Turn It Up: 10 Artists Flying Under the Radar Who Should Be All Over Your Speakers
Photo: The Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Streaming algorithms have a funny way of keeping you in a loop. You find a sound you like, the platform feeds you more of the same, and before long your "discovery" playlist is just a slightly blurrier version of what you already know. It's comfortable. It's also kind of a shame.
Because right now — seriously, right now — there are artists across the country and beyond making music that's bold, weird, emotional, danceable, and everything in between. They're just not getting the algorithmic push (yet). Consider this your manual override.
Here are 10 artists who deserve serious real estate on your playlist.
1. Mavi
Genre: Underground Hip-Hop | From: Charlotte, NC
Mavi raps like someone who's read every book in the library and still can't sleep at night. His 2023 album Laughing So Hard It Hurts was one of the most quietly devastating rap records in recent memory — dense with imagery, emotionally raw, and completely uninterested in chasing trends. His flow is unhurried and deliberate, which makes every line land with extra weight.
Start here: "Sense of Self" or "Rich Hippie"
Why he's about to pop: The underground has been championing him for years, and the critical groundswell is building. He's the kind of artist that other artists start name-dropping before the general public catches on.
2. Bartees Strange
Genre: Indie Rock / Post-Punk | From: Mustang, OK (based in DC)
If you've ever wished someone would make a rock record that felt as emotionally complex as it sounds sonically adventurous, Bartees Strange is your answer. He pulls from post-punk, indie rock, country, and hip-hop without ever sounding like he's trying to do too much. His voice alone is worth the listen — it goes from a controlled murmur to a full-throated wail within a single song.
Start here: "Mustang" or "Flagey God"
Why he's about to pop: He's already a critical darling, but mainstream audiences haven't fully caught up. His live show is reportedly electric, and he's the type of artist who converts skeptics in real time.
3. Amaarae
Genre: Afropop / R&B | From: Accra, Ghana (raised partly in Atlanta)
Amaarae makes music that sounds like it exists in its own atmosphere. Her voice is breathy and high — almost fragile — but she uses it with complete intention, layering it over production that blends Afrobeats, pop, and electronic elements in ways that feel genuinely fresh. Her 2023 album Fountain Baby was a full-on statement.
Start here: "Sad Gurlz Luv Money" or "Disguise"
Why she's about to pop: The Atlanta connection gives her natural US crossover appeal, and her sound is perfectly positioned for the global pop moment we're currently living in.
4. Mk.gee
Genre: Indie / Art Pop | From: New Jersey
Mk.gee makes guitar music that sounds like it's being played inside a dream you can't quite remember. His debut album Two Star & The Dream Police turned heads in indie circles for its hazy, immersive production and the way it treats melody like something to be discovered rather than announced. It's the kind of record that gets better every time you put it on.
Start here: "Are You Looking Up" or "Rylee"
Why he's about to pop: Word of mouth is already spreading fast. He's the kind of artist that people feel personally invested in introducing to others.
5. Faye Webster
Genre: Indie Pop / Soft Rock | From: Atlanta, GA
Faye Webster has been steadily building one of the most distinctive catalogs in indie pop — a sound she's dubbed "sad girl music for people who love bowling alleys." It's wry, warm, and unexpectedly funny. Her songs are deceptively simple, but they have a way of burrowing into your brain and staying there for weeks.
Start here: "I Know I'm Funny haha" or "Lifetime"
Why she's about to pop: She's already past the early stages of cult following — a mainstream breakthrough feels genuinely imminent.
6. Nia Archives
Genre: Jungle / Electronic | From: Bradford, England
Okay, she's British — but American audiences are sleeping hard on Nia Archives, and that's a problem worth correcting. She's reviving jungle music (a fast, bass-heavy UK electronic genre from the early '90s) and making it sound completely current. Her 2024 debut album Silence Is Loud is a masterclass in energy and emotional depth existing in the same space.
Start here: "Forbidden Feelingz" or "Headful of Useless Information"
Why she's about to pop: Electronic music fans stateside are hungry for something with this much personality. She's got it in abundance.
7. Mannywellz
Genre: R&B / Soul | From: Nigeria (based in Baltimore)
Mannywellz writes R&B songs that feel like a long exhale. His voice is warm and unhurried, and his production has a lo-fi intimacy that makes everything feel like it was recorded just for you. He's been a fixture in the Baltimore and DC music scenes for years and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in alternative R&B — but his solo catalog is still criminally underheard.
Start here: "On My Way" or "Sweet Remedy"
Why he's about to pop: The slow-burn R&B revival has created the perfect opening for an artist with his kind of patience and craft.
8. Saya Gray
Genre: Folk / Experimental | From: Toronto (Japanese-Canadian)
Saya Gray makes music that's genuinely hard to categorize, which is exactly why you should pay attention. Her debut album QWERTY is a collection of folk-influenced songs that keep shapeshifting — adding noise, pulling back to near-silence, then coming back swinging. It's restless and beautiful in equal measure.
Start here: "19 Master Tapes" or "Looseleaf"
Why she's about to pop: The experimental folk lane is wide open right now, and she's one of the most compelling voices in it.
9. Tunde Olaniran
Genre: Pop / Funk / Electronic | From: Flint, MI
Tunde Olaniran has been making some of the most politically charged, sonically adventurous pop music in America for years — and somehow he's still not a household name. His music tackles identity, race, and joy with equal conviction, and his live performances are legitimately legendary among people lucky enough to have seen them.
Start here: "Namesake" or "Yung Ancestor"
Why he's about to pop: The cultural moment is finally catching up to what he's been doing all along.
10. Kali Uchis
(The one you might know — but probably not well enough) Genre: R&B / Latin Pop | From: Alexandria, VA
Kali Uchis technically has mainstream credits, but her deeper catalog remains underexplored by most listeners who know her only from a feature or two. Her Spanish-language work especially — particularly Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) — is lush, cinematic, and emotionally devastating in the best way.
Start here: "telepatía" or "Loner"
Why she deserves more of your time: Because there's an entire world in her discography that the algorithm probably hasn't shown you yet.
Make the Playlist — Seriously
The best thing about music discovery in 2024 is that access has never been easier. Every single artist on this list is on every major streaming platform. The barrier isn't availability — it's just attention.
Give these artists yours. Your playlist will be louder, richer, and a whole lot more interesting for it.
