Happy 2015 to all!
Who else is super excited about what this year has to offer when it comes to music? I know I am and the best things about a new year are the new albums that are bound to come out. Even more exciting are the new artists we’ll be hearing about or the not-so-new artists we’re only now learning to love.
No matter which one it is, 2015 holds much potential for fresh music in the industry and I’m ready to face all of the hits, misses and everything in-between.
I’ve already begun compiling my lists and one of those include my list of artists to keep an eye on in this new year. There are so many but I’ve shortlisted five musicians who I think (and in some cases, hope) will make a big splash in 2015.
Raury – “Genreless” is how musician Raury describes his work, and a listen to any of his songs proves the description right. The 18-year-old Atlanta born artist is one of those rappers I class as ‘New Era’, the young ones who understand that the world is changing and that rap holds much more potential than it previously did. No longer are the majority of our rappers coming from “the hood”; like Raury, these New Era rappers grew up in alright enough homes and have been heavily influenced by the internet. “People like me grow up listening to everything and the genres begin to blend and disappear,” Raury once said. In 2013, Raury released his free 13-track debut album, ‘Indigo Child’ and has since earned himself some attention from not only music lovers but record labels. After being approached by a number of labels including Interscope, Loma Vista, and Warner Bros, Raury signed with Columbia Records in late 2014. Raury also earned respect from other musicians, including Lorde, Outkast and SBTRKT, who he has been touring with. Raury raps, but he isn’t just another rapper though; he infuses his raps with his own guitar playing, soulful pseudo-singing and haunting lyrics. Raury’s sound is much different from what people would expect from him, and for that he’s going to garner a lot of buzz this year. Couple that with the expected marketing by Columbia and a pending album and Raury is definitely one to look out for.
Chance the Rapper – Even though he has already released two albums and has been around for a while, Chance the Rapper is yet to be signed to a record label; that’s not for lack of trying by the labels, though. The Chicago native has reportedly rejected a number of offers, instead choosing to remain independent and create free content for his fans. It’s understandable why labels would be hounding down the 21-year-old; his music is really, really good, particularly those on his 2013 album ‘Acid Rap’. To date, the album is in my top five best albums and, when I heard he was working on his new album (‘Surf’), I was more than excited. Since Acid Rap’s release, Chance has been working hard at putting his name on the map and has made appearances at a number of events, including the popular Lollapalooza. He has also been working hard with his group The Social Experiment on a project which offers a diverse sound for persons who have begun to expect much more from rap. Like Raury, Chance is a New Era rapper and offers a different feel on almost all of his songs; there are trumpets playing, deep basses, and meaningful lyrics. Don’t believe me? Take a listen to his song, “Wonderful Everyday”, which is a cover of the “Arthur” theme song, featuring a collaboration with Wyclef Jean, Elle Varner and Jessie Ware. Chance has also collaborated with Lil Wayne and Skrillex and is reportedly working with musicians J. Cole and Frank Ocean. Though it seems like he’s working hard to stay out of the mainstream, he’s nonetheless one to look out for in 2015.
Madonna – Unlike some on this list, Madonna is not a newcomer to the music industry; in fact, she has been around long before I was even born. So, it’s surprising that after all of these years she is one to keep an eye out for in 2015. The reason for watching her is simple; the long-time diva is expected to drop her new album, ‘Rebel Heart’ this year March and though she already has countless others in her repertoire, this one is worth watching because of all the alleged conflict surrounding it. For quite some time now, Madonna has been touted as having a ‘beef’ with the Queen of Weird, Lady Gaga and last year, when a demo of one of her songs leaked, critics believed that some of the lyrics were throwing major shade at Gaga. Madonna has, of course, since denied the allegations of a tiff but her denials have only fuelled the rumours more. ‘Rebel Heart’ also features a number of collaborations including with Nicki Minaj, Pharrell Williams, Diplo and Avicii and these collaborations may just do the trick and push huge album sales for Madonna. In fact, according to Billboard, pre-orders for the album have topped the iTunes charts in more than 35 countries with three of the album’s six finished songs entering Billboard’s “Hot Dance/Electronic Songs” chart. So, don’t be too surprised if you get ‘hung up’ (haha, see what I did there?) with Madonna this year, whether you really want to or not.
Lil Wayne – Is it me or have things been awfully quiet from Lil Wayne on the music front? I’ll admit; I’m not an avid follower of his work so maybe if I hadn’t heard anything in a while it’s probably my own doing. I’m actually quite relieved by the reprieve but I fear that’ll all change this year. By now, I’m guessing a lot of people know that Lil Wayne indicated that he wanted out of Cash Money Records. Late last year he tweeted to his followers, “I want off this label and nothing to do with these people but unfortunately it ain’t that easy.” He continued, “I am a prisoner and so is my creativity. Again, I am truly sorry and I don’t blame ya if ya fed up with waiting for me and this album. But thank you.” Wayne apparently passed the blame for the album’s delay on to co-founder of Cash Money Records, Birdman. Cash Money in turn is claiming that the delay is due to “administrative issues”. Wayne was right about one thing: fans had begun to get tired waiting for what he had claimed was his “final solo album”. ‘Tha Carter V’ was scheduled to be released in May 2014 but never did and it was also said to be his last album before his rumoured retirement. Though Wayne’s problem seems real, I can’t shake the feeling that all of this is a marketing ploy. A number of elements indicate this for me, including the rumoured retirement, the court action threatened by Wayne and the threat by the rapper to leave his long-time label. The feeling heightened when I read on Monday that Mack Maine, Wayne’s friend and president of Young Money, hinted that the issue between Wayne and Birdman might soon be resolved. Hmm, verrry suspicious. If what Mack Maine said is true, we could possibly see ‘Tha Carter V’ in the first quarter of 2015. Fans and haters of Wayne alike had been following the drama and I believe they might find themselves buying the album simply to see what the hullaballoo was all about. Whether the album’s worth the money is another issue. Either way, Lil Wayne is bound to be in the headlines this year and music lovers will definitely need to keep an eye on him to see what happens.
Mikky Ekko – Anyone who’s a fan of Rihanna’s song “Stay” would recognize the name Mikky Ekko; his is the voice that graces the second verse of the song and moves many of us to tears as he yearningly croons his part. However, what few persons know is that Ekko had not only written “Stay” but had done so for himself before being convinced to sell it to the Bajan beauty. Fortunately for Ekko, he is more than a songwriter and now he’s not only collecting royalties for the hit but has also gained recognition for it. Ekko has a beautiful voice and was invited to perform the song with Rihanna at the 2014 Grammys – a big feat for a newcomer. Since then, Ekko has been making appearances with other musicians such as Alt-J, one of my favourite bands. Ekko’s sound is also eclectic and unique and no one can deny that this guy can sing well enough to win awards; he has that voice that can win over throngs of people and, with the right lyrics, he will undoubtedly do so in 2015. His debut album ‘Time’ is scheduled to be out on January 20 and I can’t help but hope that the title is on point – may this be the time for Mikky Ekko to shine.
Do you feel lucky, punk? Then drop me a line at thatpopculturechick@gmail.com
