LOEWE Dress, at loewe.com.
Photo: Ben Taylor
Keeping up with the next big thing in music can feel like cramming for a never-ending final exam. Here, we put together a colorful cheat sheet highlighting Swedish pop star Zara Larsson, folk singer-songwriter turned Broadway actress Lizzy McAlpine, drill rapper–Miu Miu model Cortisa Star, and more.
From left: AREA Dress, at area.nyc. Photo: Ben TaylorCONNER IVES Dress, at connerives.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: AREA Dress, at area.nyc. Photo: Ben TaylorCONNER IVES Dress, at connerives.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 29
Hometown: St. Louis
Listen if you like: Recession pop, The Bling Ring, throwing bills at the strip club
The song of hers you should start with: “CRANK”
Her “I made it” moment: Having her song “Daddy AF” featured in the Oscar-winning film Anora: “I was freaking out. I would love to make more music for Sean Baker projects; I love his DIY approach and his casting of nonprofessional actors. And maybe for Richard Linklater, too.”
Song she’d play to impress a crush: “If someone seems pretentious about music, I do the opposite and think about the corniest High School Musical song I could put on. But my own shit, I guess — maybe the demo of ‘$t. Loser,’ from my upcoming project.”
On her persona for her new album, WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA: “My last project, Starfucker, was a glamorous, fantasy version of me. For this one, I thought about times in high school when I would go to house parties with a big group of skater boys and pass bottles around. Or any night when I was talking too much and being annoying.”
When she’s not in the studio: “I love bedazzling things and costume construction. I have my rhinestone suppliers I go to — I’m very particular about the crystals I use. There’s Preciosa, regular crystal, and there’s Maxima, which is more sparkly. I’m also an Old Hollywood lore junkie. Hollywood Babylon, by Kenneth Anger, is one of my favorite books. Even now, I have portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich in my home.”
From top: ZANA BAYNE Bra, at shop.zanabayne.com. VICTORIA ROST Skirt, at victoriarost.com. @FEATHEREDFEELING444 Headpiece, available upon request. NEW YORK VINTAGE Bra (worn as eye patch), available upon request. THOMASINE Gloves, at thomasinegloves.com. Photo: Ben TaylorVERSACE Dress, Panties, and Shoes, at versace.com. NEW YORK VINTAGE Headpiece, available upon request. @FEATHEREDFEELING444 Headpiece (worn as arm accessory), available upon request. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 26
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Listen if you like: Apartment ragers, family bands, 2010s electropop
The song of hers you should start with: “Smiley”
Her “I made it” moment: “We just finished touring Europe for the first time, and it was awesome. We would spend six hours in one place and then drive to the next place, sound check, do the show, sleep for a few hours, and then do the next. In between sets, I drank a bunch of Champagne and went to dinner.”
Song she’d play to impress a crush: “‘Shoot From the Heart,’ by Judie Tzuke. I became obsessed with her when we were in London making the album. This song came on the radio while I was walking, and I just started strutting. It’s optimistic but sexy, and she’s got a nice, warm voice.”
When she’s not in the studio: “I want to be a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. I’d bring this Zelda princess-warrior vibe on the outside, but inside I’d be the stern grandmother, like, Come on, you’ve got this. My catchphrase would be ‘Get it together.’”
On her personal style: “Right now, I’m really into crowns. I like to wear what my boyfriend calls my Charlie’s Angels outfit: tight pants and a tight jacket zipped up to the top. Think 2000s Versace, Gucci, YSL. Hot.”
From top: LAURA ANDRASCHKO Jacket, at lauraandraschko.com. JULIE KEGELS Tights, at juliekegels.com. PRADA Shoes, at prada.com. Photo: Ben TaylorMCQUEEN Dress and Shoes, at alexandermcuqeen.com. EVENTYR VERDEN Necklace, at eventyrverden.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 31
Hometown: Glen Head
Listen if you like: Evanescence, enchanted forests, vampire movies
The song of hers you should start with: “In My Room”
Her “I made it” moment: “Last March, Drake was DJ-ing and a girl requested my song ‘In My Room.’ He played it and DM’d me a lyric — ‘I stalk myself on the internet just to see what you’ll find’ — with the head-explosion emoji. Very quickly, he asked me for demos, so I sent him a few recorded on my little mic. One was ‘DOG HOUSE.’ He was like, ‘Oh, this is the one. This is our song together.’ [The single, featuring rapper Yeat, will appear on Drake’s forthcoming album, Iceman.] Later, he came to my show in Toronto. It was a 400-person venue, and we had to hide him so no one knew he was there.”
