13 up-and-coming artists you need to know for the new year, and the best tracks to introduce you to their catalogs. Find 12 more in our previous edition HERE.

We did this series the last two years, covering rising stars like Rina Sawayama, Nilüfer Yanya, glaive, Jean Dawson, and more (Find last year’s articles HERE and HERE, and the 2021 edition HERE). We’re back with another installment this year, and you better believe we’re putting you on to more future stars!

*all Spotify monthly listeners are as of 2/8/23

Khamari

Age: unknown

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 389,658

Source: @khamarimusic

Where to Start: Doctor, My Eyes, Tell Me

Khamari has the kind of voice that immediately grips you as soon as you hear him. Turning on one of his tracks for the first time has a similar affect to hearing other incredible modern male RnB voices like Giveon, Lucky Daye, or even Frank Ocean for the first time (the latter two also share elements of his vocal tone). The singer from Dorchester, Massachusetts dropped out of Berklee College of Music to pursue his dream of being a full-time artist, and has seen considerable success since, but is still due for a much more significant rise. He matches incredible vocal skill with high-quality production (he also produces much of his music), and honest, vulnerable lyricism. Throughout his catalog he shows an ability to take classic RnB sounds and modernize them into material with commercial potential. Khamari is one of the most exciting up-and-coming artists in RnB right now, and 2023 should see him continue to grow.

Kevin Atwater

Age: Unknown

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 421,547

Where to Start: Star Tripping, christopher street

Kevin Atwater might just be one of the most exciting rising songwriters in the industry. The NYC-based singer has a talent for spinning stories full of vivid, specific imagery and deeply-felt emotion. Atwater cites Clairo, Conan Gray, and Phoebe Bridgers as some of his modern influences, and his intensely vulnerable style of indie songwriting and production may remind listeners of Phoebe Bridgers, while his vocals have elements of Gray’s. There is a palpable intimacy in the way Atwater writes, and he is able to play with controlled softness and emotional rough edges, both in his vocals and production, with the skill of a veteran artist. His biggest hit “Star Tripping” first gained significant traction on TikTok and now has earned millions of streams on Spotify, and a spot on our Best Songs of 2022 list. In 2023 expect Atwater to pen more music with the potential to catch on in a similar fashion.

spill tab

Age: Unknown

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 1,161,382

Source: @spilltab

Where to Start: Splinter, Velcro feat. Gus Dapperton

spill tab’s alternative, indie sound is the perfect fit for the modern music scene. Her tracks tend to have melodic pop sensibility built on her clear and clean vocal tone, and the rougher edges of alt-rock guitars and drums. Lyrically, her song concepts and lyrical themes are innovative, exciting, and vulnerable. In terms of production, there is always depth in the instrumentation, with big, unexpected sounds that blur the lines between experimentation and commercial accessibility, and loads of ear candy to pick up on if you listen closely enough. On her best tracks like “Velcro” with Gus Dapperton, she finds a way to tell largely relatable stories in new ways, comes with top quality vocals, and plays with instrumentation and vocal production to make anthemic moments. spill tab has a lot of momentum right now, and 2023 will likely be a big year for her.

Ruby Red

Group Members: Fernando Fine and Daniel Laner

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 56,039

Source: @rubyred

Where to Start: Too Late (To Call), Desert Star

Indie Pop duo Ruby Red’s 2022 song “Too Late (To Call)” has all of the appeal of a smash hit, it just hasn’t hit all the right ears yet. The song, featuring an infectious drum groove and synth pattern with an incredibly catchy chorus and strong verses, is just one of many quality tracks in ruby red’s growing catalog. Over three plus years of major streaming platform releases the duo have exhibited clear artistic growth, and their potential should be taken seriously. Their production style is also worth noting, as they have a propensity for using incredibly catchy and noticeable production melodies, but still finding a way to give the vocal room to shine, differentiating their sound and style from much of what’s out there right now. Watch out for what Ruby Red can do in 2023.

