless (the Herbel Essense theme song for 2002).
Villain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X7dKAIcTfIMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/officialjadynmaria11. Keri Hilson - Keri Hilson has also been in the music world for a while. Prior to 2006 she only was writing for artists like PCD, but then she was featured on Timbaland's smash hit The Way I Are and that launched her recording career. Keri seemed to have everything needed to be an instant hit: high up friends (Timbaland, Ne-Yo, Kanye), experience from writing and knowin the industry, great voice, and good looks, but for some reason that didn't rly work for Keri. Keri has tried in the music world since about this time last year, with her 1st single Energy and her 2nd single Return The Favor; neither of these songs did anything on the charts despite being amazing songs. Having these songs do nothing resulted in her album being pushed back multiple times until we thought it was completely shelved. Then the miracle of Turnin' Me On (Ft. Lil Wayne) came as her 3rd single and did well enough to get the album released, and as plans to release the album materialezed this single actually became a hit which helped her debut album get #4 on billboard charts. Her 4th single Knock You Down (Ft. Kanye West & Ne-Yo) has been added to radios and is doing amazingly well also. Its also my fav track by her, followed by Energy. Now that she is finally getting the success she deserves I think she can rule this year!
Energy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW8wrXjPs5AMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/kerihilson12. Savannah Outen - Savannah was one of the lucky few who has gotten a record deal from her youtube page, but this girl definitely deserves it. She was snatched up by Disney because she has the Disney look and sound. On her youtube she covered everything from Rihanna to P!nk to High School Musical and delivered each with flawless ease while also playing her guitar. She is the pop version of Taylor Swift because she plays guitar and also writes or co-writes almost all of her music. Her debut single Goodbyes was written during her 8th grade graduation. Her voice is very powerful considering she is only about 15. Her 2nd single Unlock The Door was released but with zero promotion and (I think) just cancelled. But just recently she has changed her stage name to Savannah and released her 2nd single If You Only Knew and an accompanying music video. If she gets promoted right she could have the same success like Taylor Swift on the pop charts. She is a great role model for girls, unlike Miley Cyrus.
Goodbyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3QSPyLD7gAMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/savannahoutenofficial13. Wynter Gordon - Wynter has been recording stuff for about 2 years now but hasn't ever had anything officially released. Back in 2007 she had a huge internet hit called Surviellance, it drove the bloggers crazy cause every1 wanted it and every1 in the online music world loved this track. We all expected it 2 be her debut single off an album coming out in 2007, 2008 at the latest, but it never did. She has kinda dwindled away over the past 2 yrs preparing her debut cd. She is just now ready to attack the music world with avengence. She is starting this off by being featured on Flo Rida's 2nd single Sugar off R.O.O.T.S. Her debut solo single is expected for an early summer release and an album following late this year. Her sound is similar to a Cassie who can actually sing, kinda a mix of Beyonce and Cassie. She has had about 3 cds amount of tracks leak onto the internet, my favs are def the first smash Surveillance, Time's Up, and Turn It Up. She can deliver the awesome dance hits and then uses her powerful voice to deliver moving ballads.
Surveillance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i0_jgay2LcMyspace:
http://www.myspace.com/wynter8514. Kristinia Debarge - Kristinia was one of the top 30 finalists on American Juniors, the peewee version of American Idol. She is also the daughter of James Debarge who used to be in the group Debarge, and married to Janet Jackson. I just found out about this girl yesterday, and I wrote this post about 1 week ago, so my info on her is alot less. She is singed to Island Def Jam Records and will have an album out soon, her first single "Goodbye" was released on itunes tuesday and is already at #41 and getting spins on alot of radio stations.
Goodbye:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NbhfD5wIU4Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/kristiniadebargeOthers to keep an smaller eye on:
Leighton Meester - Leighton is one of the stars on Gossip Girl and plays Blair, you'd be surprised how good her voice is, she plans on releasing an album this year.
Samantha Jade - Samantha was a childhood model and then started to sing in her early teen years. She was lucky to have gotten the title song "Step Up" from the movie Step Up. She has released one other single that performed ok on the charts and is planning on this year to continue her music career.
Jessi Malay - Jessi used to be in the girl group No Secrets until they disbanded after lead singer Angel went solo. She has released 3 singles, none performing well on charts, but this year has decided to revamp her style and see if she can have success with 1 more try. I love her song Booty Bangs, is kinda funny and it actually a good song.
I hope yall enjoy this post and def check out these artists, cause I'm positive at least half of these artists will have at least 1 hit this year. Kesha, Carter Twins, Gloriana, and Keri Hilson already have hits on their charts.
