Best Musicians of 2019

Musician:  Lucky Daye 

Best Song: “Roll Some Mo'”, Painted 

Best Lyrics: “I saw somethin real, f**k what you saw baby” – “Real Games”, Painted 

Spotify: 1,325,501 monthly listeners 

Lucky Daye (David Debrandon Brown) got his start long before we heard of him, and has been around for a while. He was on season 4 of American Idol in 2005 and has since done songwriting for the likes of Boyz 2 Men and Mary J. Blige.  More. recently, he has released 2 EPs, his most recent being Painted, which is gaining well – deserved traction because every song is well written, melodic, consistent, and catchy with elements of Jazz. The true R&B sound of this album has gotten him on several R&B Spotify playlists, and he is doing a US tour in which he recently sold out the El Rey theatre for the Painted tour. Lucky Daye is a breakthrough artist of 2019, and is similar in sound to Bj the Chicago Kid, SiR, and Masego. 

Record Label: Keep Cool Records, RCA Records 

Musician: Tierra Whack 

Song: “Cable Guy” 

Best Lyrics: “It goes like/ ABC (all boys cry)/ MTV (men touch vaginas)/ BET (bitches eat tacos)” – from “Cable Guy”  

Spotify: 2,344,553 monthly listeners 

Tierra Whack is a 2019 Freshman Class artist. She is a rapper and a singer who gained mass notoriety for her album “Whack World” in which every song is only 1 minute long. This album is as if Whack took the song and music video from “Dollhouse” by Priscilla Renea and went on a field day. Whack World is so magnetic because its brevity leaves the listener wanting more, but the unique transitions from song to song picks back up and keeps the audience hooked. The lyrics are unique, ethos is laden throughout the songs,  and her quirky music videos make the lyrics even more appealing and unique. Expect to see a lot more of her in the years to come. 

Record Label: Interscope Records 

Musician: Rico Nasty 

Song:  

Best Lyrics:  

Spotify: 1,738,698 monthly listeners 

What Makes Rico Nasty so likeable is that she is a “big personality” who brings an original attitude and way of promoting herself that seems natural, and engages with fans. In a natural way that feels personal. Her antics of “do what I want” cones in a unique blend of bravado harsh rap lines mixed with sweet high-pitched vocals. Her personality style is unique in a Tyler the Creator, Cardi B type of way and her petite frame and pretty face is. Often covered in Hot Topic-esque hair spikes, chains, and bras. Another magnetism about Rico is that she is the queen of coining nicknames for herself and her music, like “Sugartrap”, Tacobella, and the classic “KENNYYY” she bellows at the beginning of every track produced by Kenny Beats, her close friend and co-producer for many songs including the most recently released album; “Anger Management”.  

Record Label: Atlantic Records 

Musician: Meghan Thee Stallion 

Song: Best You Ever Had 

Best Lyrics: “I be actin’ up right before he come to see me /
He be like, “Why you always tripping for no reason?” /
Told him, “‘Cause you put it on me better when you’re mad” /
Hand around my neck, hit it hard from the back, yeah” – Best You Ever Had

Spotify: 9,958,195 monthly listeners 

Meghan Thee Stallion has more than proved herself in 2019, having a buildup to a wild success through her well-coined catchphrases, body positivity, high quality rap music, and some of the best new artist branding the music industry has ever seen. Meghan’s “Hot Girl Summer” culture explosion reached audiences far beyond rap fans and has mainstream radio bumping “Hot Girl Summer”, released at the end of August as a follow-up to the culture Meghan created around having a carefree summer, taking control of your life, and staying “in your bag”.  Her Bling Texas  Cowgirl trend has inspired and continued “The Yeehaw Agenda” which has been pervasive in fashion and music in the last year. Meghan’s music and effect. on “the culture” that follows her mirrors that of Drake, who also has a large following and is a conspicuous fashion and trend icon (when not being a vulture). Meghan has a long and successful career ahead of her, following in the footsteps of those wildly successful before her such as Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Saweetie, and more.  

