Artists I'd Like To See Do Well In 2016 - The Big Shots
The list of artists under the umbrella of "Ones to Watch" isn't quite as clear cut as it was in 2015 so I've decided to take a slightly different approach this year. Part one of my Artists I'd Like To See Do Well includes some humans who may be more familiar yet are still being tipped for huge things in 2016. Part two will focus on artists who have all been featured on WIIHAMB before, but are still fairly small-time in comparison to those listed below today, and will probably set their sights on breaking through over the next twelve months. Should probs just cut to it then.
Jack Garratt
We had a brief chat about Jack Garratt before, didn't we? If you don't remember (and in all honesty I'm finding it hard to recall myself) I essentially claimed that Jack Garratt will inevitably "Years-&-Years" 2016 (formerly known as "Clean-Banditing-2015") and I claimed that this "made things all a little bit unexciting". Since the time of writing that last post the world has witnessed Jack Garratt win the BBC's Sound of 2016 Poll. Like we didn't see that one coming. It's heartbreaking because I feel as though I've almost fallen out of love with Jack Garratt over the past nine months or so, and I don't know why, but I just have. However, maybe I'm just bored of the songs he's already released and maybe by the time the album is released in a couple of months I'll be pumped and raring to go. My restored faith has come in the form of his Live Lounge performance earlier this week. This cover was somethin' special.
Alessia Cara
Alessia Cara has already had a US Billboard hit and although 'Here' has previously received some UK radio airplay, it has been playlisted once again on Radio 1 and 2016 is looking to be the Canadian's breakout year. Cara's debut album, despite being released in November in North America, isn't being released here until March when it ties in to a couple of live dates. At 19 years old, Cara is taking the RnB/pop world by storm and although there have been a couple of complaints about her debut EP Four Pink Walls being more on the pop side than expected, she has the potential to be huge. Thus far where Cara has been let down is by her label and the rush release that her album has received Stateside. But after making number two in the BBC Sound of 2016 poll seems like she might be well on her way to success this side of the Atlantic.
Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan, like many before him and I'm sure many still to come, started life as a Youtuber. His first single 'Happy Little Pill' when released in 2014 took iTunes charts across the globe by storm. Summer 2015 and Sivan put out the first song/video for his three part Blue Neighbourhood series. I didn't really pay attention to 'Happy Little Pill' but after 'Wild' took the internet by storm I was struck by the heavy content featured especially in the the video. The EP that followed contained equally as dark themes shrouded in pop music niceties. Similar to Alessia Cara, Sivan's album was rush released, his EP making up half of the tracklisting, yet the world did receive the record all at the same time. A good and relevant role model with acres of opportunity ahead of him.
Snakehips
Snakehips, the severly overlooked producers of excellent RnB/electronic crossover tracks, Snakehips. It only takes one listen to the duo's Forever (Pt. II) EP to hear the music that they're capable of making and the calibre of vocalists that they choose to work with. 'All My Friends', a song that is becoming some kind of cult underground hit, should be their gateway to stardom. Featuring two of America's hottest urban artists, really, it should be massive. They're on the edge of a breakthrough but Snakehips may just need one or two more bangers to push them over the cliff and into the mainstream.
Zara Larsson
Zara Larsson has it coming this year, surely? Her last single, with MNEK, genuinely was the hit across Europe that is deserved to be. Larsson won Sweden's version of 'Got Talent' at the age of ten but now nearing the end of her teenage years the competition doesn't seem to have tarnished her reputation in the slightest. Or at least it hasn't in the UK anyway. Zara Larsson is what pop needs, a nice girl who writes nice songs and possesses a some strong vocal talent. Despite having released her debut album'1' in Sweden in 2014 I'd assume that in the UK we're going to pretend that doesn't exist and wait for her second album which I'd assume is probably due out later this year. Although, if the likes of 'Lush Life' and 'Never Forget You' are anything to go by, this doesn't seem like a terrible idea.
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