Fresh Finds by Female Artists
Written by Parnia Razi on January 18, 2019
Kehlani, “Nights Like This”
It’s been a busy past few months for hip-hop/R&B artist Kehlani; from announcing her pregnancy, to releasing a single and music -video making her one of the top streamed female artists. Kehlani has been in the public eye from an early age, from being on America’s Got Talent as a teenager, to the attention she got when she came out as queer. Her debut album SweetSexySavage following her popular mixtape You Should Be Here gained massive success and positive ratings. Kehlani has gained a seriously powerful fan base over the years for her strong yet soft and beautiful voice, but also for her unique identity and energy. It is definitely refreshing to see an artist in her genre who speaks out for LGBTQ issues, and seems to maintain an elegant, but simultaneously down to earth aura despite being in the spotlight for many years. It is clear Kehlani is one of the most authentic artists out there, and her newest song, “Nights Like This” is perfectly Kehlani. With an interesting video and feature from Ty Dolla $ign, you don’t want to miss one of the most popular songs of 2019 so far.
Elohim, “Buckets”
One of the artists to watch out for in 2019, Elohim has had a successful rise to fame over the last year. From releasing her debut album and collaborating/touring with The Glitch Mob, to playing at Coachella, Elohim’s magical sound and energy have been capturing the attention of many. Being an independent artist without a label, her work is incredibly unique and authentic. Many of her lyrics and themes of her art center around issues of mental health, self-care, spreading love, and connecting with her fans. Her blend of electronic and indie-pop sound brings together fans across both genres. Her most recent release, “Buckets” was produced in collaboration with Skrillex, giving the song a more high-energy and intense production than her usual songs. The lyrics and vocals are also unlike anything Elohim has released before – and it’s clear she’s stepping up the bad b*tch energy in 2019. Calling it part of an “emotional purge,” we are definitely seeing a different side of her, more edgy and intense. With this powerful new music, Elohim’s interesting style, and her close relationship with her fans, there’s no doubt 2019 will be a big year for her. Check out “Buckets” below!
Jhene Aiko, “Wasted Love Freestyle”
Jhene Aiko has to have the most mystical, magical, and entrancing voice and energy of any artist in our generation. Like many, she captured my heart with her beautiful and raw album Trip in 2017. Since dropping this album, however, Jhene has yet to release any new music. Hearing her recent freestyle track was definitely a treat, and takes me back to style and energy of Trip. Drawing from some tragic personal experiences, as well as her love life, her lyrics always hold a depth I’ve seen few artists reach. Perhaps it’s also because of her talent as a poet, as she has released a poetry book and an interactive online poetry experience. Her songwriting skills, her freestyling skills, and her beautiful voice make her one the most incredible women in R&B/soul right now. Hopefully this new track means more new music is in the works? I guess we’ll have to wait and see…in the meantime you can listen to “Wasted Love Freestyle” below!
Billie Eilish, “WHEN I WAS OLDER”
Billie Eilish, at the age of 17, has already gained massive attention for her singing and songwriting talent. Her first song “ocean eyes” blew up on Soundcloud and since then, she’s become a fashion icon and gained a spot on this year’s Coachella lineup. With her beautifully elegant voice, unique style, and intriguing music videos, she has blown up in the past year after the release of her album don’t smile at me and successfully singles like “you should see me in a crown“ and “come out and play.” She is definitely a trendsetter and strikes as much more older and mature than she is. With her intimidating energy, edgy style, and raw talent, 2019 is going to be an important year in shaping Billie Eilish’s career. There are rumors of her releasing a new album this spring around Coachella. Her most recent single, for the new Netflix original movie Roma, was written by her and her brother. The film has also received attention and significant positive praise, even getting a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s striking and a must-watch if you haven’t already! You can listen to the beautiful song inspired by the film Roma below, and be on the lookout for Billie Eilish on the come up this year.
Noname, “Song 31”
Noname, currently on tour for her massively successful album released last year, has just released another single. After she began working with Chance the Rapper and released her album Telefone, Noname has gained positive attention and been making moves. She combines spoken word poetry with rap, and her melodic, powerful, and soft voice carries the songs more than the music. She truly is unique in rap music, and maybe exactly the kind of rap we should be listening to right now. Not only being a woman in rap, she also doesn’t conform to the typical image, like Cardi B or Nicki Minaj. She maintains an authenticity and powerful message in her lyrics that definitely stand out among what is expected in the genre today. Her most recent album Room 25, has received praise and she’s currently on a tour for the album (click here to check out the Houston date!) Her newest single, “Song 31” with a feature from Chicago-based producer Phoelix, has the same beautiful sound we expect from Noname. Her recent connections and collaborations with other talented artists have given her a more refined sound and stronger production. You can check out the song below, and be sure to keep an eye out this year as Noname is one the rise.