On playing her dream gig: “Since eighth grade, I have been picturing myself in Bella Swan’s shoes. Last August, we played the first-ever live shows at the Twilight Swan House. It is a 1930s rental in St. Helens, Oregon. Getting to sleep in Bella’s bedroom that weekend was very emotional.”
On her ideal soundtrack for a Twilight remake: “I would pick 2hollis and Jane Remover for any kind of running-through-the-forest scenes or action scenes. And as a nod to the original, I want “1901,” by Phoenix, for the baseball scene because it’s a good way to capture the feeling. For any of the scenes of them dancing or falling in love, my girls Ethel Cain and Phoebe Bridgers. I’m gonna throw myself in there, because I would die. Finally, to round everything out for B-roll scenes, I would do some Third Eye Blind, the Smashing Pumpkins, or Alanis Morissette — songs that have that melancholy in them.”
From left: SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO Dress and Necklace, at ysl.com. Photo: Ben TaylorGUCCI Dress and Purse, at gucci.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO Dress and Necklace, at ysl.com. Photo: Ben TaylorGUCCI Dress and Purse, at gucci.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 25
Hometown: Boston
Listen if you like: TLC’s “No Scrubs,” sequined tube tops, hating on your homegirl’s dusty boyfriend
The song of hers you should start with: “Girl of Your Dreams”
Her “I made it” moment: “I announced a tour, which has been my dream since I saw the Hannah Montana movie. Then I got even more serious about it when I saw Russell Brand ask Katy Perry for a divorce via text in her Part of Me doc and she locked in as she cried.”
On the vintage-fashion trends she wants to revive: “I think top hats need to come back, but I’m trying to gatekeep that. Everyone needs to be wearing 2003 fingerless Marc Jacobs gloves with stripes on them. And skinny scarves, very genuinely.”
On her favorite reality-TV characters of yore: “Amanda Overmyer, 2008 American Idol. She sounded like Janis Joplin and had the most husky, gorgeous raspy voice. I love Adore Delano from season six of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I was always like, That’s my lover. Then we became friends, and we’re not in love. And Trisha Paytas on Celebrity Big Brother. They should have given her unlimited pizza and let her cook.”
On her online hyperfixations: “I’m obsessed with scrolling through Instagram Reels of bungee-jumping workouts: people backflipping on bungee strings. I also love a spiritual rabbit hole where they tell me I’m about to meet my wife. Then I spend the whole day looking for her and … I don’t.”
From left: CHLOÉ Top, Skirt, and Earrings, at chloe.com. Photo: Ben TaylorBALENCIAGA Top, Skirt, and Shoes, at balenciaga.com. NEW YORK VINTAGE Headpiece, available upon request. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: CHLOÉ Top, Skirt, and Earrings, at chloe.com. Photo: Ben TaylorBALENCIAGA Top, Skirt, and Shoes, at balenciaga.com. NEW YORK VINTAGE Headpie…
From top: CHLOÉ Top, Skirt, and Earrings, at chloe.com. Photo: Ben TaylorBALENCIAGA Top, Skirt, and Shoes, at balenciaga.com. NEW YORK VINTAGE Headpiece, available upon request. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 28
Hometown: Stockholm
Listen if you like: Lisa Frank, tanning oil, big vocal riffs
The song of hers you should start with: “Midnight Sun”
Her “I made it” moment: “I never truly feel like I’ve made it. There are these little things that add up and it feels really incredible to see people tapping into something I’ve been doing for so long. This is my tenth year of being an artist. My No. 1 goal is to have a full-on arena tour.”
Her Midnight Sun style mood board: “How I dress is just a fantasy of what I thought a grown person would wear. It feels free, but sparkles are also important. There’s a little bit of tackiness, a little bit of Snooki in there. The Winx Club girls. Barbie. All the Bratz dolls have the most amazing clothes.”
