Up and Coming Women in Music to Watch

It is a fresh new year and I thought that the best way to start out my first post of 2022 would be to highlight some badass women in music who deserve more hype. I want to preface this by saying that the women I am going to mention in this post are all at different levels of popularity within their specific niche areas, but I know they will continue to do great things in music. So let’s get started!

Ruby Waters

First up on my list is Ruby Waters. Ruby is a Canadian artist whose music mixes a bit of rock, folk, funk, and R&B to create her own unique sound. I first discovered Ruby Waters when I heard her song “Sweet Sublime”, which immediately became one of my favorite songs. Upon hearing “Sweet Sublime”, I was instantly filled with so much serotonin that I just had to dig into more of her stuff. What I think sets Ruby out among other artists is that her music has a way of having a youthful and fun sound while tying in a bit of an edge with lyrics that actually mean something as opposed to much of the surface level stuff out there these days. Plus, I cannot get enough of her raspy voice. Ruby’s music will definitely continue to find a place on my playlists and I just know she is going to see success.

Sierra Ferrell

Next on my list is an artist who I have previously mentioned on my 2021 recap post, but I think she 100% deserves a spot on this list as well. Sierra Ferrell and her music have absolutely fed my soul the type of country music it has been craving. Sierra’s music instantly transports you back in time to an old saloon where her beautifully haunting voice sucks you in but continues to surprise you left and right. Sierra’s entire album Long Time Coming is a masterpiece and I have devoured every track on that album. She is everything great about the old country sound but has a special flair that takes that older sound up just a notch. Some of her songs feature some Spanish flair, and the band that accompanies her seems to be able to play just about every instrument. Sierra is doing great things for country music and I am truly looking forward to whatever else she puts out in the future. I can guarantee she will be influencing others to take this direction with their sound. If you think real country music is dead, please give her a listen before throwing in the towel.

Catterina

Next up is an artist who is a little less known than the previous ladies I mentioned, but she is only getting started and has already found a sound unique to her. Catterina’s sound finds a way to mix the emotions and lyrics of artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy McAlpine, while adding the old soul sound of someone like Amy Winehouse. She has a fresh young vibe but a retro type of aesthetic which makes for a fun juxtaposition too. I instantly fell in love with her song “Inconvenience” due to the warm and aged sound of her voice. Her debut EP is actually being released on Friday, January 28 and I am looking forward to seeing the direction she takes with her musical journey.

Maya Delilah

This next artist, Maya Delilah, is an artist I came across on my TikTok feed who immediately stopped me in my tracks. Her and her guitar are absolutely in sync where you can’t even imagine her ever learning guitar; it is as if she was just born with that gift. I first heard her covering a John Mayer song and I caught myself making that stank face you make when music just hits your soul. Her sound consists of heavy influences of jazz and soul but with a modern twist. She is definitely newer in the game so I am interested to see where she takes her sound but I can promise you that if she were to put out a jazz album, I would eat it up! I seriously cannot resist a good guitar riff and she certainly has that part down.

Cat Clyde

Now Cat Clyde has been making music for quite a while now so I wouldn’t necessarily call her “up and coming” however, I decided to include her on this list because I think she deserves so much more recognition. Cat Clyde’s music is like a refreshing mix of blues, country, and folk that finds a way to hit your heart right where you have been needing it. The first song of hers that I came across was “All The Black” and I could not stop listening to it. It is such a deep and emotional song but her lovely vocals make it that much better. And when she isn’t singing deep emotional tunes, her other music acts as a nice pick me up to make any morning drive just a little bit better, such as her song with Jeremie Albino, “Been Worryin’.” I definitely recommend giving Cat’s music a listen because she really is a gem.

Jensen McRae

The last lady on my list is probably my most recent discovery of all the others but boy, did finding her fire me up! Jensen McRae is a phenomenal song writer and has a beautiful voice to accompany it. I would compare her song writing to being a mix of Tracy Chapman and Phoebe Bridgers. She is another artist I came across on TikTok but it has now been both a blessing and a curse because she has so many amazing songs she performs on TikTok that she hasn’t released yet and my heart just aches to be able to have them on Spotify. I can truly see her absolutely blowing up in the music industry with her tender yet specific lyrics. She definitely plays into the idea that good music is music that makes you feel and she does just that. Jensen seems to just be getting started and I cannot wait to see where her career takes her.

Coming across artists that are early in their careers that make me genuinely excited for their future is such a treat and these women are a perfect example of that. I encourage you to at least give them a chance and look out for future releases from them. I look forward to highlighting other up and coming artists in future posts as well.

Thanks for reading and happy new year!