From the Site
The Best of 2021, According to the Ones to Watch Staff
December 27, 2021
This is 2021, as we experienced it.
Author:
Staff
Sadie Jean Wears Her Heartbreak on Her Sleeve on the Viral "WYD Now?"
December 24, 2021
"WYD Now?" forces listeners to reflect on their own personal journies of love and heartbreak.
Author:
Nathan Ahamed
MEYY Conjures Up the Ethereal World of 'Neon Angel' [Q&A]
December 17, 2021
<i>Neon Angel</i> is a celebration of love and all of its contours.
Author:
Ruby Scott
Swansea Skag Trades Addiction For Connection on 'you'll be dead before you know it'
December 17, 2021
Swansea Skag is experimental, raw, and refreshingly authentic.
Author:
Nathan Ahamed
Imad Returns to His Roots on the Samia-Assisted "Makan"
December 17, 2021
"It's through these moments where you learn the most about yourself, your craft and appreciate the small things in life."
Author:
Joe Beer
Oliver Tree Taps Trippie Redd & Ski Mask The Slump God For Ruthless "Life Goes On" Remix
December 17, 2021
Life goes on and on and on and so do the remixes.
Author:
Arielle Lana LeJarde
Making (Not Raw) Fried Chicken With payton | Bone Apple Tea
December 16, 2021
payton may have a knack for racking up fans in the millions but can he cook chicken all the way through?
Author:
Ruby Scott
Tierra Whack Is Once Again Proving Herself a Genre-Spanning Visionary
December 16, 2021
Whack consistently delivers on a multidisciplinary vision in a way that few of her peers can match.
Author:
Carter Fife
Meet Yu Su, the Multicultural Electronic Artist Blending the East and West
December 15, 2021
Born and raised in Kaifeng, China, Yu Su (è‹çމ) is creating electronic music all her own.
Author:
Natalie Lei
MYKA's "gucci bloom" Is a Bittersweet Ode to Sudden Heartbreak [Q&A]
December 15, 2021
"Anyone who listens to my music and relates, I call them 'unknown' because that's how it feels. That's what the fear is."
Author:
Chloe Liz
Danny Zee Pours His Heart and Soul Out in 'Blue Butterfly' [Premiere + Q&A]
February 27, 2020
Zee's debut album arrives a poignant bout of grieving catharsis.
Author:
Alissa Arunarsirakul
Forget "What You Heard;" The Otherworldly R&B Trio Sonder Is Back
February 25, 2019
2019 has seen the return of Sonder's otherworldly take on R&B, and we are here for every moment of it.
Author:
Maxamillion Polo
Zico's "Any song" Is Our Latest TikTok-Fueled Obsession
January 28, 2020
#AnySongChallenge
Author:
Maxamillion Polo
Meet Penelope Scott, the Artist Giving Your Intrusive Thoughts a Viral Voice
August 28, 2021
Scott had never released music pre-pandemic; now she regularly goes viral with her idiosyncratic sonic think pieces.
Author:
Maxamillion Polo
Mahalia Sends a Not-So-Subtle Warning in "Letter To Ur Ex"
February 22, 2022
On her latest standout single, Mahalia explores the moments of a partnership often left unexplored.
Author:
Arielle Lana LeJarde
Breakout Producer and DJ southstar Gets Our Pulse Racing With 'dunes'
May 23, 2023
'Dunes' is a project built to be experienced in person, amongst the alive, skin-to-skin.
Author:
Jazmin Kylene
Meet JELEEL!, the Breakout Star With Unparalleled Energy
May 17, 2022
To listen to JELEEL! is to bear witness to an explosion firsthand.
Author:
Maxamillion Polo
maye's Pastel-Colored Music Is a Dream Given Sonic Shape
November 12, 2019
maye has found the perfect formula for crafting music that actually feels like a dream.
Author:
Matthew Rudas
Black Artists You Should Listen to Now | #NowWatching
June 5, 2020
This week's #NowWatching playlist is dedicated to the sounds and voices of a small fraction of innovative black artists.
Author:
Ruby Scott
Grace Carter Empowers the Rejected to Move on in "Heal Me"
January 25, 2019
Drawing inspiration from R&B legends Lauryn Hill and Nina Simone, "Heal Me" is an extremely personal look into Carter's childhood.
Author:
Alyssa Yung