On the White House mocking her anti-ICE posts: “I just think they’re losers, sorry. I guess it’s powerful to know that my words have enough weight to make people want to respond, but that’s not why I share my opinions. It’s because I love people; I love human connection. It’s not about the theater of it all.”
Dream job if she weren’t a musician: “I’d want to be a YouTuber. I want to be an ASMR girl making role-play videos, like you’re at the doctor’s office or in the woods and I’m a nymph cleaning out your ears with my little stick. I would love to do day-in-the-life vlogging. I want to do mukbangs. Anything with noodles. Actually, I don’t like mouth sounds, so I wouldn’t do the slurping. But I want to eat them, and they’d go fast — they’re the only thing I could make disappear because I’m a very slow eater.”
Her dream collab: “There’s this guy named Kell Martin (@shutthekellup) who makes the best jingles, like ‘I’m sorry I didn’t order disrespect for the side of my potato salad’ or ‘I got hella money!’ He’d bring the fun, hooky, earwormy little seasoning. Then I’d have Sia, who’d bring the big vocals.”
From left: On Clair: PRADA Dress, Shirt, and Gloves, at prada.com. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. On Coco: PRADA Shirts, Skirt, Belt, and Gloves, at prada.com. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. Photo: Ben TaylorOn Coco: MALENE SPECHT Jacket, available upon request. LAURA ANDRASCHKO Dress, at lauraandraschko.com. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Rings, at vancleefarpels.com. SASSA ANN VAN WYCK Hat, at sassaannvanwyk.net. JIMMY CHOO Shoes, at jimmychoo.com. On Clair: VAQUERA Dress and Shoes, at vaquera.nyc. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Rings, at vancleefarpels.com. SASSA ANN VAN WYCK Hat, at sassaannvanwyk.net. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: On Clair: PRADA Dress, Shirt, and Gloves, at prada.com. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. On Coco: PRADA Shirts, Skirt, Belt, and Glov…
From top: On Clair: PRADA Dress, Shirt, and Gloves, at prada.com. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. On Coco: PRADA Shirts, Skirt, Belt, and Gloves, at prada.com. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. Photo: Ben TaylorOn Coco: MALENE SPECHT Jacket, available upon request. LAURA ANDRASCHKO Dress, at lauraandraschko.com. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Rings, at vancleefarpels.com. SASSA ANN VAN WYCK Hat, at sassaannvanwyk.net. JIMMY CHOO Shoes, at jimmychoo.com. On Clair: VAQUERA Dress and Shoes, at vaquera.nyc. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Rings, at vancleefarpels.com. SASSA ANN VAN WYCK Hat, at sassaannvanwyk.net. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 29 and 31
Hometown: Atlanta
Listen if you like: Adult slumber parties, whisper rap, being the baddest bitch in the room
The song of theirs you should start with: “Cherub”
Their “I made it” moment:
Coco: “Opening for Marina on her Princess of Power tour.”
Clair Clair: “Collaborating with Chae-young from the K-pop group Twice. We noticed our fans freaking out about Chaeyoung using our songs on Instagram and realized we had a lot of crossover. I was so flattered and excited by her posting about us and being a genuine fan. Working together was some of the most fun I’ve had on a song, and I’m really proud of how her remix of ‘Pop Star’ turned out.”
On their clever one-liners:
Clair Clair: “My favorite verse of Coco’s is on ‘Martini,’ when she rhymes geezer with Weezer and Ibiza.”
Coco: “My favorite is on ‘Kate Spade,’ when Clair Clair says, ‘I’m a bad bitch, I’ll kill the both of us.’ I felt that in my core.”
Song they’d play to impress a crush:
Coco: “‘Distant Lover,’ by Marvin Gaye. My crush (boyfriend) is long-distance, and I feel like this is the perfect long-distance love song, right next to ‘I Wish You Were Here,’ by Al Green, and ‘So Far Away,’ by Carole King. It has longing, warmth, and drama.”
Clair Clair: “Impressing someone through music is not my forte. I kind of can’t be bothered. I guess the highest compliment a crush could pay me would be to be impressed by the music that Coco and I make, so I’ll say any Coco & Clair Clair song. And if that doesn’t work, then it’s probably not meant to be!”
