As someone who spends a majority of my time listening to music, I often find myself overplaying the artists and songs I really like. I would say I enjoy and listen to a wide range of genres and artists, but I have a habit of attaching myself to a playlist that becomes the main thing I listen to for a good while. While I don’t mind replaying my playlists, I still enjoy finding new songs to hear. Because of that, I always tell myself I need to explore newer artists.
A great way to find songs that are new to you on Spotify is the Discover Weekly playlist. Through a combination of Discover Weekly and social media, I’ve discovered artists who are painfully underrated. Here are five of my recommendations, in order of how long I’ve been listening to them.
Erin LeCount
I found Erin LeCount when I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a video promoting her song, “I BELIEVE.” I immediately opened Spotify to listen, and I’m so glad I did. LeCount has been releasing singles and EPs since 2022, and released a new EP this year on February 27th. I think I’m so captivated by Erin LeCount because of the way she pulls aspects that I adore from other artists I enjoy, all while maintaining an individual sound. I love her voice and accent, and find her lyrics relatable and interesting. I also need to recommend her cover of “White Ferrari” by Frank Ocean combined with “I Know The End” by Phoebe Bridgers, because it’s truly beautiful. My favorite song right now is “DON’T YOU SEE ME TRYING?,” and I recommend listening to her new EP PAREIDOLIA as a starting point to Erin LeCount.
Ha Vay
Ha Vay was one of the first artists I found through Discover Weekly, through her songs “Moon Girl” and “ohmygod.” I added them to playlists in 2024, and enjoyed them when they came on, but never thought to explore her discography more until last year, when I found songs from her album Baby I’m The Wolf through Spotify recommendations. I became obsessed with that album, specifically the song “Fragile.” As I dug deeper into Ha Vay’s discography, social media, and music videos, I fell in love with the atmosphere around Ha Vay and her work. On Youtube, I found a visual album for Baby I’m The Wolf, which is a collection of music videos that tie the album’s story together. Ha Vay’s artistry is truly mesmerizing and I would recommend her to anyone who’s a fan of enchanting music and art.
Flower Face
I have been listening to Flower Face since summer of 2023, and she has definitely been one of my favorite artists throughout high school. There is something about her music that is so melancholic yet poignant, like sinking in a warm bath. Personally, her 2022 album The Shark in Your Water is my favorite, but all of her albums and songs are beautiful; I can’t name a single skip.
Solya
Finally, I get to write about Solya. I started listening to Solya around the same time I started listening to Flower Face, so I’ve been listening to her music throughout high school. Her voice is so satisfying to listen to and I’ve loved getting to experience her music shift as she grew as an artist. I got the chance to see her play back in 2024, at the first show of her Bugs and Butterflies tour with another artist, and I’m hoping to see her again this year. Her new album Queen of Texas releases March 6th; so far, “Tell Me It’s Over” is my favorite from the singles that have been released, but I’m eagerly waiting to hear the full album!
And finally, for a bonus underrated artist, I wanted to share my nichest, most underrated band:
Radiohead.
