4 Musical Mavens To Watch Out For In 2012

2012 – it’s here whether you like it or not. Instead on focusing on all the negative connotations this year has already managed to wrangle up, let’s focus on the fact that it’s another new year, meaning new things to look forward to in the coming months–like some good ol’ music, for example.

It seems more and more these days, music blogs and those who are tuned into the viral space are deciding what is hot and what is not in mainstream musical appeal. Big case in point is Kreayshawn, who I’m pretty sure no one would have heard of back in 2011 if she hadn’t uploaded her music video for “Gucci, Gucci” on the World Wide Internets via YouTube.

With the extinction of music videos on MTV, looks like YouTube and Vimeo and Stereogum and Pitchfork and tons of other online websites are filling the void for music fans to discover new music videos from all over.

And I have no doubt that 2012 is going to be even a bigger year for musicians to get more notoriety and cred just by simply uploading their videos and tunes to YouTube, etc.

Not surprisingly, there are already four street-smart songstresses that are already getting some hype on the Interwebs, and are definitely going to making waves over the next year.

From hip hop to goth pop, meet the four ladies that are going to be taking the music industry by storm in 2012!

NAME: Delilah
GENRE(S): Pop, Soul, Urban, Folk, Dubstep
SOUNDS LIKE: Lykke Li, Sia, Sade, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Florence + the Machine
WHY SHE’S AWESOME: Her soft vocals mixed with her piercing lyrics and moody delivery makes us want to clinch onto every little note, beat and chord. If her music was a drug, I’d declare myself an addict.
Delilah – “Love You So” (VIDEO)

NAME: Iggy Azalea
GENRE(S): Hip Hop
SOUNDS LIKE: Kreayshawn, Lil’ Kim, Nicki Minaj, Foxy Brown
WHY SHE’S AWESOME: It only takes 2.4 seconds to realize this Australian via L.A. lady has got some natural born flare surrounding her. Her rhymes aren’t too shabby, she’s a total stunner and there is just something totally empowering when listening to a few of her tracks.
Iggy Azalea – “My World” (VIDEO)

NAME: Charli XCX
GENRE(S): Dark Pop, Goth Pop, Chillwave, Experimental, Electro Pop
SOUNDS LIKE: Austra, Grimes, The Knife, Cults, Sky Ferreira, Electric Youth, Crystal Castles
WHY SHE’S AWESOME: Why do you get when you mix Chillwave tunage with Pop music sensibilities? You get Charli XCX, that’s what. This London-based crooner is heavy on the post-apocalyptic swag, her voice is super lush and she looks like the perfect Goth Pop Princess we are missing in this world today.
Charli XCX – “Nuclear Seasons” (VIDEO)

NAME: Azealia Banks
GENRE(S): Hip Hop, Freestyle, Dance
SOUNDS LIKE: A modern day Crystal Waters with filthier lyrics, harder beats and faster rhymes.
WHY SHE’S AWESOME: This chick is blowing up hard right now. She was #3 on BBC’s Sounds of 2012 list, and from someone who just spent a week in London–everyone loves her over there! She’s already teaming up with fashion industry giants like Nicola Formichetti, the man behind Lady Gaga’s fashion-forward public image. Her lyrics are fresh (maybe a little too fresh); her beats sounds like they’re influenced by Freestyle jams from the early 90s and illegal Dutch warehouse raves from 1996; plus, her delivery is dead-on killer.
Azealiea Banks – “212″ (VIDEO)