To be great, as an artist, one must bring something special to the table. These five women have done just that by staying true to themselves and letting their raw talent and creativity shine through. They are the next class of greats. It’s still an uphill battle for women in the music industry, but each of these five young women are making their mark; 2019 better make way:
Billie Eilish
Eilish possesses a Lorde-like edge and a beautiful, unwavering soprano voice. Her haunting ballads have quickly become the talk of the town. The 17-year-old’s speedy rise to superstardom has earned her 11 million Instagram followers and plenty of A-list allies.
In 2018, Eilish put out five singles. A highlight of her 2018 catalogue is “when the party’s over,” a tragically honest, slow-paced look at the unraveling of a relationship. “you should see me in a crown,” in which Eilish takes on the persona of a cruel leader, is equally impressive with eerie production throughout each verse and a killer bass drop leading into the chorus. In 2019, Eilish’s spot on the throne looks safe; the Los Angeles native took to Instagram on Sunday to announce that she was mastering her heavily anticipated sophomore album.
Maggie Rogers
Rogers, who just wrapped her tour with Mumford & Sons, is another striking act that came out of nowhere. The Maryland native’s best, and most recent single, “Light On,” is about her sudden and unexpected rise to fame following the success of her single “Alaska.”
The track chronicles the down side of life in the public eye and paints Rogers as just another confused kid. The catchy, indie-pop track will appear on Rogers’ first full-length album, Heard It in a Past Life, which is set to release Friday. The 24-year-old channels the vibe of Florence Welch, while mixing blues instrumentals and dance-infused production with her soulful voice, resulting in polished, alternative perfection.
King Princess
Straight out of Brooklyn, King Princess encompasses everything that New York is. The 20-year-old is clever, artistic and unapologetic.
The indie-pop star made a name for herself in 2018 with “1950,” a piano-heavy, upbeat declaration of her admiration for her female love interest. The most impressive track on her five-track EP, Make My Bed, is “Upper West Side,” in which KP mocks a wealthy, upper west side native for her cluelessness and vanity, but admits to being intrigued by her anyway.
Her songs typically take a slow-burn approach, but her most recent single “P**** is God,” embedded with a simple guitar riff, but embellished by a post-chorus remix-like dance break, has a fresher, in-your-face sort of sound. Only 2019 will tell what KP will try (and rock) next.
Kelsea Ballerini
Ballerini is a talented lyricist, a high-energy performer and a versatile artist. The 25-year-old Tennessee native has taken full advantage of the popularity of genre-bending in the music industry.
Her first record was an unsurprising country debut, with singles written to country radio. But Ballerini’s sophomore effort, Unapologetically, smashed expectations with a wide variety of pop-country triumphs. “Miss Me More,” a post-breakup anthem, is currently climbing the country charts, but it couldn’t be more of a pop song.
Ballerini also made an appearance on the pop charts with her collaboration with The Chainsmokers, “This Feeling.” While heart-on-your-sleeve ballads like “High School,” and “Unapologetically,” are the obvious peak of Ballerini’s catalogue, 2019 may be the year that she is willing to go full T-Swift and release a blatant pop record.
Carly Pearce
Pearce is one of country’s most talented newcomers. In 2018, she toured with country superstars Luke Bryan and Rascal Flatts. Her first hit single, “Every Little Thing,” was released independently. The heartbreaking track earned Pearce a record deal and a name as one of Nashville’s strongest, most honest songwriters.
The 28-year-old Kentucky native is hard at work polishing off her sophomore record. The lead single proves that Pearce doesn’t need a heartbreak to write a hit song. “Closer To You,” is a fun, fast-talking ode to Pearce’s fiancé and fellow country singer, Michael Ray. Pearce’s future is bright and she has her openness to thank.
