Best New Artists

We've been publishing some form of Best New Artists feature on Pigeons & Planes since 2013, highlighting the rising artists who we're most excited about at that moment in time. That used to take the form of a monthly list with 10-15 names and couple of lines of text, but times have changed.

These days, you're served infinitely updated playlists of new songs by DSP algorithms or scroll your social media platform of choice for a sensory overload of 15-second snippets and echo-chamber recommendations from labels' latest paid influencer campaign.

So instead of throwing more and more in your face, we want to slow down, provide context, and dig deeper on a tightly focused group of artists. These might not be the latest viral stars but they're all artists we believe are doing something fresh and have a story that's worth sharing—whether they're just getting started or have been grinding for a while and are now hitting a new peak.

Look back at all of our Best New Artists features here and keep up with them all on the Best New Artists playlist.

Thirteendegrees °

ThirteenDegrees is turning up the temperature at the right time. The rising rapper has taken the Chicago underground by storm in a matter of months, becoming the face of the city’s next wave in the process. And he’s not keen on wasting any time—he’s locked in. “Everybody has the same 24 hours in a day,” he tells us. “What are you going to do with yours?”

“The New Chicago” is a term that’s been thrown around in underground circles for a bit now, but what does it actually represent? Take it from the source himself as ThirteenDegrees (aka Mr. Hoodtumblr) is the artist embodying the city’s revitalized energy as of late. “[The New Chicago] is a movement where creatives are free with themselves and just wanna put a different light on the city with their talents,” he explains. “We have so many talented people here in Chicago, and the world needs to see that.”

His sold out debut hometown headline show at Reggie's was a moment for the city. “It is hard for people from Chicago to get behind an artist that’s not in the drill scene, which makes the show even more significant," ThirteenDegrees says. "The best moment of the show was hearing my music through the speakers of the venue. Really brought out a lot of life out of most of my songs.”

Following his breakout project Clique City, Vol. 2, Thirteen’s enigmatic rise has also felt homegrown. His unabashed swagger and syrupy melodies are mixed with a nostalgic presence that crosses over generations. You can hear the “No Hands” and “Work” samples expertly sprinkled throughout the tape, as he balances these throwback vibes with vocals akin to After Me SoFaygo and mixtape-era Young Thug.

Although his most viral track, “DA PROBLEM SOLVA,” is a departure from Chicago’s iconic, street-centric drill sound, it carries the same energy. Despite the hype, Thirteen isn’t letting the moment become too big for him. Working towards “dream collabs” with Fakemink, Untiljapan, and Feng, his rotation is just as eclectic. “Right now, I’m listening to The Russian Futurists, M.I.A., Kanye West, and Westside Gunn,” he says, a sprawling playlist for an artist who predominantly resides in the sonics of new-gen rap. This is why he stands out amongst the crowd: ThirteenDegrees finds beauty in balance.

“I think where I fit in is very interesting because a lot of the new generation loves my music but also the older generation as well, so I’m kind of in the middle ground,” he says. “What separates me is how precise and curated I am with every little action I do. Whether that’s me creating a song, what I'm wearing in my fit pics, or the cover art I create.”

That precision and attention to detail will certainly find its way onto his next album Black Fridayz this summer, which is set to feature a collaboration with BNYX, among others. Make no mistake, ThirteenDegrees is just heating up.—Jon Barlas

Oxis

Oxis emerges from the underwater world as an artist in constant metamorphosis. “I’ve been called Tuna most of my life,” she explains, drawing her artist moniker from Auxis—a genus of ocean-dwelling ray-finned bony fish in the family Scombridae and tribe Thunnini (also known as tuna). There's no doubt that there is a fluid symbolism in that connection as her latest music dives deep into the visceral, oceanic spaces where sound becomes something both alien and intimate. “The deep sea guttural sounds are more public now,” she reflects, describing the evolution of her music. “It’s exposing and terrifying and fun.”

The LA-born artist pulls from a wide range of influences that stretch across genres. From early favorites like Stromae, Adele, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and J. Cole to her most recent inspirations like Meat Computer, Grimes, Saya Gray, and Mid-Air Thief, Oxis echoes the same unpredictability and exploratory nature in the music she makes.

Recently signed to Boom.Records, Oxis is creating a strange comfort in the controlled chaos of her music. She explains that the blending of “clicky and soft” textures with “painful and scratchy” ones feels oddly serene. “I like putting them together in a way that makes insanity feel ok,” she says, and that fluidity amongst the chaos continues within the creative process. “Sometimes a song is done when I’m hungry enough to get up from the computer. A song can evolve forever.”

