These Rising Female Music Artists Are Becoming Stars
In honor of Women’s History Month, let’s take a moment to appreciate the female music artists who are taking the industry by storm. Pop Culture Planet contributor Paola Cardenas shares the rising music girlies we love.
Raye
Raye, 26-year-old English singer/songwriter, has been making waves with her music globally. Following writing for big artists such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, David Guetta, John Legend, and more, she rose to fame after appearing on Jonas Blue’s single “By Your Side” and Jax Jones’ “You Don’t Know Me” — both received widespread commercial success.
After nearly a decade of not being able to release her debut album due to label issues, she finally went independent and released her album My 21st Century Blues in 2023. Her major breakthrough came from her single “Escapism” featuring 070 Shake. Inevitably, the song became viral on TikTok and her fame skyrocketed. From there, she’s appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and opened for various tours including Lewis Capaldi, Kali Uchis, and SZA.
Her biggest accomplishment to date is earlier this month at the BRIT Awards where she not only performed a grand medley of her songs, but won six nominations, breaking the record for most awards received in a year in the history of BRIT awards.
Sabrina Carpenter
Whether you know her from Disney’s Girl Meets World or as the opening act for gal pal Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, Sabrina Carpenter is making herself known!
She made her music debut with “Can’t Blame A Girl For Trying” and hasn’t stopped dropping music while also starring in Netflix films like Work It and Tall Girl and as Cady Heron in Broadway’s Mean Girls the Musical. In 2022, she started to become more well-known with the success of her fifth studio album Emails I Can’t Send and her concert tour. “Feather” and “Nonsense” became fan favorites, with the latter becoming a signature outro song performed by Carpenter at every city with differing lyrics.
With her amazing vocals, catchy melodies, and relatable lyrics, Carpenter effortlessly navigates the pop star landscape by infusing her music with authenticity and emotion. Beyond her musical abilities, she’s able to connect with her audience on a personal level as she explores themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and resilience in her songs.
Reneé Rapp
Can a gay girl get an amen? Amen!
You might have come across Reneé Rapp with her role as Regina George in both the Broadway musical and new Mean Girls film and the Broadway musical she starred in as well with fellow actress Sabrina Carpenter. Others may know her from her acting debut as Leighton Murray in The Sex Lives Of College Girls, but if you’re a really big fan then needless to say you know every detail about the 2018 Jimmy Awards.
Rapp has proved her stardom time after time with acting and her amazing vocals. Her ability to embody iconic characters with confidence and wit makes her so relatable. We simply can’t get enough of her!
Coco Jones
If you’re like me, you probably know Coco Jones from her Disney days when she was featured on Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing which led to her casting in the hit film Let It Shine.
Though she experienced colorism in the industry as she explained in a YouTube video, it didn’t deter her from reaching her goals in the future. A year after, she was cast as Hilary Banks in Peacock’s Bel-Air — a reimagining of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. In 2022, she signed on to Def Jam Recordings and later released her EP What I Didn’t Tell You. The album experienced wild success including singles “ICU” and “Simple” with Babyface.
She’s now won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance and performed on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, the BET Awards, and more.
Chloe x Halle
Speaking of Let It Shine, did you know Chloe and Halle Bailey appeared in the Disney film before they became superstars?
From covering songs on YouTube to releasing original music and acting, Chloe and Halle have met widespread success as both a duo and independently. Mentored by Beyoncé, they have a huge range of accomplishments under their belts across both acting and music. While starring on Grown-ish, their debut album The Kids Are Alright earned them two Grammy Award nominations and another three with their second studio album Ungodly Hour. The lead single “Do It” became their first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Though the duo have pursued solo projects, they aren’t done just yet.
Most recently, Halle made little girls dreams come true as the first Black woman to portray Ariel in The Little Mermaid which sparked conversations about more inclusive representation. Meanwhile Chloe released her debut solo album In Pieces. We’re looking forward to wherever their careers take them!
Victoria Monét
Known for writing music for huge industry stars like Travis Scott, Blackpink, Fifth Harmony, Brandy, Coco Jones, Chloe x Halle, and of course Ariana Grande, it’s time Victoria Monét got the recognition she deserves!
Launching her debut studio album Jaguar II in 2023 with the hit leading single “On My Mama,” Monét finally had a breakthrough moment. Her rising star was solidified by winning Record Of The Year at the Grammys. Fans were quick to show their love and appreciation as it was a moment Monét was waiting 15 years for. Claps all around for her!
Laufey
If you’re into the slower, jazz-pop sound, check out Icelandic and Chinese rising star Laufey. You may have heard her 2023 single “From The Start” on social media. The success she’s gained since has been astonishing to witness. The multi-instrumental artist has already won her first Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for her album Bewitched. She’s about to kick off a sold out tour in early April, join Mitski on select tour dates, and perform at Lollapalooza with The Chicago Philharmonic.
Laufey’s career has changed so much within a short amount of time and there’s nothing stopping her so keep your eye out on her music journey!
Tyla
Another artist who’s career was catapulted by TikTok is none other than Tyla. Summer 2023 was a breakout moment for the R&B singer with her hit “Water” all over social media with dance trends. It even landed her a win for Best African Music Performance at the Grammys.
Her music made her the first and youngest South African solo artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100. She’s earned nominations for a BRIT Award, a MOBO Award, a Soul Train Music Award, and two South African Music Awards. Though she’s had to cancel her headlining tour due to an injury, she’s recently released her self-titled debut album earlier this month. Tyla is a rising star that should be on everyone’s radar.
Tate McRae
Tate McRae gained popularity after being the first Canadian finalist in So You Think You Can Dance at only 13 years old! From there, she continued to dance, but also shared her love for music by posting videos on YouTube. Her viral sensation “One Day” in 2017 garnered 40 million views and, in 2019, she signed onto RCA Records.
Soon after her first EP released, her single “You Broke Me First” spanned her popularity internationally, reaching high spots on Canadian Hot 100 and Billboard Hot 100. Now, her songs “ex’s” and “greedy” catapulted her into fame on TikTok. She’s even performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Saturday Night Live, the NHL All Star Game in Toronto, and the Billboard Music Awards 2023.
At 20 years old, she’s proven herself to be a pop star with her catchy lyrics and dancing abilities that people often refer to as reminiscent of Britney Spears.
