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The Rising Stars of the Grammys: 12 Artists to Watch

02.04.25

The 2025 Grammys once again proved its cultural influence, delivering viral moments that had everyone talking—from jaw-dropping performances by Doechii, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish and Benson Boone (did you see that flip?) to Kendrick’s five-award sweep with his “Not Like Us” Drake diss track. And in a historic win, Beyoncé won her first-ever Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, bringing her Grammy total to 35—further cementing her impact and legacy.

While the headlines spotlight the biggest wins, the real story is the next wave of talent shaping the industry. Here, we highlight 12 rising artists, listed in no particular order, who earned nominations this year and deserve your attention as we head into a massive summer concert and festival season. Whether they took home a trophy or not, a Grammy nomination signals breakout potential, cultural relevance, and fan demand. Winners are bolded, but let’s be clearGrammy or not, these artists are defining what’s next in music.

Benson Boone

Nominated for Best New Artist

Benson Boone’s viral hit “Beautiful Things” quickly soared into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 after topping charts worldwide. His breakout single, “Ghost Town,” marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a Top 25 hit on both Top 40 and Hot AC Radio. The track earned Boone his first RIAA-certified Gold record, followed by “In The Stars,” which has since been certified Platinum. By 2024, Boone had achieved over 2 billion career streams, and in 2025, he is set to take his acrobatic-filled stage presence on the road to some of the world’s biggest music festivals, including Coachella, BottleRock, and Governors Ball.

Sabrina Carpenter

Nominated for Best New Artist, Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album

Sabrina Carpenter has been brewing her success for years. Originally a teen actress on Disney Channel, Carpenter made waves with her fifth studio album emails I can’t send, which landed on multiple ‘Best of 2022’ lists. In 2024, she reached a new level of stardom, stepping into the global spotlight while opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour. But it was her smash hit Espresso that made sure she stayed there. Debuting the track at Coachella, she watched it climb to #1 in the UK and Australia and crack the top five in the US, racking up over 1 billion Spotify streams. Her latest album, Short n’ Sweet, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and topped charts worldwide, marking one of the biggest first-week debuts of 2024. After selling out her largest tour yet, Carpenter is set to bring Short n’ Sweet to Europe later this year.

Khruangbin

Nominated for Best New Artist

While they may not be “new” in the traditional sense, Khruangbin is taking over the music scene in fresh ways. Hailing from Austin, Texas, the trio blends soul, psychedelia, funk, and more into their groovy, laid-back sound. Khruangbin’s debut record, Con Todo El Mundo, was released in 2018, and their latest record, A LA SALA, dropped last year, propelling the band to new heights. They’ve collaborated with an impressive roster of artists, including Paul McCartney, Leon Bridges, Childish Gambino, and Vieux Farka Touré. They’ve also performed at major festivals like Coachella, Boston Calling, and Bonnaroo, as well as iconic venues such as Red Rocks, Radio Music City Hall in New York, LA’s Greek Theatre, and Atlanta’s Fox Theatre. They will be coheadlining Bottlerock this year.

Raye

Nominated for Best New Artist

The British singer-songwriter continues to shine as one of the brightest stars in music today. RAYE has achieved remarkable success with eight Top 20 UK singles and over 5 billion global Spotify streams. In 2024, she made history by winning six BRIT Awards in a single year, the most ever by any artist. Her single “Escapism.” not only became the best-selling single by a female British artist but also earned her first UK #1 and a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, where it was certified Platinum. RAYE has also toured as an opening act for major artists such as Lewis Capaldi, Kali Uchis, and SZA. RAYE is also nominated for songwriter of the year, non-classical and best engineered album, non-classical for her work on Lucky Daye’s album Algorithm.

Chappell Roan

Nominated for Best New Artist, Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album

Seemingly rising to fame overnight, Chappell Roan has quickly become one of the most exciting new names in music. Initially opening for Olivia Rodrigo before many knew her name, Roan began gaining traction with the release of her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, in September 2023. Her breakout moment came after the release of the song “Good Luck Babe,” which went on to became a Billboard Hot 100 hit and has now surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Coupled with star making performances at Coachella and Governor’s Ball suddenly, Roan was everywhere. At Lollapalooza, Roan was upgraded to a prime slot, drawing what would be the festival’s largest crowd ever. She has since gone on to perform at some of the biggest music festivals in the country, solidifying her place as a rising star.

