If these new acts aren’t on your musical radar, they’re about to be.
MTV just announced their 2015 Artist to Watch roster — and it’s time to take note. The yearlong spotlight of rising talent is the quintessential starting lineup to stardom.
If you get featured as an “artist to watch,” you’re not only doing something right musically, you’re about to blow up! Some previous MTV Artists to Watch have included Charli XCX, Bastille, Sam Smith, and 5 Seconds of Summer. And we all know how well it worked out for them.
This year’s list includes 11 newcomers, each of whom will get their moment to shine throughout the year across all of MTV’s major media platforms. Whether it’s a sponsored live concert at the House of Blues, popping up in TV spots on the network, or taking over MTV’s social feed to talk to fans directly, you’ll get plenty of chances to get to know this year’s crop of artists.
“Our goal is to make our ‘artists to watch’ household names,” Amy Doyle, MTV’s executive vice president of music told USA Today. “Over the course of those two weeks, we’re reaching music fans wherever they are on whatever platform they’re experiencing music, and then we wait to see what kind of an impact we’ve had.”
Some of the 2015 Artist to Watch candidates have already enjoyed the early success of a summer hit, dated a movie star or proven their talent in a televised singing competition. Others broke into the big leagues with an ear-catching feature or massive online presence. No matter how they’ve gotten here, they all have one thing in common now: 2015 is their year.
Thanks to this list, you can add these artists to your playlist rotation now and say you knew them when.
Here’s a little background on each act:
FKA twigs
With a synth-pop soaked sound and angelic vocals, FKA twigs is ready to hop the pond from Gloucestershire, England to dominate American airwaves. Her first LP, fittingly titled LP1 is doing really well. Not to mention she’s rumored to be dating Twilight star Robert Pattison.
Bea Miller
As the youngest artist on the list, 15-year-old Bea Miller can hold her own. With powerhouse vocals and Nirvana-inspired grunge appeal, this Jersey girl has opened for big names like Demi Lovato, and is poised to drop her debut work this spring.
Hoodie Allen
This guy used to work at Google. Really. Now, I know what you’re thinking but no, he did not use his connects to program his way to Internet stardom. He did it the old fashion way…with online mix tapes. His first studio album, People Keep Talking, dropped back in October and Allen is joining the Boy of Zummer tour with Wiz Khalifa and Fall Out Boy.
Jacquie Lee
This Voice runner-up is gearing up to top the charts this year. Lee’s debut EP, Broken Ones, is out now, and she’s joining forces with Sia for her next single, “Tears Fall.”
Click through to the next page to see more rising stars. And don’t forget to take the poll below to let us know which MTV Artist to Watch is your favorite.
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Tagged: Bea Miller, FKA twigs, Hoodie Allen, Jacquie Lee, Misterwives, MTV Artist to Watch, Music, Priory, Rae Srummrd, Raury, Ryn Weaver, Shawn Mendes, Ty Dolla $ign 
