Prior to the release of her second studio album, The Art of Loving, Olivia Dean had been soaring in popularity. Her lead single, “Nice to Each Other,” has thus far accumulated 150 million streams on Spotify, and her third single, “Man I Need,” has received well over 180 million streams on Spotify. These songs, defined by their upbeat jazz instrumentation and her pop vocals, have become trends on TikTok, with users singing and dancing along on casual strolls in the city and or expressing their ideal partner.
The recency of her breakthrough, however, is striking. She has made music since 2019 with her debut EP, OK Love You Bye, and songs like “Echo,” “Dive,” and “Be My Own Boyfriend” in between the emergence of her latest album. Thus, it is imperative to share other artists who are similar in nature to her. Most of them are emerging artists who possess similar jazz and R&B styles with their unique add-ons. These artists include: Sienna Spiro, Alanna Iman, Velleese, Amber Mark, and Dijon.
Sienna Spiro
Let’s begin with the multitalented Sienna Spiro: she plays piano and sings in a raspy tone, conveying lyrics of heartbreak. Before writing her own songs, she gained traction singing covers on TikTok, including Bruno Mars’ “Grenade,” Radiohead’s “Creep,” and Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” On average, her videos from 2023 received approximately 100k views with consistent peaks over a million before she signed with BMG in 2024 and later with Capitol Records this past February.
Since then, she has opened for Teddy Swims and Sam Smith. She has also released outstanding EPs, including Die On This Hill, Dream Police, and You Stole The Show. Her music, she revealed in an exclusive interview, is influenced by jazz singer-songwriter Raye, as Spiro called her “one of the most inspiring people. I can’t think of anyone else I am so in awe of.”
Before she has a major breakthrough, which will likely happen soon, check her out. Other standout songs are: “Maybe,” “Need Me,” and “I Don’t Hate You.”
Alanna Iman
Following Spiro, Alanna Iman is also rising to fame from her covers on TikTok. Her covers range from Rascal Flatts “Bless the Broken Road” to Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.” Her versatility and vocal range with limited instrumentation have helped her gain over 114k followers on the platform and a follow and repost from Justin Bieber on Instagram.
Additionally, she has released two singles this year, both acoustic covers: “Two Doors Down” by Dolly Parton and “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer. The former has received 140k streams on Spotify following its release, and the latter has received 13k streams. From these songs, it’s evident how her unique vocals effectively transform these iconic songs into ones of her own. Now imagine the effect once she writes her own lyrics. She is a powerhouse in the making. Before you know it, she’ll be signed to a big record label.
Velleese
Another emerging artist, Velleese, is bound to enter mainstream R&B soon. She debuted her first single, “In Between Us,” in 2020, followed by “Free From You” in 2023, and “Danger,” “Real,” and “God Keep the Light On” in 2024.
Sometime between 2020 and 2023, she mentioned in Spotify’s “About Me” section that her career was affected by “vocal health issues.” Nonetheless, she said, “If I had to live the same life over and over and over again, I would choose the same path. Being an artist is in my DNA.”
With this tenacity and her powerful lyricism, despite her limited discography, her songs are worthy of being constantly on repeat. They vary from making you feel and want to dance.
Amber Mark
Furthermore, Amber Mark is beginning to make her mark on the world. She intertwines R&B, indie, and soul with experimental instrumentation. Her debut single “Space” was released on Soundcloud in 2016, reflecting her grief after her mother’s passing. The emotional content in this song built the foundations for her first album, 3.33 am, released in 2017.
Her albums followed: Three Dimensions Deep in 2022 and Pretty Ideas in 2025. Three Dimensions Deep is reflective of finding a deeper meaning in life, whereas Pretty Ideas is about coming of age. Songs like “One” delve into her own experiences of being hard on herself and making her mother “proud above,” while “Let Me Love You” on her latter album reveals complexities in a relationship.
The varying themes of these songs take listeners on a fluctuating journey. One moment, you’re sad, and the next moment you’re still sad, but the upbeat tempo changes the interpretation of the lyrics. She is a phenomenal artist and will soon be breaking the charts, acquiring more than 3.6 million monthly listeners.
Dijon
Lastly, Dijon Duenas, known solely as Dijon, experienced a recent breakthrough with his collaboration with Justin Bieber on his albums Swag and Swag II. He has producer credits on “Daisies,” “Yukon,” and “Things You Do” as well as a feature on “Devotion.” He also helped produce Charli XCX’s song “Pink Diamond.”
Aside from his work as a producer, his artistic endeavors have been overlooked. His debut album, Absolutely, in 2021, and his most recent album, Baby, released this year, didn’t receive its deserved recognition until Bieber highlighted his work.
Both albums are defined by his raw R&B vocals and experimental instrumentation. Standout songs from both albums include: “The Dress,” which Olivia Dean recently covered, “Talk,” “Baby,” “Another Baby,” and “Big Mike’s.” Check them out!
Concluding thoughts
If you’re an Olivia Dean fan, you’d definitely love these artists. Many of their sounds possess the upbeat quality of Dean, except they’re not as mainstream, except for Dijon’s recent breakthrough. Each of these artists, in their own right, is meticulous in their craft. They are talented, but unfortunately lack the recognition they deserve. You should listen to them! They are of superstar quality.
