Smaller Artists To Listen To If You Like...
Collage by HSR
If you like Lorde, listen to Charli Adams
Lorde created something potent on her 2013 album Pure Heroine. It was a project that captured the thrill of adolescence, but also the liminality of being caught between childhood and adulthood. Charli Adams taps into that same contradiction of excitement and malaise. Her songs often take place in cars, in the messy aftermaths of relationships, settings that are inherently liminal, transitional. They’re rife with relatable anxieties of growing up, but Adams’ vocals are rich and earnest, providing stability in the midst of the dreamy soundscapes. It hits the heart with something fierce. With her debut album Bullseye on the horizon, now’s a great time to catch up on Adams’ past releases, especially her EP Good At Being Young from last year.
If you like Harry Styles, listen to Sam Fender
For fans of Harry Styles’ rock tendencies, but also his affinity for a gut punch ballad, Sam Fender is a great place to hear more. Like Styles, he walks a fine line (ha) of energy and emotion. His debut album Hypersonic Missiles taps into similar influences as Harry Styles’ debut, with a foot in the past and the other one planted down in the current zeitgeist. His music bursts with lively guitars and spirited vocal performances, but his lyrics reflect on mental health, politics, and the tumultuous relationship he has with the U.K. It brings all that euphoric zest for life back down to Earth in a relatable, tangible way.
If you like Phoebe Bridgers, listen to Skullcrusher
With her latest album Punisher, Phoebe Bridgers has become a staple of melancholic, indie songwriting with her emotionally specific ballads. But her music doesn’t drag you down into the dumps. Instead, it can make you feel like you’re soaring up into the sky. Skullcrusher possesses this same rare ability. She knows her way around sadness, but also vivacity in the face of it. Her recently released sophomore EP Storm In The Summer heightens the reflective writing with dapples of bright horns and sunny guitars, almost like a ray of sunlight breaking through the dark clouds on a stormy day.
If you like Carly Rae Jepsen, listen to Sigrid
Carly Rae Jepsen is a master of optimistic and bubbly, but studied, pop. Norweigan singer and songwriter Sigrid is cut from the same cloth. Her debut album Sucker Punch hits just like the title—a series of bold, punchy pop songs that are bound to get stuck in your brain. Every song is approached with the exact same enthusiasm, whether it’s an electropop banger or a subtler, slower song. Her music sparks with the same 80s exuberance and starry-eyed romance as Jepsen’s, but most importantly, she—like Jepsen—sounds so, so happy to be making pop music.
If you like Troye Sivan, listen to Leo Kalyan
Troye Sivan’s music excellently balances the struggles of youth and emerging sexuality against dreamy pop landscapes. British-Pakistani artist Leo Kalyan explores the same territory, and then begs you to open your imagination even more. Kalyan’s music explores the intersectionality between his identity as a gay man and his Muslim heritage, and finds beauty within it. His music rings with lush soundscapes, fantastical imagery, and romantic ambiance. For those looking to get whisked off their feet into a magical listening experience, his album The Edge from 2018 is a great introduction to his work.
If you like Jorja Smith, listen to Joy Crookes
If you enjoy Jorja Smith’s languid, gentle R&B sounds, then you’ll love what fellow English singer Joy Crookes has to offer. Joy Crookes’s music radiates a warmth and effortlessness that never gets old, whether she’s going for an upbeat or laid back atmosphere. Her trio of EPs Influence, Reminiscence, and Perception cover lots of territory, from break up kiss-offs to self-empowerment to Crookes’s relationship with her hometown of South London. Her mashup cover of “Yah” and “Element” by Kendrick Lamar is also a must-listen.
If you like BANKS, listen to Tishmal
BANKS draws in listeners with hypnotic atmospheres and beats, and lyrics revolving around strength in even the most difficult of times. If you enjoy the way she incorporates alternative R&B and pop sounds, then you’ll enjoy LA-based artist Tishmal. The stage name of Rachel Brockbank, Tishmal means “hummingbird” in Luiseño, the language of her Native American heritage. Tishmal exudes the same authoritative ease over simmering electropop grooves that BANKS does. Her beats flutter as much as they race by on the back of dark synths, and her vocals skate over top with the effortlessness of a hummingbird. Her self-titled EP from 2018 is a great place to start.