Many of her song titles carry fish themes, a detail that is far from accidental. “I relate to fish more than humans,” Oxis admits. “I wish I lived at the bottom of the sea.” That desire to disconnect from the surface world and embrace into something deeper and more instinctive is a recurring undercurrent in her art. Songs like “Long Sardine” and “Cuttle” exemplify the unique threading of looped sounds complimented by Oxis’s soft voice that manifest a sensation of underwater pressure.

The digital surrealism of her music videos adds another dimension to her art. Like an extension of her music, Oxis creates generative visuals that pulse in sync to the eccentric rhythms. For her, technology has become more than a tool, but a gateway into accessing the more suppressed parts of oneself. It’s more than just aesthetics: it’s therapeutic. “When I create codes that make lines and numbers move to music and motion, it makes my mind feel less chaotic,” she says. “It’s robotic and organic.”

In this interplay between tech and nature, Oxis distinct and unorthodox voice beams up from 7,000 miles under the sea.—Jaiden McCrann

Sherwyn

Most artists will tell you they listen to all kinds of music, but with Sherwyn, it shows. Growing up, the Nashville-raised artist’s older brother put him on to acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Three 6 Mafia, Talking Heads, Wu-Tang Clan, and Outkast. “Even just those examples, they are all similar by being innovators,” Sherwyn explains. “I want that. I'm tryna get a step closer to that with every song.”

He’s only been releasing solo music for a handful of years, but he’s been making the rounds as a producer with artists like Tkay Maidza, Duckwrth, Teddy Swims, and Amber Mark. Instead of being a distraction, Sherwyn says that collaboration has helped him hone in on his own vision. “Getting to work with so many artists that I’m truly a fan of, I get to witness it and that helps me stay true to my own sound and my own voice.”

Sherwyn’s 2024 EP Infinity High was his most impressive work yet—funky rhythms, electric grooves, and peculiar pockets where the Talking Heads influence shines. But his latest release, “Pop n Olive” with Samara Cyn, veers into a different lane at the intersection of hip-hop and pop.

It’s impossible to predict where Sherwyn might take things next, and that’s part of the fun. With confidence in the foundation he’s built plus the momentum he has at the moment, it sets the tone for a rare blend of commercial potential and instinctive risk-taking. “I’m focused right now!” he says. “I’m making music I love and just hyped to keep sharing what I'm on at the time. I can feel something bubbling... now to get to a boil.”—Jacob Moore

Lelo

From New Chicago to New Detroit, it’s spring and regeneration is in the air. Detroit, and Michigan in general, has been a force again in recent years, from the underground to wider breakthrough moments for artists like Tee Grizzley, Sada Baby, Veeze, Babytron, Babyface Ray, and many more.

Lelo is the city’s latest ascendant rapper, making an impact IRL and on the internet with a sound that transcends regionalism and a low-key lyricism that falls somewhere between LUCKI, Earl Sweatshirt, and his fast-talking Detroit peers. On his 2024 debut project, Nightingale, Lelo claimed the term New Detroit and has since made it his calling card.

“New Detroit is where I fit inside the culture of music and the city,” he says. “It's a blend of my upbringing and influences put into the music. I chose it as the title of my [upcoming] album as a way to define it as a sound and a movement.” He adds, “Detroit has always been a driving force in culture. Recently it’s been made more mainstream, but Detroit has been impacting the Rap and RnB scenes for a long time. I’m happy we’re finally receiving our flowers and that we’re able to start showing all sides of the art.”

Lelo has been making music since he was a teenager, using the platforms available to him (TikTok, SoundCloud) to find an audience online. His understated rise now includes multiple songs with millions of plays, but the movement can’t be attributed to one viral moment. Instead, Lelo has kept up a consistent cadence of releases, introducing different aspects of his sound, like the Sade sampling “Main Event” or his first-ever feature from Babyface Ray on recent single “On The Wall.”

Whatever you do, don’t underestimate Lelo’s drive or pigeonhole him based on where he’s from. “I grew up listening to a bunch of different genres,” he says. “Jazz and rap were the ones that had the biggest impact on me and how I intake new sounds. I owe a lot of what my music is now to my parents and grandparents because the music they showed me is a lot of what shapes what I make now.”

