Whether you are ready or not, we are officially in 2024. It’s okay if you’ve already abandoned your overambitious resolutions for more plausible goals — or if you’ve just given up entirely. There’s always next year.
But if there’s one constant, it’s listening to music. If Spotify Wrapped taught me anything, it’s that I really can make it through anything with the right soundtrack. We’re edging closer to awards season, which means everyone is looking for the best of the best. Our inner critic comes out and, suddenly, we’re all members of the Recording Academy.
With the 2024 Grammy’s right around the corner, it’s easy to get caught up in the hits from yesteryear. But I’m already looking ahead to the new year of music. And it’s time to recognize artists who are about to have a huge year. Some of them may be familiar names and hopefully, others will become new favorites of yours.
Regardless, there have been four artists who stuck out to me this past year. These artists aren’t new per se, but they’ve skyrocketed with recent success leading the charts, making an impact on pop culture, and featuring prominently on Spotify playlists. Each artist has been selected because they have the It Factor — and finally everyone is seeing it.
Here are the four artists to watch in 2024!
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter via GRAMMY.com
Sabrina Carpenter press
Carpenter fell headfirst into a love triangle scandal alongside pop queen Olivia Rodrigo and her castmate, Joshua Bassett. In 2022, she released her fifth studio album, emails i can’t send, which solidified her as a certified pop songwriter who has every “It” factor you look for in a young starlet.
Her sound can span genres- with synthy, sexy pop/R&B blends like “bet u wanna” to stomp-and-holler-inspired “Already Over.” Her take on heartache and the increased public scrutiny is both refreshing and witty.
After opening for Taylor Swift this year and going viral for her “Nonsense” outros, and most recently performing for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, it’s hard to imagine that this is the last we’ll see of Sabrina.
Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan
Asyia Marotta
A favorite here at Popdust, Noah Kahan has perfected that aforementioned “stomp and holler” sound. After a year of country-folk renaissance, Kahan’s Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) deluxe edition released in 2023 and continuously broke records…leading to collaborations with artists like Post Malone, Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, and Lizzy McAlpine.
With a sold out stadium tour on the horizon, Kahan is skyrocketing. His storytelling through music is unmatched- painting pictures of woeful hometown memories, heartache, loss, anxiety, and more.
His self-deprecating humor and appreciation for success make Noah Kahan who he is. A longtime advocate for mental health, Kahan started The Busyhead Project to raise money for the cause. He has us in the palm of his hand, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Dom Dolla
Dom Dolla
donslens
In the world of Electronic Dance Music, Dom Dolla is a trailblazer. He’s spent the year performing to crowds of tens of thousands of people at festivals and headline shows, and releasing some of the biggest EDM mixes of the year with “Eat Your Man (feat. Nelly Furtado)” and the disco jam “Saving Up.”
He’s one of the most exciting producers for a reason: a chart topper who knows how to reach the ears (and hearts) of fans of house and EDM, and new listeners alike. He’s found new ways to incorporate sound bytes, big drops, bass, and classic tech-house style and create a league of his own.
Whether he’s remixing classic tracks like “Black Betty”, playing his own tunes, or performing B2B sets with a fellow hot topic, John Summit, the “Rhyme Dust” creator is one-of-a-kind. Nominated for his first GRAMMY for his remix of Gorillaz “New Gold” with Tame Impala and Bootie Brown, Dom Dolla is your EDM artist to watch.
Renee Rapp
Renee Rapp
Erica Hernandez
You may know her as Leighton from Max’s Sex Lives Of College Girls…or as Regina George in the 2024 remake of Mean Girls. But Renee Rapp is a whirlwind of a pop-R&B artist who knows how to make flawless music. She’s gathered a passionate fanbase behind her to prove it, and after her most recent album, Snow Angel, we’re dying to know what’s next.
2022 was huge for Rapp, with her Snow Hard Feelings tour accompanying the album. She’s the talk of the town, weaving tales of unrequited love, belting ballads of heartache, and balancing them out with punchy pop tunes that are worthy of a repeat.
She’s the face of both cinema and music right now, with a versatility of creativity that so few can achieve. It would be a mistake not to include her on our artists to watch this year, because we know Renee Rapp is only getting started.
