The music industry can be a tough place to make it big. With high expectations and heavy competition, artists have to push past the struggle to come out on the other side.
Even with the vigorous efforts that musicians must make, there is only so far it can take them without the support of fans. Streaming small artists’ music and engaging with their content is so integral to growing the music industry past just the same mainstream radio artists.
With thousands of artists developing today, the task of seeking out new musicians to listen to may seem daunting. To help narrow down the search, below are six emerging artists spanning across multiple genres of music, which may help one broaden their musical horizons.
1. The Backfires
The Backfires are an indie rock band based in New York City. The fourpiece, made up of lead vocalist Alex Gomez, guitarist Harry Ruprecht, bassist Matthew Walter and drummer Dylan Spiro (formerly Max Wanduragala), formed in 2019.
Gomez and Walter have been playing in bands together since high school, outside Washington D.C., so the chemistry shines when they perform. They met Ruprecht later in London and just this year, added Spiro to the band.
The Backfires currently have two released projects, including their debut extended play (EP) “Consider The Backfires” and debut album “This Is Not An Exit.”
The band combines the influence of early 2010s rock and a fresh sound effortlessly.
“[It’s] the kind of music that you should blast in the car,” Gomez said.
With intense rock songs like “Matador,” more pop-rock influenced tracks like “Anything” and slow-burning tunes such as “This Is Not An Exit,” The Backfires have something for everyone. For anyone wanting to check out a new artist, Gomez recommends Brighter Lights as the first dip “into the world of the Exit.”
To take a deep dive into the world of The Backfires, they will be on tour in October, opening for Black Pistol Fire and The Happy Fits. They will also play two hometown headline shows in New York and Washington. Consider checking out the band and buy tickets here, which Gomez encourages.
“Everyone should ‘Consider the Backfires’ if they want to be early to the party for the next big rock and roll band,” Gomez said.
2. Devon Gabriella
For those who enjoy pop, Devon Gabriella is California-based artist who makes music straight from the heart.
Gabriella began singing at a very early age, even starting a band with her sister and a friend at eight-years-old, called Second Sun. By high school, she started sharing her art online and picking up some traction.
“I left school for a little and moved to LA and started making music every day,” Gabriella told Voyage LA. “It was a dream come true.”
Since the start of this dream, she has released two EPs, titled “From the Next Room” and “The Garden.” For anyone mourning the lack of new releases from Phoebe Bridgers, these EPS are here to fill the void.
Between the projects, Gabriella encapsulates the dichotomy of both wanting and not wanting to grow up, with tracks like “Older” and “The Garden.”
Gabriella’s use of wistful guitar creates a stripped-back sound, perfect for the feelings of reflection and nostalgia that make up “The Garden:” both the EP and the family her fans have made, as Gabriella named her fanbase after the project.
If one wants to be a part of “The Garden” in real life, Gabriella is opening for Sombr this fall, all across North America. Tour dates can be found here.
3. Beane
Adding another Los Angeles-based artist to the list, Beane (Brennan Hepler) is perfect for those who love a cheeky, yet heartfelt pop song.
Beane began writing music at 18-years-old when he went to college and came out as queer.
“The songwriting, in one part [of the task], was a release and in another part, I saw the reverence my peers were getting with writing their own music,” Beane said. “That’s when I made the distinction that I don’t wanna be a singer, I wanna be a writer.”
This focus on writing is clearly showcased throughout his discography, with romantic songs like “Rhythm of Us,” Beane’s personal favorite, and more relatable tracks such as “Serious” and “Honest.” Through these thoughtful lyrics, Beane manages to lighten the mood with smooth beats that make a listener want to sway.
One may think that such earnest lyrics and honesty would be a key factor in writing, but Beane argued otherwise. He explained how sometimes truth must be omitted or exaggerated for the sake of a song.
“Songwriting as a career does not demand honesty,” Beane said. “Honesty as a part of your artistry is a little more important.”
When it comes to his songwriting career, Beane has had many openings into the world of music, including attending Berklee College of Music, being a contestant on American Idol and opening for fellow artists on their tours, including Tiny Habits and Twisted Pines.