On their pop-culture obsessions:
Coco: “There’s a show called Love After Lockup. People will go on inmate pen-pal websites and try to find a boyfriend or husband. I just go on there and read their bios. I’ll also be on random Wikipedia pages looking at how Chick-fil-A was founded. Like, damn. There’s really tea there.”
Clair Clair: “I’m obsessed with Old Hollywood relationships. The women always have ten husbands and so many kids who become nepo babies. Then you realize the whole world we know is because of a group of people like them.”
From left: LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN Top, Skirt, and Belt, at ludovicdesaintsernin.com. Photo: Ben TaylorDIOR Top and Trousers, at dior.com. PRADA Shoes, at prada.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN Top, Skirt, and Belt, at ludovicdesaintsernin.com. Photo: Ben TaylorDIOR Top and Trousers, at dior.com. PRADA Shoes,…
From top: LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN Top, Skirt, and Belt, at ludovicdesaintsernin.com. Photo: Ben TaylorDIOR Top and Trousers, at dior.com. PRADA Shoes, at prada.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 26
Hometown: Philadelphia
Listen if you like: Broadway musicals, folk singer-songwriters, replaying your past relationships in your head
The song of hers you should start with: “Spring Into Summer”
Her “I made it” moment: “I came out with Gracie Abrams at Madison Square Garden, and we sang a mash-up of one of her songs and my song ‘Ceilings.’ Everyone knew the words, and I was like, Whoa. People actually care about me.”
On the musical she’d like to act in next (she debuted on Broadway in Floyd Collins): “I really want to be in Next to Normal. It’s about a mom who is bipolar depressive and her family is dealing with grief and loss and mental illness. The music is incredible. Playing Natalie, the daughter, would be the dream. I just love her songs so much.”
Song she’d play to impress a crush: “I’ve been listening to a lot of James Taylor, and there’s this song called ‘Line ’Em Up’ that’s so good. Melodywise, lyricswise, I love it.”
Favorite artist: “Joni Mitchell. Taylor, my piano player, flew back to L.A. to play with Joni at the Hollywood Bowl. Then he brought me to one of her production rehearsals before I left for Europe because I couldn’t go to the show. One day, I’ll get to sing for her.”
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From top: VALENTINO Dress, at valentino.com. VALENTINO GARAVANI Shoes, at valentino.com. Photo: Ben TaylorTHOM BROWNE Jacket, Shirt, Skirt, Tie, Socks…
From top: VALENTINO Dress, at valentino.com. VALENTINO GARAVANI Shoes, at valentino.com. Photo: Ben TaylorTHOM BROWNE Jacket, Shirt, Skirt, Tie, Socks, and Shoes, at thombrowne.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 23
Hometown: Mesquite, Texas
Listen if you like: Bedroom pop, collaging, five-hour phone calls with your best friend
The song of hers you should start with: “My Love”
Her “I made it” moment: “I’m touring with this artist, Del Water Gap, who I’ve been listening to since 2019. He randomly followed me on Instagram, and I DM’d him my album Describe before it came out. He was like, ‘I love it. Come on tour.’”
On the infinite joys of ASMR: “There is ASMR out there for anything you’re interested in — things like ‘Lawyer Defends Your Horrible Crimes (Layered Sounds, Personal Attention, Clone Roleplay)’ or ‘Story Time: My Car Got Stolen by My Ex-Boyfriend.’ I like story times and ones with what they call ‘triggers,’ like tapping on the water bottle or vinyl unboxings. What I love about ASMR is that it does a lot of panning. It can be a binaural experience, essentially being stereo rather than mono, which is how it’s so immersive. That’s what creates the tingling sensation. So in my music, I like to keep sounds moving from left to right because that reminds me of ASMR.”
On learning to love cooking: “I used to watch a bunch of YouTube videos pairing home cooks and pro chefs, but it really helped to see people at home making extravagant things like steak-frites on TikTok. So I’ll make steak-frites or a lovely mashed potato. I cook Bolognese quite a bit, but it takes a long time and I’m using improper measurements because I’m too lazy. I’m always scared to pour all the wine because I’m like, There’s no way that’s gonna reduce.”
