10 New Pop Artists To Look Out For in 2015

By now, you've probably heard of Kacy Hill, the 20-year-old Phoenix artist who recently got a lot of attention after it was revealed that she's the new addition to G.O.O.D. Music. She's only got one song out, but "Experience" is an excellent debut, and Kacy isn't your typical pop artist. She was a back-up dancer for the Yeezus tour, so she probably picked up a few things about putting on a fantastic performance, and she is really into classical music, so her take on pop music might come with a few surprises.

Read our interview with Kacy here.

Sway Clarke II is slowly but surely building up a catalog of catchy songs without ever using the same formula. With soulful vocals, lyrics that can be either painfully personal and casually carefree, and a great ear for a hook, Sway has all the tools to kill it in 2015. Last year he toured with HAIM, dropped a song with Tink, and killed it at CMJ, and we're excited to see him top all that this year.

Ryn Weaver is a 21-year-old, Los Angeles born singer who burst onto the scene last year with a monumental debut single, "Octahate," which rapidly (though somewhat unsurprisingly) took on a life of its own. She followed that with a short, four-track EP in August and delivered visuals for "Octahate" two months later. All of Ryn's moves in 2014 were impressive and—though she's still a new artist—equally high profile. She's signed to Interscope through decorated songwriter Benny Blanco's Friends Keep Secrets imprint, and some of her frequent collaborators include household names like Cashmere Cat, Charli XCX, and Passion Pit's Michael Angelakos.

The attention she's received from the industry is to be expected, but in 2015, a serious jump in fan support is soon to follow. Ryn radiates star power on and offscreen, her voice is unmistakably rich and with the team she has in place around her, it's going to be difficult for her to miss.

It seems like debut singles are more important than ever. So many acts release song after song on Soundcloud, and the tracks stack on top of each other like a pile of evidence that proves nobody cares. Usually, the acts who see success are the ones who come out of the gates strong.

KLOË is only 18 years old, and her debut single has quietly racked up over 30,000 plays in a month. She's from Glasgow, so it may take a while for this to blow up in America, but if she can match the modern, edgy pop of "Grip," she's destined for big things.

Jimmy Napes is an incredibly talented songwriter, that much is absolutely indisputable. But if he's so talented, why are we only just getting to know him? Well, from 2012 up until very recently, Napes has been working behind the scenes, songwriting with Disclosure and Sam Smith on their respective debut albums, which even led to writing sessions with Mary J. Blige and Nile Rodgers.

Jimmy Napes, the man who helped write huge hits like "Latch" and "Stay With Me," is releasing his debut EP The Making of Me on March 9, and it looks as if he'll be putting his hook writing skills and his contacts to good use. The first single, "Give It Up," is produced by Howard Lawrence of Disclosure, and boasts a lowkey catchy hook that you'll be humming without even realizing what song it comes from. It's early days, but if his resume is anything to go by, Napes could have a breakout 2015.

Jones stunned us with her debut single "Deep" in September, an inviting pop song that brought to mind Solange's best moments, or Dev's lush nostalgia. This was followed by "You," a more abstract song that hid Jones' pure pop potential in swirls of vocal effects and clanking percussion. We're still waiting for Jones' next move, but knowing that she’s been working with XL Recordings’ in-house producer Rodaigh McDonald (The xx, King Krule, How To Dress Well) and Jai Paul’s brother Anup, we wouldn't be surprised to hear more pop gems from her soon.

Marz Leon's first single "L O N E R" is still spreading, and since that release six months ago she showed off some diversity with her EP of the same name and her excellent last single "Levitation."

Marz isn't a radio-friendly hit-maker—so far her songs are more atmospheric and downtempo—but she's got style for days and a forward-thinking approach with an electronic touch. In an age where FKA twigs is a crossover star, it's easy to imagine Marz Leon catching on in 2015.

Los Angeles duo Scavenger Hunt impressed with their debut single "Lost" back at the end of 2013, and we haven't heard much from them since. Their sound is like the electronically charged, sugary pop of CHVRCHES, but with a more retro, Drive-esque twist to it and a touch of the tropical.

There's not much else out there from them, but "Lost" feels like the kind of song that could still catch on, especially since Scavenger Hunt is now working with Roc Nation. They've shared some unreleased music with us and it's safe to say that some of Scavenger Hunt's best work is still ahead of them. 2015 could be a big year for them.

We weren't familiar with D.C.-based producer and vocalist Royal before "Passenger," but it was an impressive introduction. While the older songs on his Soundcloud page are more towards the electronic production and beats side of things, "Passenger" mixes glinting production with a bold pop edge. It starts slowly, with layers of chanted vocals building over the sound of falling rain, and explodes with rich bass and glittering synths around halfway through.

With the Cycles EP out January 26th, if Royal can follow "Passenger" with another song of the same quality, he'll really have our attention.

Norwegian singer Anna of the North is taking it slowly. She's only got a handful of songs out—one of those is a cover, and one's a duet—but it's "Sway" that really has us looking forward to what's next. She's got plans for a new release in 2015, and all signs point to another great addition to Scandinavia's growing assembly of some of the best pop artists the world has to offer.