International Singer-Songwriters You Should Know
A list of all the international musicians that you’ve probably never heard of, but need to add to your playlist immediately! Click below for the accompanying Spotify playlist, plus some extras and honorable mentions that almost made the list. Keep reading for more information about the artists.
1. AURORA (Norway)
Norwegian born and raised AURORA is trying to spread kindness through her songs. Often compared to Björk and Lorde, the 23 year old singer and songwriter produces memorable pop tunes with enchanting lyrics. To top it off, the performer gives off strong Princess Mononoke vibes in both her music and her personal style.
2. ¿Teo? (Colombian-American)
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Colombian-American singer ¿Teo? is changing the landscape of the genre that he calls “neo-American.” Although his inclusion on this list could be contested, his Colombian heritage shows in the lyrics and style of his music. ¿Teo? sings both in Spanish and in English, incorporates smooth Bossa-Nova influences into his sound, and is known for running a creative project with Jaden Smith.
3. Freya Ridings (UK)
A rising star, Freya made a name for herself with her original song “Lost Without You” in 2018 which became a platinum-selling song. This UK-singer’s music is both beautiful and haunting. Her voice and extraordinary songwriting has enchanted her fans. The majority of her music was recorded live. In fact, she did not release a studio-produced album until this year. Though the studio album is smoother sounding, the live recordings contain far more raw emotion in them and demonstrate her incredible talent better than the studio album.
4. Nakhane (South Africa)
The talented Nakhane is not just a singer-songwriter, but also an author and actor. The path that he has carved out for himself, both as an artist and as a human being, is admirable and inspiring. Originally hailing from an incredibly religious upbringing, Nakhane broke away from his community and from Christian “conversion therapy”, moved to Johannesburg, and publically came out and celebrated his queerness in his very first album Brave Confusion in 2013. His electro-pop sound meshes well with his smooth voice, lending an interesting sound to his music.
5. ONUKA (Ukraine)
Ukrainian electro-folk is probably the most unlikely collection of words you will read today. ONUKA (translated as “granddaughter”) is a project that aims to revive traditional Ukrainian instruments (like the bandura). Don’t be fooled though, this group of artists creates dance music like no other and has taken to the stage all over, including Eurovision.
6. Nina Abdel Malak (Lebanon)
Lebanese singer Nina Abdel Malak is an absolute sensation. Starting out as a contestant on Star Academy Arabia, a pan-Arab t.v. show that trains candidates to compete against one another in a talent show, Nina has carved herself out a spot in the charts and in the hearts of her fans. Her music combines both traditional Lebanese instruments and electronic and dance elements.
7. Okean Elzy (Ukraine)
Easily characterized as the Ukrainian Radiohead, Okean Elzy (translated as “Elza’s Ocean”) has entirely revolutionized the Ukrainian music scene in the past decade. Outside of their incredible musical influence (they are the most well known and beloved band in Ukraine and many other post-Soviet countries), Okean Elzy’s songs and lead singer Svyatoslav Vakarchuk are known for carrying strong political messages. In fact, there was even a sizeable movement for Vakarchuk to run for the office of president of Ukraine (he never did).
8. Ana Guerra (Spain)
Ana Guerra is another product of a TV talent competition. The singer finished 5th in the reality show and nearly represented Spain at Eurovision with her top hit “Lo Malo.” Her sound is reminiscent of Dua Lipa and Rosalía.
9. Sigrid (Norway)
Another Norwegian indie-pop powerhouse, Sigrid releases relatable songs with incredibly catchy beats. Her top songs sound more like Dua Lipa with eclectic drum beats. With songs like “Don’t Kill My Vibe” and “Don’t Feel Like Crying” Sigrid delivers for all your empowering pop needs.
10. Anushka Jag (India)
This Indian singer-songwriter is new to the music scene. Splitting her time between Mumbai and Los Angeles, she’s so far churned out 3 incredibly catchy singles. A little known fact is that she has a degree from the London School of Economics and has previously worked as a TV reporter in Mumbai. Now making most of her music in LA, Anushka is hard at work releasing pop music.
Honorable mentions:
RM (Kim Nam-joon of BTS, Korea)
Мы (Stylized in English as “We”, Israeli-Russian band)
HYUKOH (Korea)
Mahmood (Italy)
Soap&Skin (Austria)
Monetochka (Russia)
Leebrian (Puerto Rico)
Vald (France)
ionnalee (Sweden)
