The Hypebae Best: Ranking the Best Emerging Artists and Songs of 2023
Featuring Tyla, Katseye, flowerovlove and more.
As always, the gift of good music is one that never gets old and it’s safe to say that 2023 did not disappoint in that department. Alongside recurring hits from our favorite artists like SZA, Sexyy Red and Doja Cat, this year saw a slew of emerging artists take the limelight across the UK, US and beyond.
Olivia Dean and flowerovlove, who recently featured in our Baewatch series, rose to new heights in 2023 with festival appearances and new singles, while newcomers like Caity Baser and Kenya Grace continue to bless our airwaves with their viral sounds. Elsewhere, our list includes this year’s BRIT Award Rising Star, The Last Dinner Party, alongside the new global girl group, Katseye.
As for songs, it’s tracks like “Rich Baby Daddy” and “Snooze” that kept us going this year, plus artists like Ice Spice and Peggy Gou who continued to soundtrack our summer of love.
We’ve compiled the top albums and songs of 2023 as part of our Hypebae Best series. Keep scrolling to discover our top emerging artists and songs of the year. While you’re here, check out the rest of our Hypebae Best features for 2023.
EMERGING ARTISTS: GLOBAL
Tyla
21-year-old South African singer Tyla dominated our airwaves this year with her viral hit “Water.” In fact, just by reading the word, the song will probably be stuck in your head for an eternity, because it really is that good. Her soothing vocals pair with catchy lyrics and sweet sounds and we expect to hear plenty more from her in 2024.
Katseye
Katseye is the newest girl group from HYBE (aka the South Korean label responsible for creating BTS and NewJeans), merging the K-pop formula with a uniquely global presence. The group marks the first time that varying ethnicities have been signed by HYBE, including Lara who is Indian, Manon who is Black and Daniela who is Latina.
ScarLip
23-year-old ScarLip is an American rapper who rose to prominence after her 2022 single “Glizzy Gobbler” went viral on TikTok and since then, she’s been rising in the ranks. Her gritty, New York sound is a distinctive one, and it’s likely to take the top spot on both work-out and night out playlists for quite some time.
Young Miko
25-year-old Young Miko is a Puerto-Rican rapper, singer-songwriter and a former footballer. Her debut EP, Trap Kitty, dropped back in 2022 and since then, her fan base has continued to grow. With already well over six million followers on Instagram, it’s safe to say that Young Miko is going to be even bigger and better in 2024.
EMERGING ARTISTS: UK
flowerovlove
flowerovlove is a rising London-based artist with a burgeoning fanbase of aspiring fashionistas. The 17-year-old singer-songwriter creates dreamy pop tracks that tell stories about her life and document the struggles of adolescence. A firm favorite amongst the fashion crowd, the artist is often spotted at the biggest fashion shows and events and is destined for greatness in 2024.
Olivia Dean
Next up, 24-year-old Olivia Dean made her foray into music working with British drum and bass band Rudimental. From then on, she embarked upon a solo career, one which has since seen her collaborate with Leon Bridges and perform at Glastonbury. After heading out to the United States for her first New York shows this year, it’s inevitable that Dean’s global appeal will continue to flourish.
Kenya Grace
Kenya Grace made her way onto the UK charts a little later in the year, but her growing appeal is one that shows no signs of slowing down. With her track “Strangers” continuing to sit at the top of most British radio stations’ playlists, we expect to see plenty more from her in 2024.
The Last Dinner Party
This year’s BRIT Rising Star Award went to The Last Dinner Party, a British Indie rock band only formed in 2021. Comprised of members Abigail Morris, Lizzie Mayland, Emily Roberts, Georgia Davies and Aurora Nishevci, the dynamic girl group offers a refreshing approach to indie music. Think HAIM with an edge or CHVRCHES meets Wolf Alice with a little more theatre.
Caity Baser
British singer-songwriter Caity Baser rose to fame this year thanks to her catchy track “Pretty Boys.” At just 21-years-old, the rising artist forms part of a wider shift within British pop music, one that’s markedly more unapologetic, honest and relatable. Already, Baser’s newer tracks are forming their own cult fan base, so we reckon 2024 is most definitely her year.
Mychelle
Hackney-based artist Mychelle released not one, but two EPs this year, blending her mellifluous vocals with pointed beats and guest artists. First spotted by Idris Elba back in 2019, the singer-songwriter is set to release her debut album in 2024, so we expect to see big things happening for her next year.
BEST SONGS
Doja Cat — “Paint the Town Red”
Every year seems to be a big year for Doja Cat, with her infectious tracks and distinctive vocals always at the top of everyone’s playlists, but this song may just have been her catchiest hit yet. Unsurprisingly viral on TikTok, “Paint The Town Red” was and continues to be everywhere, stuck in everyone’s heads, all of the time.
Peggy Gou — “It Goes Like”
South Korean DJ Peggy Gou continues to be one of our favorite artists, year after year. Alongside her effortless cool-girl style, her catchy, party-ready tracks keep us wanting more. “It Goes Like” was undoubtedly one of those tracks this year, and we’ll be surprised if we aren’t still using it to get the party started this time next year.
Drake ft. Sexyy Red and SZA — “Rich Baby Daddy”
Let’s be honest, it’s the features on Drake’s tracks these days that really get us excited and the combination of Sexyy Red and SZA might just be his best formula yet. “Rich Baby Daddy” made its way into the charts fairly late in the year, releasing back in October, but landing amidst the rise of Sexyy Red this year — it was bound to be a winner.
Ice Spice — “Deli”
Ice Spice is another rapper that seemingly came onto the scene out of nowhere, but since her arrival, she’s made her presence very much known. With celebrity fans like Beyonce and Lil Nas X behind her, the American artist has gone from strength to strength in 2023, and it’s part of the reason we’re still singing along to “Deli” months after it was first released.
SZA ft. Justin Bieber — “Snooze”
Finally, last but by no means least. Both SZA and Justin Bieber have had a slightly quieter 2023 than usual, but it didn’t stop them from effortlessly dropping one of 2023’s biggest songs, seemingly without even trying. “Snooze” was first released as a solo single by SZA, before JB jumped on an acoustic version which sees their delectable vocals blend in the best way.
