Chappell Roan is undeniably one of the biggest artists of the moment. Last week, she won a well-deserved Grammy Award for Best New Artist, and since then, her streams on Spotify have surged. Songs like “Good Luck, Babe!,” “Pink Pony Club,” and “Hot To Go!” have reached new daily streaming peaks. During her acceptance speech at the 2025 GRAMMYs, the 26-year-old singer reflected on the struggles she faced after being dropped by her label during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also called out the way record labels treat their artists, sparking widespread discussion in the industry.
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Former music executive Jeff Rabhan criticized Chappell’s speech in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, saying: “Demanding that labels pay artists like salaried employees ignores the fundamental economic structure of the business. No one is forcing artists to sign deals. For the one-millionth time—if they don’t like the terms, they can stay independent, own their masters, and take the financial risk themselves.” Pop star Halsey came to Chappell’s defense, stating: “An artist like Chappell, who has worked for over a decade, is not an ‘instant industry insider.’ Comparing her journey to someone like Taylor Swift, who has financial leverage and industry power, is irresponsible for someone with your experience. Shame on you. Boot-licking behavior.”
Chappell herself responded to Rabhan by sharing a message on her Instagram story: “Wanna match me $25K to donate to struggling dropped artists? … I love how in the article you said, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.’ Genius!!! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same.” In a follow-up post, the “Red Wine Supernova” singer highlighted four emerging artists she believes “deserve more love and a bigger platform.” Below, we take a closer look at who they are and their biggest achievements so far.
Hemlocke Springs
Born in 1998, Isimeme Naomi Udu, known professionally as Hemlocke Springs, has emerged as one of the most promising talents in alternative pop. She started her music career relatively late, uploading untitled songs to SoundCloud in 2021 while studying at Dartmouth College. The following year, she self-produced and independently released her debut song, “Gimme All Ur Love,” which earned over a million streams and received critical acclaim. While working as a university librarian, she shared snippets of her second song on TikTok, where it quickly went viral. “Girlfriend” was officially released on November 2, 2022. In 2023, she followed up with her debut EP, Going…Going…Gone!, further solidifying her place in the alternative music scene. Over the past two years, she has served as an opening act for Ashnikko and Doja Cat. As of February 2025, Hemlocke Springs boasts over 440,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Sarah Kinsley
Born on July 18, 2000, Sarah Kinsley is an American singer-songwriter who began her musical journey in classical music, performing in youth orchestras throughout her childhood. During her teenage years, she posted covers of popular songs by artists like Justin Bieber and Julia Michaels. She later studied music theory at Columbia University, where she began producing her own alternative pop music. A strong advocate for female representation in music production, she has emphasized the importance of self-producing her work. In the summer of 2021, Sarah released her debut EP, The King, with its title track gaining significant traction on TikTok. Fast forward to September 2024, she unveiled her debut album, Escaper, which was praised for its experimental approach. As of February 2025, Sarah has more than 630,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, with “The King” surpassing 50 million streams.
Devon Again
Less widely known than some of her peers, Devon Again has been recognized as an emerging talent, frequently mentioned alongside other up-and-coming artists. In 2020, she began using TikTok to showcase her music, with several videos going viral. This momentum led to the release of her debut single, “Suburbia,” in 2021. The following year, she dropped her debut EP, PEE. Over the past two years, Devon Again has focused on releasing singles, steadily building her audience. Her music continues to amass millions of streams on Spotify, where she currently has 232,000 monthly listeners.
Baby Storme
Born in 2000, Baby Storme first gained widespread recognition in 2021 when Lil Nas X praised her single “Jackson,” helping propel the song’s popularity on TikTok. Since then, she has released several singles, including “Everybody Knows” and “That’s Just Me (I Guess).” As of 2025, Baby Storme boasts 70,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, steadily growing her presence in the music industry.
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