Bridget Kelly: This R&B singer sang back-up for Alicia Keys, but her talent was then noticed when she belt out her version to the hook of Jay-Z’s “Empire State Of Mind”. Now on Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation, and with her current single “Thinking About Forever” out, Kelly may blow up in 2012.
Alex Christie: Daughter of the former prime minister of the Bahamas, Alex Christie is a singer who brings the culture of the Caribbean with her pop/R&B sound. We’re sure the comparisons to Rihanna will be inevitable, but take a moment to check out the Interscope artist.
A$AP Rocky: Rakim Mayers (born 1987), better known by his stage name ASAP Rocky (often stylized A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper. Born and raised in Harlem, he released the mixtape LiveLoveA$AP in 2011.
Nitty Scott: A female Brooklyn rapper who will be dropping an LP this 2012. She is the definition of an MC and reminds a lot of listeners as a modern day MC Lyte.
Thundercat: The bassist for soul singer Erykah Badu, is a full fledged artist in his own right. His album, The Golden Age Of Apocalypse is filled with rich basslines and his voice is a throwback to Earth Wind & Fire.
J. Gunn: Labeling himself as a college rapper, he’s been featured in AllHipHop.com and is now signed underneath MC Lyte’s imprint. With the established producer 9th Wonder and the current Roc Nation rapper J.Cole, Carolina has proven to be ripe with talent with J.Gunn being in the front.
Allen Stone: With the influx of British artists singing soul influenced music as of late, blue-eyed soul is still thriving in America. Enter Allen Stone. Hailing from Seattle Washington, is a white guy like you’ve never seen before with a voice you’ve never heard before.
Passalacqua: Rap/Funk/Dance duo from Detroit, Michigan. Detroits rappers like Eminem, Slum Village, and Royce Da 5’9 are known for their sharp lyricism and Passalacqua is no different. What separates them from the pack is that they fuse other genres in their music.
Stalley: Stalley is a rapper from the central part of Ohio. He’s described as the “Bruce Springsteen of rap”, because he raps for the blue-collar worker. His mixtape Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music) was met with critical acclaim, which lead to him being signed with Maybach Music Group.
As the year of 2011 slowly comes to an end, music fans are now looking to 2012. We’ve put together a list of the artists who will be bumpin’ between your headphones. These new acts represent all genres of music and we expect them to burn up the charts in the coming year. Check out theGrio’s 2012 artists to watch.
