2024 was a vibrantly innovative year for music and pop culture. New artists emerged while established artists evolved, creating a dynamic musical landscape.
Some of the biggest rising stars of 2024 included Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Tyla, who all experienced major breakthroughs. Alongside them, long-established artists like Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Travis Scott, Charli XCX and Tyler, The Creator also led the wave of experimentation and diversity that defined the year.
My favorite thing about music is how fluid and ever-changing it is. It’s always fascinating to observe the trajectory of artists’ careers and their rises to fame.
Branding is an invaluable component for contemporary artists. One thing all the pop girls of 2024 had in common was their unique images, personas and stage presence. Charli XCX and Chappell Roan electrified the media with their eccentric themes and costumes. Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour showcased her as a charismatic performer with Broadway-esque acts that went viral.
But 2024 is so last year, so here are my predictions for the unique rising artists of 2025.
In recent years, K-pop girl groups have landed nuclear hits in the mainstream western market with songs such as Cupid by FIFTY FIFTY and OMG by NewJeans in 2023. In 2024, two debut singles similarly made an impact on TikTok: Magnetic by ILLIT and Touch by KATSEYE.
My bet is on KATSEYE breaking through in 2025. Based in America, KATSEYE is a multinational, multilingual girl group that follows K-pop methodology. Their Netflix survival show, “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE,” gained notable publicity through dramatizing the training and competition that led up to the group’s creation. It’s been two decades since American girl groups ruled the early 2000s, and the trend is ready for a reboot. KATSEYE, with their diverse training and talents, could step up to the spotlight.
My second pick is TikToker Addison Rae, who underwent a shocking rebrand in 2024 with the release of her dreamy, sensual single, Diet Pepsi. Her backstory and Y2K-reminiscent style have the potential to allure the public, especially if her team continues to make strategic moves in branding and music innovation. Utilizing social media and trends has become imperative for artists nowadays in order to resonate with larger audiences. Some artists I personally discovered through social media and fell in love with were Amaarae, SAILORR and wave to earth.
My final pick is the individual members of K-pop girl group, BLACKPINK, who all recently embarked on their solo careers. So far, among the four—JISOO, JENNIE, ROSÉ and LISA—ROSÉ has achieved the most successful song with her collaboration with Bruno Mars on APT. However, with LISA and JENNIE gearing up to release their debut albums under their self-established labels soon, there’s no telling what will happen next. All four are backed by the strengths from their idol backgrounds in public relations, visual appeal and performance. Now, they face the challenge of developing their own musicality and artistic paths.