Lelo’s official debut album is on the way.—Alex Gardner

fakemink

I’m excited to see the UK rap scene get more of the spotlight. Like any vibrant cultural pocket, UK rap is constantly shifting, blending into new subgenres and evolving in sound. Its versatility has given rise to talent across styles like alté, lyrical rap, grime, and cloud rap. Emerging from the underground edges of experimental rap is dreamy, nostalgic 20-year-old English rapper and producer fakemink.

fakemink, formerly known as 9090gate before rebranding in 2024, doesn’t waste time or overthink when it comes to releasing music. He also doesn’t indulge in the flashier parts of the underground rap lifestyle. Instead, he spends time away in his bedroom, making music on FL Studio and writing lyrics on his iPod. His work ethic and growth speak for themselves. Over the course of 2024, he released around 51 songs, leading up to his viral singles “LV Sandals” and “Easter Pink.” Collaborating with underground producers like ok, Wraith9, and Suzy Sheer—all known for their experimental takes on electronic and rap production—fakemink has crafted an otherworldly but hard-hitting sound that feels like a time warp into the Y2K electronic era, fused with the energy of the UK rap scene during the early days of the internet.

fakemink’s sound is difficult to box in—but that’s the point. Unlike traditional cloud rap—think early A$AP Rocky, Yung Lean, or Clams Casino’s production—fakemink pulls from a genre-blurring palette, filtered through a UK lens. There are mellow nods to jerk rap, experimental electronic textures, and sounds that feel adjacent to hyperpop and lo-fi indie. With favorite artists like Dean Blunt, Babyfather, and Imogen Heap, he’s not putting on a faux-American accent or chasing trap drums. Instead, he’s carving out a hazy, dreamlike lane of his own, one that feels distinctly London, built in the stillness of his darkened studio-bedroom.

His roots in rap provide rhythmic structure, but he distills that energy into something more introspective. His beats are often atmospheric and meditative, pushing his sound into a cloudy, almost post-genre space.

fakemink is laser-focused, and with his momentum and commitment, he isn’t slowing down anytime soon. In an interview with Kids Take Over, he shared advice for other artists and creatives: “Put your entire life and body and soul into it. If you genuinely do that, there’s no excuse.” He’s an artist for the youth, unapologetically himself and steadily building a sonic world entirely his own.—Marissa Duldulao

Luke Titus

Luke Titus is a talented drummer—like, very talented. That’s not always an advantage in today’s music landscape, where technical skills and complex musicianship aren’t always rewarded, but it feels like that might be starting to shift.

Luke has worked as a producer with acts like Noname, Ravyn Lenae, Orion Sun, Steve Lacy and many others, but he’s focused on his solo career now and his new album From What Was Will Grow a Flower highlights virtuosic talent, but even more importantly it showcases his ability to be intentional and practice restraint for the sake of the work.

“I think there has always been an appreciation for musicians who are talented instrumentalists,” Titus explains, “but I would agree that it’s nice to see it coming back around. Lots of up and coming artists are not only known for their singing and songwriting but also for their production or instrumentalist abilities. This has definitely given me more confidence to express myself as an artist and include my drumming as a main part of that.”

“Using technical skill is all about context in my opinion,” he continues. “Some situations call for more technical playing or creating, while others call for more simple intentional ideas. Everything has a context where it would make sense. In songwriting and recording, I find that I’m mostly leaning in the direction of simplicity to get the idea across, whereas in live performing more technical playing seems to feel more natural."

On his new album From What Was Will Grow a Flower, Luke Titus taps into his roots, from jazz to hip-hop and from Chicago to New York. But instead of sounding like a messy mishmash of styles, it plays like a thoughtful, honest expression from an artist who has put in the work and figured out how to communicate his own journey and takeaways through the intricate web of music and culture he’s absorbed over the years.—Jacob Moore

Ronshach

No matter what kind of rap you prefer, it’s an exciting time for hip-hop. Whether you’re into heady underground traditionalists or disruptive new wave agents of chaos, there’s something for everyone. Smaller movements and scenes are thriving, and entire subcultures are developing around groups of artists, fans, and styles of music.

The downside to this is that fan bases are splintered. You either like this, or you like that. Aside from the chart-toppers and A-listers, there are lines in the sand between different audiences, and it’s almost impossible to please everyone.

18-year-old Jacksonville rapper Ronshach has the potential to blur those lines. One listen to his breakout single “Hot Hot Hot,” and you can imagine where things could go from here. There’s the unruly spontaneity of early Chief Keef or Young Thug, but hints of a Lil Wayne-like precision in his delivery.

One look at his music videos or beat selection and it’s clear that Ronshach isn’t a throwback artist, but there’s respect for the technical side of rapping and a desire to stand out from a lot of the artists who come off as too cool to show any signs of effort. “I feel like people don’t try anymore when it comes to music,” he told us earlier this year. “It’s all about the beats now, not the flow.”

Ronshach dropped his EP The Red Apple earlier this year, but he warns us that we haven’t yet gotten the full picture: “I can do a lot more than what you all are seeing now. Don’t judge just yet.”—Jacob Moore