Record Label: 300 Entertainment 

Musician: Remi Wolf 

Song: Guy 

Best Lyrics: “Locomotive love turning me on / It’s a slowing forward motion / I pay two dollars just to ride the bus / And my baby she’s rich / That bitch do anything she pleases” – Rufufus 

Spotify: 302,574 listeners 

Remi Wolf is an upcoming artist who started out as an American Idol contestant and an LA Sofar Sounds artist (she is now an alumni and beloved by the music community there). She gained traction on her single “Guy” (which she says is about her late pet dog) and recently released a successful EP. She has opened for “Still Woozy” twice with great success, and is slated to go on tour with Cautious Clay.  she most recently released an EP, and is emerging from the underground at great speeds. Remi is special because she is authentic to herself (see her Spotify Biography) and is unafraid to take chances with fashion and has a Berkeley/Eugene feel to her sets, style and co-acts (see the CROCS she wears and any of her openers in the last year). This personality and style connects her to her audience, which is mostly teens and young adults, and captures the fearless rebellion that is present and thriving in other acts such as BROCKHAMPTON and CHASE ATLANTIC.

Management: Alfredo Tirado 

Musician: Cautious Clay 

Song: Stolen Moments 

Best Lyrics: “Cause I think that loneliness would serve us well / 
It’s all real enough to know that you won’t understand me” 

Spotify: 2,179,429 

Cautious Clay is special because of his ability to capture yearning in a song. His keen knack to elicit a sad, mournful feeling from the listener through use of high and low vocal contrast, muted background vocals, drolling voice and gut-wrenching lyrics. As he sings the climax of his song, he overlaps his own vocals in a higher, pitch corrected tone that emphasizes every song he is singing. Nobody captures loneliness, doleful yearning as well as Cautious Clay. He gives heartbreak a new way to mourn loss of a loved one.  

Record Label: Independent 

Musician: Pink Sweat$ 

Song: Honesty 

Lyrics: “She said, “Baby, I’m afraid to fall in love /Cause what if it’s not reciprocated?” / I told her, / /”Don’t rush girl, don’t you rush / Guess it’s all a game of patience.” 

Spotify: 3,720,392 monthly listeners 

Pink Sweat$ is an unlikely and completely lovable rising star in the R&B.  A young music prodigy, Pink Sweat$ overcame an array of hardships to get to the success he is at now.  Mainly, his living situation in the more destitute neighborhoods of Philly, and his undiagnosed achalasia that caused him to throw up, be sick, and effect his music for years because he was nervous to speak up about his condition(hear more about this on the podcast “A Waste of Time” by ItsThaReal. After getting surgery, his healthy mind and body paved the way to success and revealed his talent and ability to write, sing, and develop music quickly. His sound is vintage soul utilizing acoustics for a stripped back feel. He is a “lullaby artist” who uses minimal drums and is well suited for artists who like H.E.R., Daniel Caesar, Kehlani, and melodic hymns.  

Record Label: Human Re Sources 

Musician: King Princess 

Song: Talia 

Best Lyrics: “Your pussy is God and I love it, gonna kiss me real hard make me want it” – “Pussy is God” 

Spotify: 6,176,348 monthly listeners 

King Princess has officially conquered the gay scene. Her effusive sexuality, which alternates between feminine and masculine, has made her irresistible to a younger generation of queer women and youth alike. She is only 21, she was a music prodigy and her unrelenting talent and creativity has seen the release of madly successful music videos and singles in her most recent release. King Princess, to date, does not have a bad song. Her relaxed, stripped down music is touching and usually breakup/love inspired, but her internet presence is that of a comedic genius who continuously keeps her fans more than engaged. Her music is catchy, soulful vocals with electronic, guitar, and bass backgrounds. She has nowhere to go but up, and her loyal fanbase helps to build and spread her music, selling out shows everywhere.  

Record Label: Columbia Records