TMI’S BEST OF 2019 LIST
It’s been a crazy year for the music industry. We’ve had some really good and really bad times. So I decided to make you guys a list of some of my favorite newcomers to end this year on a high note. Here is a list of some of music’s newcomers who made a name for themselves over the past year 🙂
HAMISH ANDERSON
In 2019, Australian-born, Los Angeles based rock n’ roll singer, songwriter, and “guitar hero” [Billboard Magazine] Hamish Anderson had a year full of highlights, beginning with the release of his second full length album, Out Of My Head. Anderson spent the year touring globally in support of Out Of My Head, including opening for Gary Clark Jr.’s Australian tour dates, playing major blues festivals both in the US and Canada (Tremblant International Blues Festival, Beale Street Music Festival), headlining a month-long European tour, opening for Five For Fighting, performing on DittyTV and AAA radio stations across the USA, and releasing three official music videos for album singles (No Good, Breaking Down, and What You Do To Me). His year capped off with the title track of his debut album, Trouble, exceeding 1,000,000 plays on Spotify and two national sync placements including Nascar, Love Island and Seal Team. Check him out as he comes into 2020 with more music, syncs and shows announcing soon.
http://hamishandersonmusic.com/
http://instagram.com/hamishanderson1
https://www.facebook.com/hamishandersonmusic/
https://twitter.com/hamishkanderson
AMY GUESS
Amy Guess has been in the music industry since the age of 15. A Las Vegas native, she quickly found a community she could collaborate and grow with, refining her singing and songwriting. As a solo artist, however, Guess cultivates her individuality: having written over 100 songs in the past 2 years alone, she wants her music to be a visceral reflection of her unique struggles with life and love. Along with her affecting lyrics, her powerful voice tears through edgy alt-pop instrumentals, ripe with exhilarating percussion and soaring synths. 2019 saw the songstress release three fiery singles: “Save Me,” “Lay Low” and “Holy Hell,” all exploring the more up-tempo and intense side of her sound. In addition to delivering another stunning music video with “Holy Hell,” Guess continued her streak of live shows this year, known for combining grimy electronics with her rockstar energy.
Smart URL- https://smarturl.it/Holy_Hell
Recent Video- https://youtu.be/sn0fgxtc9l4
NADIA VAEH
Nadia Vaeh is a believer in the power of pop music, even if it means giving it a darker spin for the sake of honesty. Born in one of today’s biggest music hubs – Atlanta, Georgia – she displayed a love of singing early on that led her mother to enroll her in the Atlanta Youth Choir when she was only 7. From there, her passion for music turned into a drive for songwriting and various stints in local bands during her teenage years. Throughout her musical journey, she’s found herself in travelling choirs, multi-genre projects and even the local city circus. This journey got abruptly sidetracked at 17, however, with the devastating death of her mother – a poet and crucial influence in her life, which led to a period of deep pain and instability. Soon enough, Vaeh was ready to return to music. She put out 7 singles in 2019 alone: “Yoyo”, “Mirrors”, “Naked”, “Heavy”, “1,000 Cuts”, a mesmerizing cover of the Nirvana classic “Heart-Shaped Box” and a sorrowful, touching tribute to her mother, “The Christmas Song.” With 4 music videos supporting her singles and an exhilarating, diverse alt-pop sound, the very promising newcomer is bound to make waves in the New Year.
Smart URL- https://smarturl.it/HolidazedandConfused
Website- https://www.nadiavaeh.com/
PAYSON LEWIS
Payson Lewis was born and raised just outside Philadelphia. After developing a love for music through choir in high school, he moved to Los Angeles to study music at USC. During this time, he was part of The SoCal VoCals, an a cappella group known for housing multiple members of Pentatonix. The next several years saw Lewis go beyond being an upbeat pop-rock singer-songwriter, from TV acting on How I Met Your Mother, The People vs. OJ Simpson and Rules of Engagement and competing on NBC’s “The Sing Off” to taking part in numerous acclaimed theatrical performances. Meanwhile, the multi-talented artist continued to perform all around LA, reached virality with several dazzling cover videos, and released an acclaimed debut EP, Take Me Apart. 2019 saw Lewis taking his career to the next level: in addition to one of his biggest showcases yet through Breaking Sound, he released a collaborative remix album and a new single, “Nothing to You.” Most impressively, the Kickstarter for his second album – set for 2020 – amassed a whopping $16 300, proving just how significant of a following he’s built through the years, and just how many people are rooting for his seemingly unstoppable ascension.
