As the seasons change and the weather warms up — allegedly, anyway — it’s time for a spring cleaning. While it’s important to take care of the cobwebs around your apartment and finally donate that musty bag of clothes in the back of your closet, it’s also an apt time to refresh your go-to playlists. No, we’re not telling you to stop streaming SOS, but it might be good for your mental state to mix it up a bit…
Without further ado, here are ten artists to help you shake off the winter blues, from a Korean rapper that mashes up punk rock with hyperpop to a queer Chicano singer that wants to smooch on all his homies. And best of all? None of these tracks would feel out of place on a playlist with “Kill Bill” and “Snooze.”
GALE
For fans of: Rosaliá, Avril Lavinge
Last November, GALE scored her first Latin Grammy win for a co-write on Christina Aguilera’s latest Spanish language album, Aguilera — but it’s her own tracks that will have you slamming the repeat button. It’s no surprise that the singer was raised on Shakira and Avril Lavinge; her latest tracks mirror the IDGAF-itude found on Laundry Service and Let Go.
Check out: “Problemas,” “D Pic,” “Nuestra Canción”
Adanna Duru
For fans of: SZA, Kali Uchis
Early in her career, Adanna Duru appeared on both The Voice and American Idol, but it’s clear the singer, now 26, has since taken time to figure out who she is as an artist. Despite proving to be more than capable of a big vocal moment, Duru has discovered a necessary ingredient that makes her soulful debut EP, Nappy Hour, sound like pure butter: restraint.
Check out: “ur a bitch,” “POP!”
Bentley Robles
For fans of: Jonas Brothers, Charlie Puth
It’s impossible to make it through Brooklyn-based Bentley Robles’ catalog without cracking a grin. Whether he’s begging his homies to “come taste my lips, it’s just platonic” on the horny “kiss my friends,” or answering Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro” from a queer, Chicano perspective with “salvatore,” Robles is a much-needed dose of serotonin for the coming spring season.
Check out: “kiss my friends,” “salvatore,” “kim kardashian”
Noelle
For fans of: Carly Rae Jepsen, Halsey
Raised on the Tyendinaga Mohawk territory in Ontario, Canada, Noelle was exposed to a menagerie of influences, from jazz greats like Sarah Vaughn and Nat King Cole to the native wind flute and powwow drum of her indigenous roots. After finding her footing through viral YouTube covers, the singer found her voice writing her own songs — the latest of which have a sparkling, synth-heavy sound.
Check out: “Cold Killer,” “Mars”
Whiterosemoxie
For fans of: Travis Scott, Omar Apollo
Not many artists would think to draw inspiration from a bizarre Young Thug tweet, but that’s exactly what Detroit’s whiterosemoxy did on bass-heavy “girls die,” spinning Jeffery’s rumination into a thesis on the bittersweet feeling of life’s resets. The poignant track is a sample of the artist’s forthcoming debut full-length album.
Check out: “girls die,” “whts rght,” “CALL!”
Vivi Rincon
For fans of: Olivia Rodrigo, Phoebe Bridgers
Vivi Rincon’s debut EP, crash landing, opens with the vulnerable ballad “if we lived on the moon,” a delicate track in which she confesses the struggles of being in a queer relationship. With stingers like, “we’d never think twice about who we’d offend, and we’d never say we’re just friends,” it’s clear that Rincon has the songwriting goods — a promise she makes good on through the project’s bitter (but relatable!) closing number, “the party.”
Check out: “if we lived on the moon,” “the party,” “overflow”
Lil Cherry
For fans of: Doechii, Doja Cat
South Korean rap sensation Lil Cherry’s unique sound can be found at the intersection of hyperpop and punk rock, and it was developed with guidance of her older brother and producer GOLDBUUDA. Last year, the sibling duo dropped their adrenaline-soaked collaborative album, Space Talk, which included the belligerent, Rico Nasty-assisted “Catwalk.” Most recently, the rapper flexed her agility by teaming up with MVW and TiaCorinne for a more subdued contribution to the hazy “Tru Tru.”
Check out: “Catwalk,” “Tru Tru,” “PYE LIFE”
Blake Rose
For fans of: Shawn Mendes, The 1975
If you haven’t been introduced to Perth export Blake Rose yet, get familiar. The 25-year-old made his U.S. television debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden last month and followed it with a solid 7-track EP, You’ll Get It When You’re Older – the bulk of which was self-produced.
Check out: “Use Me,” “Demon,” “Already Be Dead”
Ayleen Valentine
For fans of: Taylor Swift, mxmtoon
It’s actually shocking that singer-songwriter-producer triple threat Ayleen Valentine is only 21-years-old given the sheer intricacy of her work. The Berklee dropout’s latest project involves releasing sets of singles in pairs as a way to explore the idea of opposites.
Check out: “anesthetized,” “stars”
iyla
For fans of: Kehlani, Ariana Grande
The Los Angeles native’s latest EP, Appetite for Disaster, begs to not be put into a box. The project sees iyla cooing jazz-influenced harmonies on one track, spitting rhymes over a trap beat on another and yodeling — yes, yodeling — on another. On standout track “Sad Bitch Bad Bitch,” the singer shares a meme-worthy mantra: “I don’t get mad, I get pretty/ Can’t have me, I’m too busy.”
Check out: “Mona Lisa,” “Sad Bitch Bad Bitch,” “2LATE”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
