Music is more than just songs—it’s a story, a vision, and an entire world built around sound. From striking visuals to deeply personal narratives, every element helps shape an artist’s era and message.
The women featured below embody what it truly means to be an artist, pushing boundaries and redefining music on their terms. We urge you to listen to each and every one and add some emerging female artists to your playlist.
Stela Cole
Stela Cole is at the most powerful point in her career. With her debut album I Die Where You Begin coming out March 14th and her first solo headline tour, what isn’t she doing? First signed to RCA, Stela put out an EP titled Throwing Up Butterflies as her intro to music. The Georgia-born singer/songstress also made an appearance on the American Song Contest with her song “D.I.Y” and has released an EP and a slew of hard-hitting singles over the years.
Fast forward to now, and Stela is independent and making the best music of her career. With strong visuals, diverse production, and powerful vocals, Stela has everything to offer. I would describe her music as lush, resonant, and full-bodied. Her songs are like full-on movie productions, venturing into different stories, all with catchy melodies and amazing production.
Lilyisthatyou?
Lilyisthatyou? is that friend you have that goes out all the time but also has their life perfectly together. She is the perfect blend of messy, fun, and emotionally charged. Lily’s music is mainly a strong, hard-hitting dance-pop blend. Her style of music can gloss over hard-hitting subjects, like in one of her songs “How Could You?”, where she exclaims, “My best friend f***ed the guy that almost killed me / Never in my life did I think you’d do me so filthy”. She knows how to blend this stylistic approach to songwriting with production that will have you coming back time and time again to hear her music.
Lilyisthatyou? just released her full-length project, PAINFUL EUPHORIA, and is currently on tour. Always releasing music, Lily knows how to give her fans instant gratification while her music satisfies listeners all over the world. Becoming an independent artist, Lily has taken full control over her vision, making the most powerful and charged music of her career. She is one of the most prolific, and most reliable, emerging female artists in the industry.
Laye
Moody pop-rock anthems and emotional ballads are Laye’s strong suit. She has all the facets that every music fan desires. Delivering powerful visuals through her music videos and catchy songs that keep you coming back for more, Laye has it all. On her recent EP losers, Laye plays into this blend of genres.
The new EP features tracks like “touching myself”, “sunday scaries”, “Unhappier” and many more. On “sunday scaries”, Laye describes something that almost everyone experiences after a Saturday night out. That promise to never drink again is one of the many relatable and prolific moments she writes about.
If you like pop-rock, self-aware lyrics, and beautiful vocals, look no further than Laye. Currently popping up around Canada playing her music, Laye has been teasing her new songs for a while, keeping fans on their toes for her next release. If you’re lucky, you may hear them live at one of her shows.
Etta Marcus
English singer-songwriter Etta Marcus is someone that everyone needs to add to their playlist. Etta’s music can be quaint and soft, featuring her soothing vocals on tracks like “Hide & Seek” or “Lovesick Boy Prays”, or angsty and charged on songs like “Snowflake Suzie” and “Girls That Play”. Marcus is a truly dynamic artist with a clear vision.
2024 proved quite fruitful for the singer as she released her acclaimed project, The Death Of Summer & Other Promises. This release featured 8 songs, all of which are standouts. Etta has adaptable vocals that she and her team mix perfectly on all her tracks, creating sonic landscapes perfect for anyone’s soundtrack to their life.
chlothegod
Chlothegod is having quite the start to 2025. With the release of her latest project, I Feel Different Everyday, and her first headline tour, what isn’t she up to? A force to be reckoned with, Chlo’s music represents who she is as a person. Her music embodies strength, vulnerability, and self-awareness. Her recent project features standout tracks like the off-kilter R&B of “Diggin Around” and the self-reflection of “Why Would I”.
Chlothegod has been releasing music for a while, with her first EP, Nearly Straight, coming out in late 2023. Her last project features the angst and alertness that listeners have come to love. The songs “Outta My Mind” and “Camile” were instant fan favorites and demonstrated the depth and diversity that came with her artistry and style. Chlothegod is an artist that anybody can listen to. Her dynamic sound is like no other, shaping the future of music today.
julip
Software engineer turned musician, julip has been posting videos online of her self-coded music production technique using her hand signals. Similar to Imogen Heap’s iconic gloves, the two share this technological talent. She encapsulates everything exciting about this wave of emerging female artists, honing a completely unique sound.
The singer’s music has been making waves online for its experimental y2k sound and sheer creativity. Songs like “fingerprint” help showcase this subtle electronic flare in her production, as well as the vocal coding she has made her signature. Julip is an artist everyone can play in the background of their lives. Her use of her own software coding technique is just one of the many ways she is pushing the boundaries of modern music.
Devon Again
Devon Again isn’t new to getting a shout-out here and there. She’s your favorite artist’s favorite artist. That sentiment was shared on Chappell Roan’s Instagram just a few weeks ago about artists she loved. How could you not love her? Devon Again is here to make honest, fun, and catchy music that has you coming back for more.
Her music genre is rooted in pop but goes far outside the bounds of that genre. Devon’s recent tracks like “never goes away” and “sunburn” slow down the tempo and offer a different side to her sound, opening the revolving door of genres and letting fans in for different sounds.
Deb Never
Currently on tour with Wallows, Deb Never is taking her music to the road. With her latest singles “This Alive” and “Not in Love”, Deb has been teasing new music for a while now. If you are lucky enough to hear some of her unreleased tracks on tour, then you’ll get a taste of what she’s been working on.
Debs’s music is often lush and relaxed but can be angsty and bold. She doesn’t fit into any box, and her music is reflective of that. Songs like “Say”, “Sweet & Spice”, and “This Alive” all help demonstrate this moody alternative sound that she has been crafting since her musical debut in 2018 with “mr nobody”. Deb’s artistry and creative vision are effortlessly clear and catchy, leading their way to your next playlist.
brooke
If you like music with a grunge, alt-pop style, look no further than brooke. Brooke has been releasing music since 2020, but she is at her most alert with her most recent project, AWAY TODAY, and the resurgence of her 2024 track, “you watch me break”.
Making waves on TikTok, her music is catching the ears of fans and music listeners all around. She has a certain flair and effortless coolness that can’t be manufactured. Her music brings those features into an addictive and catchy sonic formation, leaving her tracks on repeat and at the top of your playlists. Keep brooke’s music on repeat and watch her journey as one of many emerging female artists shaping the future of music.
Ronia
Ronia might be one of the freshest rising talents on the scene. She entered the industry this past September with her debut, “White Flowers”. Since then, we have gotten the songs “Hell Is A Bed In Your Room” and “Daisy,” which are up there with the most exciting singles of 2024.
With only 4 songs to her name, this puts Ronia in an exciting place. She is experimenting musically with her sound and expanding on her artistry. Her music is soft but can break through the speakers with hard-hitting moments like on the aforementioned “Daisy”. This February, she released the song “Silver Heart”, which has spread across Spotify playlists and introduced thousands of ears to her sound.
Your Future Playlist
These emerging female artists are shaping the future of music. Through their innovation, storytelling, and talent, they’re redefining what it means to be a musician in today’s industry.
Whether you’re drawn to their lyricism, genre-bending sounds, or bold visual aesthetics, these women are proving that the future of music is in powerful hands. All of these artists serve as instant playlist contenders, and we hope you keep them on your radar.