Smart Url: http://smarturl.it/nothingtoyoupayson
Website: https://www.paysonlewis.com/
LX
Born Lexy Bradford, LX (pronounced “Lex”) discovered her passion for music when she sang her first solo with a 60-piece choir during a Christmas cantata, at only 7 years old. By the time she was in middle school, LX was already releasing music and developing her unique voice. She found her sound – exhilarating, youthful dance-pop – with the help of mentor and frequent collaborator Rodney Alejandro (The Script, Raven-Syomoné). Showing relentless drive, LX has performed in such diverse events as The Latin Grammy Awards, Good Morning America and UFC’s “Fight Holiday Hunger” special. In addition to graduating from the Musicians Institute with an “Outstanding Vocal” distinction, she was one of Music Connection Magazine’s “Top 100 Unsigned Artists.” A big part of LX’s drive comes from her parents, and especially her dad’s inspiring motto, “Dare to be great,” which she’s internalized and even made her license plate. This deep confidence is omnipresent in LX’s lyrics because she wants to instill it in other young girls – giving way to cheeky quotables like “Did I mention I’m amazing?” as well as more serious moments of resilience like on her 2019 breakup ballad “Naked Truth.” This year, the rising singer also released a lyric video for her uplifting acoustic single “Beautiful Day” and the music video for her fierce breakout single “Blame On Me,” in addition to performing in a slew of showcase events.
Smart Url: https://sl.onerpm.com/1159747727
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u10_aIX2Ow
TAYLOR GREY
(photo credit: @jennicamaephoto)
Taylor Grey is a gifted songwriter and energetic performer, who first burst onto the music scene in 2016, the same year she started her undergraduate degree at Stanford University. Driven by introspection and emotive delivery, the 22-year-old Northern California native has been building a name for herself as a prolific recording artist by navigating today’s contemporary pop landscape with authenticity and vulnerability that is impossible not to cheer on. While most students are planning for the next party in between classes/semesters, Taylor Grey is either in the studio or on the road touring, sharing the stage with the likes of Why Don’t We, The Vamps, New Hope Club, Jacob Whitesides, Sabrina Carpenter, Flo Rida, Fall Out Boy, Walk the Moon, O-Town, and more.
Taylor Grey’s 2019 Summary:
Taylor Grey has been on an absolute tear this year. At the end of 2018, Taylor Grey released her GREY EP, which helped welcome the new year for the singer/songwriter. Eager to perform more, Taylor Grey began performing more around Los Angeles and San Francisco more, filling iconic rooms such as Hotel Cafe and The Peppermint Club. In May, Taylor Grey was asked by The Vamps to open up for them for several dates on their Four Corners UK Tour, giving Taylor the opportunity to perform for the first time both in the U.K. and internationally, touring in a tour bus for the first time, and to perform in front of hundreds of new fans. All while completing her Junior year’s finals and closing out the Spring semester. During the summer she joined New Hope Club (whom she met when touring with The Vamps) to do all the dates on the US/Canada leg of their Love Again 2019 World Tour. Taylor Grey didn’t stop there, jumping directly onto Why Don’t We’s 8 Letters World Tour, which since August she has completed three different tour-legs with them, performing throughout the US, Europe, and most recently Australia + New Zealand. Throughout the months, Taylor Grey has seen her fanbase grow in size; really capitalizing on every single city she performs in to truly connect with her fans or anyone who wants to talk. At every show, you can catch Taylor doing meet and greets after her set and hanging out by her merch table; which she’s known to even personalize her merch herself, decorating them with gems and designs, making each item one-of-a-kind and unique. Also, Taylor has taken advantage of all her touring by offering a wonderful reusable straw that she’s donated all proceeds to Skip the Straw, a program through Ocean Conversancy to help keep oceans trash free, and to the NSW Rural Fire Service, a volunteer-based firefighting agency who are in desperate need of funding after $12.9 Million was cut from the organization in the most recent state budget.
Comment below who your favorite artist is from this list 😉