St. John’s University students are some of the most musically knowledgeable people that I have ever met. So, it’s no surprise that they know some great up-and-coming artists to look out for. I asked some students about what singers and groups they believe should/will get more recognition. Here’s what they said:
reggie is a relatively new artist from Houston, Texas, and he began by dropping singles in 2020. His soul-tinted music is something that anyone can enjoy, as he combines moments of jazz and throws in elements of R&B. His long-term plan is to release a double-sided album and then disappear from the industry after its eventual success.
Most popular song: AIN’T GON STOP ME
Personal Favorite: Avalanche
Recommendation provided by Jack Kissane
Amir Mitchell-Townes, known professionally as UHMEER, first made his musical debut in a collaboration with fellow Girl Meets World star Sabrina Carpenter, titled “Hold Tight”. He has since branched off from acting to make his own hip-hop and lo-fi rap songs. His music has a calming yet electrifying tone, evident in his latest release this month titled “God Dog”.
Most popular song: Lotus
Personal Favorite: Blunt’d
Recommendation provided by Bridget Hold
Macseal is an indie-rock band with local origins on Long Island. Some songs feature lighter guitar sections with a brighter tone, while other songs lean more towards the nostalgic early 2000s rock that many know and love.
Most popular song: Next to You
Personal Favorite: Harry
Recommendation provided by Phil Impastato
Chrystia Cabral, known professionally as Spellling, is an experimental pop artist from Oakland, California. You can find her either behind her synthesizer producing an eerie and enchanting song, or leading a seance in the woods of California. Using a loop pedal and minimal instrumentation, she creates music that feels like an abstract piece of art.
Most popular song: Little Deer
Personal Favorite: Always
Recommendation provided by Grace Notarstefano
Lana Lubany is a UK-based Palestinian-American artist. Lubany’s song “THE SNAKE” blew up on Tik-Tok after she had her mother react to her speaking both English and Arabic on the track. She hopes to combine the West with the Middle East in her catchy alternative pop songs.
Most popular song: THE SNAKE
Personal Favorite: SOLD
Recommendation provided by Sonia Singh
The Jins are a Vancouver based grunge/indie band. Though the lead singer gets told quite often that he looks like Kurt Cobain, their music has a much more fun tone than Nirvana’s. Through cool guitar riffs and bass parts, this trio is proving that rock isn’t dead.
Most popular song: She Said
Personal Favorite: Death Wish
Recommendation provided by Amoni Smart
Click here to listen to more songs from these artists.