Sometimes, maneuvering the music world can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of genres and even more artists who cater to each of them. Finding new artists is difficult, with the same few musicians cycling your streaming algorithm.
So, to help bring some new musicians to your radar—here’s a list of seven artists, all BIPOC and all severely underrated. Everyone defines popularity differently, so I specifically chose artists with under 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify as of October 2022. But, these talented seven artists can be found on whichever app you choose.
- Talia Goddess
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If you’re a fan of alternative R&B and indie soul artists like Tems, Ravyn Laenae, and UMI, then Talia Goddess is the one for you. Her music breaks boundaries while staying loyal to the tranquility that’s almost synonymous with rhythm and blues. Recently, her music has entered the rap field, resembling the likes of Doechii and Leikeli47. With multiple singles and a 2021 album, Poster Girl, you may not know where to start. To guide you through her catalog, some of my favorite songs include “Never Wanna Fail” and “RAGGA.”
- Ariel & the culture
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When it comes to popular Latin music, you’ll typically find a lot of reggaeton, bachata, and salsa. With Ariel & The Culture, a Mexican artist from northern Texas, indie pop is much more his game. Summarizing his songs into a few words is nearly impossible, but he has been aligned with musicians like The Aces and Omar Apollo. Some songs I recommend checking out by Ariel & The Culture are “dame tu amor,” “tú y yo” and “dizzy.”
- Anayka She
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Though she has over a million followers on TikTok, not many people have familiarized themselves with Anayka She’s music. That’s unfortunate for them because she has released some of the most authentically R&B songs I have heard in a while, reminiscent of Jazmine Sullivan, Giveon, and Summer Walker. If you’d like to start your journey with Anayka She, her songs “Let You Go,” “23” and “Confused” will never do any wrong.
- PIAO
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With only two songs, “Haunted by Potential” and “SFL,” PIAO has already begun to make a name for herself and her authenticity. “Haunted by Potential” is a slow, emotional song that you’d find in Olivia Rodrigo or Lewis Capaldi albums. “SFL” is the complete opposite by taking a pop-heavy, upbeat approach to her talents. I highly recommend keeping her under your ready, because I’m sure that she’s destined to go places.
- Osé
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There are some artists that you find and can’t help but question why they don’t have millions of streams. Osé is one of them. She is the perfect representation of the run-heaviness of modern R&B. But, don’t think that makes her blend in with the crowd. While her sound brings listeners nostalgia, she is still her own artist and she makes that evident with her songs like “Do No More” and “Hurt Bae.” But, my favorite Osé song has to be “Perfect Timing,” which highlights her artistry like nothing else.
- Yoshi t.
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Neo-soul, rap, and pop meet in the middle with Yoshi T.’s music. His sound will catch the attention of any Dominic Fike or Still Woozy lover. His career started in the underground rap community of NYC but has since blossomed with the help of TikTok. His recent project, SANDBOX, has a number of his best songs, like “MCQUEEN” and “MISS JANE,” but I still recommend checking out his older music, like “Track 3.”
- H I N A N O
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“Bedroom pop” isn’t enough to describe H I N A N O’s music, but it’s close. She takes the dreamy vibe that you’ll find with Clairo and Raveena and drags a knife of edginess through it— epitomized in her song “KITTY WITH A KNIFE.” Her 2022 album, Tomorrow I’ll Never Be Twenty-Two is a collection of all her singles so far and then some. While it’s full of amazing songs, nothing quite hits my core like “Tomorrow I’ll be Twenty-Two” and “Wish Upon A Star.”
Hopefully, one of these artists caught your attention. If not, it’s never too late to start looking for underground musicians who are only seconds away from becoming the next big thing. Most streaming apps include playlists specifically made to highlight lesser-known artists, like Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlists. Alternatively, artists are always promoting their music on apps like TikTok in search of the perfect audience. Regardless of your music taste or how you choose to discover new musicians, it’s always great to give underground artists a chance, because you can be the key to starting a new career.