The Most Exciting New Artists of 2022
Evan Dale // Dec 29, 2022
There are so many reasons why Nija is simultaneously the only choice for this year’s most influential new artist, and has no business whatsoever being on the list at all. She’s been around. Her sound has impacted music - particularly R&B and hip-hop through a pop lens - since she first started producing and songwriting years back. Behind the scenes, sure. But undoubtedly an influential part of the scene, and a well-versed veteran at that. But now, in 2022, she’s taking everything she’s learned and mastered, and infusing it into her own signature. Now, Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You.
The album is Nija’s first full-length solo endeavor, and yet it bleeds with the productive bliss and refined range of someone instead working through their fourth or fifth. A fantastical grip on the depth of her own vocal range merges lanes with an established knack for songwriting and producing that has seen her earn credits on tracks from Beyoncé and Cardi B to SZA and Ariana Grande, just to name a few, placing her name right in the mix amongst them for mainstream Soulstress royalty of the moment.
See why Nija is the Most Exciting New Artist of 2022:
Our 2022 Interview with Nija:
Our Review of Nija's Debut Album:
It should be noted that Blvck Svm has been releasing music for a few years, and that through those years, he's had a prolific run of singles. But 2022 brought with it a refinement of his effortlessly poetic signature, and also the release of two projects. First came fiftypercentgratuity in collaboration with Dutch producer, Sebastian Kamae. And then, in early Decemeber, came mangelica mink which took his steadfast flow and lyrical dynamism to the next level. Along with a smattering of calm, cool, and collected videos of Svm's rapped barrage, the album itself is a masterful exhibition of not only how lyrical he is, but how wide-ranging his sound maneuvers through other spaces in production. Be on the lookout for more from the Chicago-based rapper. But for now, dive into all of the music he's released so far.
Our Write-Up on Blvck Svm's mangelica mink:
Greg Bussie is another name that makes this list less new and more reborn. The Huntsville rapper has been making music for a few years, but - as noted in the intro to his new album, The Art Gallery - this is a chapter that sees him overcoming barriers and re-centering his sound. That sound is one that finds itself somewhere between the vocal range and Southern energy of Bun-B and the laid-back cool and hard-hitting flow of Larry June. It's bold, raw, and yet refined through the kaleidoscope of his own range, seamlessly fusing anthemic hits with barrages of lyrical introspection. And with more surely on the horizon, we're all looking out for what Greg Bussie might do next.
Our Write-Up on The Art Gallery:
Our Greg Bussie Gallery from his Hidden Gems Performance:
Juniper is a name we had never heard of before a few months ago. But, when the Brazilian soulstress popped up on the scene with a collaborative album alongside famed producer, Sango, it was obvious that she was something special. The project makes up the majority of her canon to date. But even so, it's a dynamic, global exploration of R&B at a scale we're seeing more and more, especially through the collaborative possibilities of the internet era. for its part, 97 is a bold, immersive, and experimental introductory EP to an artist we can't wait to hear more from, even if we don't speak Portuguese.
Our Write-Up on 97:
Qualls is another artist that has been at it for a few years. And it shows. His lyrical propensity is sharp, his world-building is immersive, and his sound is truly unique. He's able not only to convey that live in concert, but explore it at even more depth throughout the course of a full-length project. Until We Meet Again is just that project. Released this year, it shined a light on just how expansive and wide-ranging Qualls is able to be with his sound. Lyricism defines its entirety, but there's much more musicality at play - and much more on the way from the Tennessee rapper who is bridging a gap between Chattanooga and Nashville.
Our Write-Up on Until We Meet Again:
Our Qualls Gallery from his Hidden Gems Performance:
