I’ve Heard That Name Before: An Insight into Three Rising Artists Of 2025

With the ubiquity of social media, we have seen a rise in small music artists, typically people posting their original songs online hoping to get lucky. Many times, these efforts fail to create fame for small artists. With special creators, however, they see themselves sprung into the spotlight. Right now, three new artists have been making a name for themselves. They have sold out shows and have won prestigious awards. This article will highlight three artists’ stories: musicians and performers who have made a name for themselves in less than a year.

A rising girl group that has taken the world by storm and has helped K-pop music expand into wider audiences; KATSEYE is a name seen everywhere on social media. The global music group was formed through an experimental reality show competition series, Dream Academy, where girls from all over the world trained and fine-tuned their dance, musical, and performative abilities. At the end of the series, six members were chosen based on their talents: Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae. The diverse group features members from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States. Their 2024 debut was met with positive support and enthusiasm from current fans who followed their story through the reality show. KATSEYE recently won a VMA for best Push performance of the year. They have garnered crowds of thousands at famous festivals like Lollapalooza and soon, Coachella. KATSEYE is now on the main stage of new music, and they’re expected to become one of the world’s largest global girl groups.

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One of the new solo artists with the most growth over the course of a year is Sombr. A singer/songwriter who captures audiences with unique sounds and deep lyrics, he has been making music since the age of thirteen, switching artist names until landing on what he is known for today. Taking inspiration from bands such as Radiohead, Sombr uses his platform to truly show his vulnerable side to the world. This is seen with his EPs “I’ll Remember Tonight” and “In Another Life”, released just over two years ago. His lyrical style and emotional singing helped gravitate fans towards his music. Earlier this year, his single “Back to Friends” hit the feeds of practically everyone. Large influencers were using this song as a background track to videos, and many trends developed from this heartfelt song. This was Sombr’s chance at fame, and he took full advantage of the moment. His following single, “Undressed,” grew even more popular than “Back to Friends”, bringing millions of listeners to his music. Over the summer of 2025, Sombr released two singles, “We never dated” and “12 to 12”, both of which took over radio stations and playlists globally. His debut album, “I Barely Know Her,” was released on August 22 and is already in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. He made his VMAs debut as both a nominee and a performer. There, he won an award for Best Alternative and is projected to have nominations for Grammys for Best New Artist and Song/Record of the Year. He is quickly rising through the ranks and has an almost guaranteed chance at worldwide fame with his international tour and future sets, plus Coachella and Lollapalooza.

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Finally, Alex Warren has been heard on feeds around the world. His music explores deep yearning and adoration with classical instruments, conveying the pure emotion in his music. His most well-known song, “Ordinary”, which he dedicated to his wife, has garnered over one billion streams on Spotify and held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks. He recently performed two of his hit songs at the VMAs, where he won an award for Best New Artist. Although Alex was recently put under the spotlight, he wasn’t entirely unknown to the public before this year. He was a founding member of the TikTok influencer group the Hype House in early 2020. Through this group of large influencers, he met his wife, Kouvr Annon, who was also part of the Hype House at the time. In 2022, they both left the group due to internal conflicts and a desire to pursue new paths. This is when Alex started pursuing his goals as a singer/songwriter. His music battles heavy topics such as the loss of a loved one and grief, as well as profound feelings of love and devotion. He has grown his platform into a place where people feel seen and where his music provides a sense of comfort for fans.

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These three artists have already carved out a lasting presence in the mainstream, captivating listeners with profound lyrics and a reassuring connection to their audience. As they continue to mature and grow their craft, they are guaranteed not only to become more popular but also to shape the sound and direction of future music artists for years ahead.