“All of those things that I did are so necessary for me to be where I am right now, but none of them have really changed the kind of work that I have to do,” Beane said.
In the music industry, there is always another step to climb. Beane believes that making new goals as you reach others is so necessary to success.
Beane has more to share in the future, with an EP titled “Pretty Boy” on the way. However, he intends for the songs “Serious,” “Bitter” and “Pretty Boy” to reach 25,000 streams before it will be released. To help him out, click here to stream these tracks.
4. Alix Page
Some feelings are difficult to express and can feel better left unsaid. Alix Page puts a voice to this regret, confusion and love in her music.
From Orange County, California, Page began writing music in high school. Inspired by Phoebe Bridgers, “American Idol,” and the film “Begin Again,” she made her debut in February 2020 at only 18-years-old.
Page has released three EPs in the past five years, growing as an artist with each release. Although her writing has grown across “Old News,” “Goose” and “Bug,” the topics of nostalgia and self-awareness remain throughout.
“I’m an introspective, sentimental guy through and through,” Page told Ones To Watch. “It’d be hard for me to be anything else.”
Page often explores this sentimentality in terms of love, in many different capacities. Tracks like “Bug” serve as a love letter to a younger self, while songs like “Pulling Teeth” explore the fear of letting go of what once was. Love presents itself in many ways and Page acknowledges the large role it plays in her life.
“[Songwriting] becomes less about forcing ideas in the moment and more about letting them come naturally from the life I’m living,” Page told The Luna Collective.
5. Double Standard
Straying from the many California-based solo artists, Double Standard is an indie rock band straight out of New York City.
Lydia Eberling, lead vocalist, and Siena Moran, guitarist and vocalist, met at New York University (NYU) during their college years, but did not find the rest of their band until summer 2024.
It was then that the pair joined forces with guitarist Lauren Dinhofer, drummer Meg Cournoyer and bassist Zoe Arora, to form Double Standard. Their self-titled debut EP shortly followed, released on April 25.
The EP captures the struggle of love in a person’s twenties: romantic aspects from “Crush” and “to Maine” and the spontaneity of tracks like “nvr c u again.”
Through their sound, the band incorporates the influence of artists like Olivia Rodrigo and The Cranberries, while also being unapologetically queer like Chappell Roan.
“Being a queer, all-girl band is simultaneously our defining trait and also the least interesting thing about us,” Eberling said.
Despite many wanting to label them, Double Standard makes an effort to push past the expectations and limits people set for them.
“All of the songs have tongue-in-cheek lyrics that vary in depth and seriousness but contain more than meets the eye,” Eberling said. “We are songwriters at heart, so we will always be in pursuit of great lyrics, not just great sounding music.”
For anyone interested in experiencing these lyrics live, Double Standard will be opening for The Happy Fits starting in November. Tickets can be purchased here.
6. Vivienne Artur
Straight out of Lambertville, New Jersey, Vivienne Artur is here to deliver vulnerability and honesty through indie pop sounds.
Artur began playing music at a young age, taking both piano lessons and playing saxophone in marching band. Though many of these practices ended with tears, Artur never fell out of love with music, recently graduating from Berklee College of Music.
“Even through the frustration, my love for music never faded,” Artur told Duvu Magazine. “I think that love came from my sensitivity, both emotionally and physically. I’ve always had really strong reactions to music.”
Artur’s sensitivity shines through her music, across various singles and two EPs: “Everything I Am,” released in 2022, and “Take It All Home,” released in 2024.
Addressing feelings of self doubt and depression in “What If They’re Right” and the idea of losing oneself in a relationship in songs like “Force of Habit,” Artur’s emotional accountability is undeniable through her lyricism.
Inspired by artists like Gracie Abrams, Joni Mitchell and Phoebe Bridgers, Artur is the perfect addition to one’s sad-pop rotation.
Spanning from pop to alternative to rock, these artists provide a great introduction to a world of new, emerging artists. Discover even more musicians and specific song recommendations for a specially curated playlist here.