Luh Tyler

Age: 16

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 741,250

Source: @luhtyler_

Where to Start: Back Flippin, Law & Order pt. 2

Teenage Florida rapper Luh Tyler has gained significant internet buzz with clips of his songs “Back Flippin” and “Law & Order pt. 2”. Part of his appeal is shock factor, a visibly young, skinny teen, Tyler doesn’t look like a seasoned rapper, but his flows and voice would say otherwise. Tyler has many of the attributes that usually signal the arrival of a new commercial rap star: an instantly recognizable voice, innovative flows, and an original and laught-out-loud worthy sense of humor. With his deep voice and recognizable accent, a flow and lyrical style that combines influence from Florida rappers like Kodak Black, and the humor and unorthodox delivery exhibited by BabyTron and other Michigan rappers, Tyler has the potential to completely blow up in 2023 if he can catch a smash hit or deliver a quality project.

Dora Jar

Age: 26

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 500,713

Source: @dorajar_

Where to Start: Multiply, spell

Dora Jar’s style is hard to put a finger on, but once you hear it, you won’t be able to get her sound out of your head. With a drifting, high vocal tone that cuts through over any instrumentation, and production that mixes elements of acoustic singer-songwriter music, indie rock, and even hyper pop, Dora creates a unique sonic world that feels very much like her. Without many years of major releases, Dora still seems to be cited as an influence for countless rising artists in the industry because of the way she continues to innovate and push music to new places. With that level of respect in music communities, it seems like only a matter of time before her music hits the right ears to see large-scale commercial gains. After finishing last year with the release of a fantastic track in “spell”, watch out for what Dora Jar can do this year.

Jim Legxacy

Age: 22/23

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 312,360

Source: @jim_legxacy

Where to Start: Eye Tell (!), hit it light it twist it

British artist Jim Legxacy’s striking voice and original sound will be sure to pull in fans as soon as his music hits more ears in 2023. With a high vocal tone full of emotion and pain, Jim sings over production that melds a sense of darkness and energy, bringing a melodic eeriness into the same sonic world as club-ready drum grooves. In terms of genre, it’s almost impossible to define Legxacy’s work, but his ear for melody, and ability to communicate intense feeling through short songs is incredible. There is some RnB, drill rap, edm, hyper pop, afro beats, and more in what Legxacy brings to the table, but it’s his ability to meld danceability with a lyrical style and delivery that inspires emotional reflection that is special. The juxtaposition of the drums and vocals on his tracks communicates the sensation of ruminating in emotion while a night-out rushes by, and it doesn’t feel like anything you’ve ever heard before. Jim Legxacy has what it takes to gain a lot of new fans as 2023 continues with his game-changing sound.

Zzz.

Age: 19

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 182,503

Source: @zzz.sammm

Where to Start: All I Never Wanted, How Does It Feel

Florida artist Zzz. is the newest signee to Grade A Productions, the same label that signed stars Juice Wrld and The Kid Laroi. There is a clear correlation there when you turn on the young artist’s music, with signs of influence from Juice and Laroi, as well as other artists like Post Malone. His melded style of emotional, melodic tracks that pull in elements of both hip hop and pop has a proven commercial appeal, it’s just a matter of Zzz. building his audience and finding the right melodies and stories to pull in a fanbase. The biggest hurdle for him will be to prove his originality, and shake off constant comparison as he kicks off his major label career. If he can do that, and continue releasing quality tracks, he could see massive growth in the next few years.

tendai

Age: 22/23

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 95,104

Source: @tendaiwall

Where to Start: Not Around, Lately,

British singer and producer tendai’s sound is deeply genreless and original. There is a brooding, mysterious sound to most of his music, full of drifting chords, dark 808s, and scattered drum grooves. tendai’s voice also consistently wows, cutting through space with a slighly gravelly tone, but also a higher-pitched sound and a sense of control and precision. His work falls under the category of atmospheric RnB, but his style is very much his own, with sonic elements that could be traced to genres from RnB to drill rap and New jack swing. However you categorize it, tendai has already landed on our Best Songs of 2022 list with his track “Lately,”, and is doing some huge things in the industry. Signed to the same London imprint of Def Jam as Stormzy, 0207, tendai is credited as a writer and producer on multiple tracks on Stromzy’s 2022 record This is What I Mean. With the vision, vocals, and position in the industry he holds, tendai seems destined to break out in a big way.