Her relationship hot take: “I think we’ve got to bring bae back in 2026. I don’t mind boyfriend. But am I gonna be that girl who’s like, ‘My boyfriend, my boyfriend, my boyfriend’? Probably not. Bae is silly and lighthearted and playful, and that’s the relationship I have with my bae.”
From left: JULIE KEGELS Coat, at juliekegels.com. JEFFREY CAMPBELL Top (worn as scarf), at jeffreycampbell shoes.com. Photo: Ben TaylorSANDY LIANG Dress, at sandyliang.info. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: JULIE KEGELS Coat, at juliekegels.com. JEFFREY CAMPBELL Top (worn as scarf), at jeffreycampbell shoes.com. Photo: Ben TaylorSANDY LIANG Dr…
From top: JULIE KEGELS Coat, at juliekegels.com. JEFFREY CAMPBELL Top (worn as scarf), at jeffreycampbell shoes.com. Photo: Ben TaylorSANDY LIANG Dress, at sandyliang.info. JULIE KEGELS Shoes, at juliekegels.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 30
Hometown: Brooklyn
Listen if you like: Crashing out, ratty charm bracelets, cathartic pop
The song of hers you should start with: “Avalanche”
Her “I made it” moment: “Elton John saying, ‘This is “Icing on the Cake,” by Grace Ives,’ on his radio show.”
How pink hair became her signature: “I had pink hair in high school, and I had a strong sense of self back then, so I was like, Let’s go back to that. I wore whatever I wanted. I would scooter around and shoplift jewelry from Topshop.”
Her last big crash-out: “I made a chicken stroganoff, and I left it on heat for too long. The sauces broke, and I was in a weird, prickly mood, so I threw my body against the couch and basically started crying. Then I realized that that’s maybe a bit too much.”
Song she’d play to impress a crush: ‘Every Little Counts,’ by New Order. It feels like a secret. Bernard Sumner’s delivery in the first verse makes it so intimate. The way the song grows and shrinks is just special.”
From left: ABRA Dress and Shoes, at abra.paris. Photo: Ben TaylorMIU MIU Dress, Underpinnings, and Apron, at miumiu.com. THOMASINE Gloves, at thomasinegloves.com. PRADA Shoes, at prada.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
From top: ABRA Dress and Shoes, at abra.paris. Photo: Ben TaylorMIU MIU Dress, Underpinnings, and Apron, at miumiu.com. THOMASINE Gloves, at thomasine…
From top: ABRA Dress and Shoes, at abra.paris. Photo: Ben TaylorMIU MIU Dress, Underpinnings, and Apron, at miumiu.com. THOMASINE Gloves, at thomasinegloves.com. PRADA Shoes, at prada.com. Photo: Ben Taylor
Age: 20
Hometown: Sussex County, Delaware
Listen if you like: Ice Spice, Cartoon Network, NSFW chain-text copypastas
The song of hers you should start with: “FUN”
Her “I made it” moment: “At LadyLand in New York, my first festival, my three older sisters came onstage with me, and they were shaking butt.”
Favorite artist: “Stereolab. Their music is experimental, almost psychedelic jazz. I said Dots and Loops was my ‘Perfect 10’ album in a Pitchfork interview last year. Then Stereolab hit up my booking manager to say I can go to any concert of theirs I want.”
Song she’d play to impress a crush: “When I was young, I watched Steven Universe and ‘I Like Giants,’ by Kimya Dawson, was in the background. I love playing that song with other people.”
How she comes up with her wildly inventive lyrics: “I’m always just rapping. I think of a funny word, something hard to rap with, and then I try. I’m obsessed with the word banjee. It’s, like, original New York slang from the Bronx, I believe, and it means, like, ghetto fabulous. My friends, my New York girls, they always say, ‘We’re real banjee tonight.’”
Most out-of-pocket thing she’s done on a night out: “Last Fashion Week, I was in Paris to walk for Miu Miu. The night before the show, I was rapping onstage until 6 a.m. I had on a Betsey Johnson dress and high heels. But my call time was 10 a.m. I was so glad Miu Miu gave me big shades to wear.”
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