Shaboozey

Nominated for Best New Artist, Song Of The Year, Best Country Solo Performance

Country music has seen its share of crossover artists in recent years, but few have made as profound a cultural impact as Shaboozey. Seamlessly blending country and hip-hop, Shaboozey crafts songs with a genre-defying quality. His album, Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going, showcases his ability to navigate and merge multiple genres effortlessly. He gained significant attention with a feature on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, but it was his breakout hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” that catapulted him to stardom, spending 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and amassing over 1 billion streams on Spotify.

Doechii

Nominated for Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance

Doechii’s mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, arrived on the heels of her Eurodance-inspired hit “Alter Ego,” which SZA called “the craziest song I’ve heard all year.” The project marked a major milestone for Doechii, landing in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and earning her nominations for Best New Rap Album and Best New Rap Performance. Her fully sold-out fall 2024 tour further cemented her rising star power. She recently appeared as musical guest on Saturday Night Live and went viral with her Tiny Desk Concert and her appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with her official debut album set to drop in 2025, her momentum shows no signs of slowing down – especially with her engagement growing significantly over the past 6 months.

Teddy Swims

Nominated for Best New Artist

From Atlanta, GA, Teddy Swims has been working hard for years to make his mark. His viral covers of Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” helped him gain widespread attention, captivating listeners with his incredible vocal performances. His debut record, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), featured the single “Lose Control,” which propelled Swims to new heights. The song amassed over 2.6 billion global streams, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped charts at Top 40, Hot AC, R&B, AC and Rhythm radio, and was recently inducted into Spotify’s “Billions Club.” Last week, Swims released his second album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2). He will be touring the US from May 10 to September 10 in mid size amphitheaters.

Sierra Ferrell

Nominated for Best American Roots Performance, Best Americana Performance and Best American Roots Song, and Best Americana Album

Sierra Ferrell is one of the brightest rising stars in roots music today. She burst onto the scene with her acclaimed debut record, Long Time Coming, earning the Emerging Act of the Year price at the Americana Awards. Ferrell has collaborated with artists such as Margo Price, Shaky Graves, Old Crow Medicine Show, Zach Bryan, and Post Malone. She has cultivated an audience across North America and Europe. Her new album, Trail of Flowers, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artist, Heatseekers, and Tastemakers charts. The album also landed in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart and entered the Top 40 on Billboard Artist 100. Ferrell is set to open for Post Malone on his stadium tour this summer.

Fontaines D.C.

Nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Rock Album

​​Fontaines D.C’s most recent record, Romance, has propelled the band to new heights. While their previous albums have all received critical acclaim, Romance, has taken them to a whole new level. The band began writing the album while opening for Arctic Monkeys in 2023, and its release has brought them worldwide recognition. Fontaines D.C. has been featured in two GQ articles, one of which highlights praise from actors Paul Mescal and Cillian Murphy. Romance has been celebrated by Rolling Stone, Billboard, and NME as one of the best records of 2024 and has earned two Grammy nominations, including Best Rock Album.

Glorilla

Nominated for Best Rap Performance

Hailing from Tennessee, GloRilla burst onto the scene with her viral hit single “FNF (Let’s Go),” which amassed over eight million streams and nearly 25 million views on its music video. She boasts collaborations with Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B. She recently performed as musical guest on Saturday Night Live. She will be performing at Coachella and Bonnaroo this year and recently announced a headlining tour of 3000-5000 capacity venues running March 5 through April 18th

Kali Uchis

Nominated for Best Latin Pop Album

Kali Uchis is a highly decorated artist, boasting Grammy, Billboard Latin Music, Billboard Music, American Music, Premios Nuestra Tierra, and Univision Premios Juventud awards. Her 2020 album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), was a Grammy nominated and featured the smash hit “telepatía,” which has been streamed over 2 billion times. The song also set a record as the longest-running Spanish-language song by a solo act on the Billboard Hot 100 this decade, with a 23-week streak. Uchis’ 2024 album, Orquídeas, received critical acclaim from outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and The New York Times. It debuted at No.1 on the Top Latin Albums chart and claimed the No.1 spot on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart.

Press Play: Music’s Next Big Stars

This playlist features all 12 Grammy-nominated artists shaping the next era—listen now.

Authored by: Rich Levy, SVP of Artist Rights Acquisition, and Tyler Martinez, Associate Manager of Artist Rights

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