Philine Sonny

Age: 20/21

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 180,347

Source: @philinesonny

Where to Start: Same Light, Lose Yourself

German indie artist Philine Sonny is an incredible songwriter with a knack for creating songs that are both pleasant and emotionally contemplative. Her style has some Maggie Rogers in it, with a subtle soulfulness in her vocal and a similar style of emotional storytelling in her lyrics. On her most commercially successful song, “Same Light”, there are clear modern indie influences, but also some references to Bruce Springsteen (specifically the inclusion of a saxophone solo at the end of the song), who she has named as an influence. Her 2022 project Lose Yourself has been a commercial success and shows off the ever-improving quality of her songwriting, and should make fans excited for future releases from the artist coming in 2023 and beyond.

Nathan Archie

Age: 19/20

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 574,691

Source: @nathanxarchie

Where to Start: hurt me enough, Nathan (still breathing)- by Fred again..

Nathan Archie may not be a household name in the industry, yet, but he is on TikTok, boasting over 1 million followers and 26 million likes on the platform. So what made him so popular on TikTok? First and foremost, his incredible voice. Archie’s tone is one that you hear and immediately envy, with a beautiful, soulful quality that is rare to find at any level of the music industry. That voice is likely the reason star producer Fred again… decided to sample his vocal on his 2022 project Actual Life 3, but Archie is also a promising songwriter with a great ear for amazing songs (as evidenced by what he chooses to cover on TikTok), giving him the potential to be a full-fledged star. With only one original song, “hurt me enough”, on Spotify, now is the time to become a fan before Archie completely takes off.

Berre

Age: 22

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 288,204

Source: @berre.music

Where to Start: Say My Name, Better Off Alone

Belgian singer Berre is another artist who has built much of his early buzz on TikTok, using the platform to reach international audiences and gain over 6.2 million likes, many of which come on videos debuting the few songs he has released on streaming platforms. With a massive, powerful voice full of soulful breaks and intricacies, Berre’s early catalog has many similarities to Lewis Capaldi’s, with his first tracks being pop heartbreak ballads with mainstream chart appeal. With the voice that he has, Berre is instantly recognizable as soon as one of his songs starts, and his vocals more than give him the potential to become an international star. With just 3 songs out of Spotify right now, Berre’s current career shares some similarities to Zoe Wees’s when we covered her as one of our artists to watch in 2021 two years ago. He has the potential to see similar success and gain significant mainstream commercial attention with a few more song releases in the coming year.

aldn

Age: 21

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 486,916

Source: @hereisalden

Where to Start: say what u mean (with Riovaz), what was the last thing u said (with glaive)

21-year-old Virginia artist aldn (pronounced Alden, which is his birth name) is one of the major names in hyperpop right now next to artists like glaive, ericdoa, brakence, midwxst, and more. A collaborator with many of these artists, aldn’s vision as a producer and songwriter place him as one of the single most important boundary-pushing and creative artists of the last few years due to his contributions to hyperpop as a rising genre. His beats, song structures, and concepts always challenge ideas of what popular music can be without completely sacrificing accessibility for experimentation. aldn has already accomplished a lot at a young age, and he has the potential to do so much more in this coming year and beyond.

Enjoyed the post? Check out our playlist of songs to introduce you to these emerging artists!

Thank you for reading! Please follow us on instagram @moonlxtemelodies, on twitter @Moonlxtemels, and on tiktok @moonlxtemelodies.