A champion of under-the-radar artists, our guest editor lives for her music. Here are her current top five recommendations.
Videos of Yara dancing and singing along to her favourite tracks have become a staple on her Instagram feed. “I’m always music obsessed, it’s my thing,” she tells Stylist.
Meet the artists she’s got on repeat.
Mia Gladstone
Gladstone was born in New Jersey in 2000, yet her sound and style are pure 90s nostalgia. Her social media is a psychedelic blur of pink hair, glitter and neon – and the same can be said of her trippy pop songs. Fun and utterly fresh.
Key track: Revolutionize
Juto
Self-described as the soundtrack to “hot boy summer”, Juto’s latest EP, Wool, works through a break-up – from regret on Night Text to acceptance on Ceremony. With silky vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics reminiscent of Frank Ocean, he’ll be an R&B powerhouse in his own right before long.
Key track: Ceremony
Steve Lacy
Co-producing a Grammy-nominated album with his band The Internet while at school, Lacy, 21, proved his chops as a singer and guitarist early on. “Apollo XXI will bless your ears,” Yara says of his solo album, a blend of California soul and funk influenced by his idols Pharrell Williams and Erykah Badu.
Key track: N Side
Tobi Lou
Nigeria-born and Chicago-raised, Lou hails from a highly creative family – his sister is the bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi. His playful, synthy rap, peppered with ad-libs that make you laugh out loud, is pure earworm material. Expect to hear him everywhere soon.
Key track: Darlin’
Ama Lou
Lou has generated plenty of buzz over the past couple of years, supporting Jorja Smith on tour and releasing soulful singles that speak to women everywhere. The 21-year-old Londoner writes and produces all her own music – think the kind of easy-listening R&B Destiny’s Child would make in 2019.
Key track: Northside
Photography: Getty Images
Meena Alexander
Meena Alexander is Stylist’s sub-editor. She prides herself on her ability to spell big words, her vinyl collection and her photographic memory for every outfit Rihanna has ever worn.
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