12.09.2022

Take It From Us: We’ve Already Found 2023’s Biggest New Stars

Part of the fun of being a music fan is finding an artist just before they hit the big time. At Audible Treats, we specialize in finding these rising stars and helping them reach the next level. In the past few years, we’ve helped gently nudge artists like Lil Durk, Rod Wave, Latto, $NOT, Morray, Victoria Monet, Maxo Kream, and many others, on the way to Billboard number one hits, Grammy nominations, XXL Freshman inclusions, and many other milestones.

We were fortunate enough to work with a diverse and exceedingly talented roster of artists in 2022, each of whom have something special that cuts through the noise. These artists cut a unique figure from the moment they pick up the microphone. Listen to Ice Spice’s blasé Bronx murmur, or CEO Trayle’s clipped conversational drawl, or Eem Triplin’s euphonious rasp, or Rich Amiri’s full-bodied baritone–these aren’t voices you’re likely to forget.

Take a look below to get familiar with some of the brightest rising stars in the industry today before they blow up.

Before we get to our selections, let’s take a look at how some of our 2022 picks raised their profiles:

Dro Kenji:

• The 20-year-old Kenji released two full-length projects and an EP this year, collaborating with the likes of NoCap, Mike Dimes, Ka$hdami, and many others
• “Step Back,” Kenji’s single with Mike Dimes, spent multiple days on Spotify’s Viral 50 and racked up over 5 million streams on that platform alone
• Kenji was a standout performer at SXSW, rocking the crowd at multiple showcases, including Rolling Loud & RapTV’s Stubb’s takeover

Dusty Locane:

• DUSTY LOCANE’s debut single “ROLLIN N CONTROLLIN” earned GOLD certification from the RIAA, and DUSTY was named to the RIAA’s #Classof2021, alongside artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Coi Leray, Pooh Shiesty, and many more
• The Canarsie native continued to elevate his game and establish himself as an ambassador for Brooklyn drill, releasing the successful Say Dat collaborative EP with Ron Suno, Rah Swish, and OnPointLikeOP
• DUSTY is the leader of his 95MM crew, many of whom appeared on his recent mixtape Nightmare On Da Fifth

 

And now, some of our clients you’ll be hearing a lot more of in 2023…

ICE SPICE:

 

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Quotable, cool, and effortlessly viral, Ice Spice emerged in the summer of 2022 and took the world by storm. She lit a spark in the Bronx and beyond with her song “Munch (Feelin U),” an infectious and endlessly memeable banger that pointed to a fresh new path for NYC drill. Viral on TikTok (592k video creations) and other platforms, “Munch” racked up over 50 million streams across platforms, reached the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, and earned shoutouts from stars like Cardi B and Meek Mill. The 22-year-old rapper was quick to prove that “Munch” was no flash in the pan–her cartoonishly buoyant single “Bikini Bottom” trended, as well, with over 125k creations arising after her initial snippet went viral. With plaudits from Pitchfork and Rolling Stone (both of whom listed “Munch” in their “Best Songs of 2022” lists), The New York Times, and The Washington Post, plus features in Rolling Stone, NYLON, and Interview Mag (an interview with her hero Erykah Badu), it’s increasingly clear that Ice Spice has something special going on. The scary part…this is just the beginning.

 

CEO TRAYLE:

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With a slinky, ultra-smooth delivery and an ever-present grin on his lips, CEO Trayle cuts a singular, shadowy figure in the world of Atlanta rap. He approaches immersive instrumentals from odd angles, delivering conversational verses with sly humor and the charisma of a master thespian. Across his series of Happy Halloween mixtapes, the rapper positions himself as a villainous figure, menacing his opposition even as he charms listeners into rooting for him. Trayle took his anti-hero hijinks to a new level with HH5, released on its namesake holiday, home to highlights like the woozy “Chokehold,” the complex romantic drama “I Love You But…,” and especially, “Alter Ego 2,” a conversation between Trayle and his split personality C4 about the nature of fame and life on the streets. Following up the EP Vier, which earned praise from The FADER, HH5 is Trayle’s most acclaimed project to date, earning the coveted Best New Music label from Pitchfork.

Though 2022 was Trayle’s biggest year yet, the artist is not done evolving. Keep an eye on Mr. Back Door as he continues to rise from your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper to a mainstream sensation.

EEM TRIPLIN:

 

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Eem Triplin started his career producing for his close friend $NOT–you can thank him for “Revange” and “BENZO,” among others–but he spent 2022 proving that he has the music and the personality to become a major star in his own right. Born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a small municipality 75 miles east of Pittsburgh, the artist/producer has a knack for going viral with his winsomely melodic rhymes and his witty online persona in equal measure.

The Eem agenda kicked into high gear in the spring, when the 21-year-old released “AWKWARD Freestyle,” a self-produced, personality-filled song that used elements of Tyler, The Creator’s 2013 song of the same name. The song quickly went viral, inspiring thousands of TikTok creations, generating millions of streams on all platforms, and eventually reaching the ears of Tyler himself, who enthusiastically gave his co-sign. “AWKWARD FREESTYLE” generated over 20 million streams across platforms, and fans intrigued by the song quickly found that Eem had a full catalog of similarly vibey highlights to choose from, including singles like “Louie V” (6 million Spotify streams) and his latest track “JUST FRIENDS?” (3 million streams since its early September release). Recently, Eem made his first festival performance at Rolling Loud New York, performing in front of a sparse crowd but making sure that the folks in the crowd would remember him forever (even if they forgot their own names in the process).

Racking up hundreds of thousands of streams on his catalog per week, and growing on a near-daily basis, it’s only a matter of time before Eem Triplin is a household name. 

LOLA BROOKE:

 

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Delivering diamond tough bars from a petite frame, Lola Brooke is turning heads in Brooklyn and beyond with her generation-spanning blend of NYC rap. Born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Lola Brooke has worked hard her whole life to bolster the legacy of her hip-hop historic home neighborhood. In 2022, the artist turned heads with her hit song “Don’t Play With It” ft. Billy B, a proudly confrontational banger that shined a spotlight on her authoritative vocals as she confronted a city full of broke boys with withering dismissals. Lola made a name for herself with spectacular live performances, including a standout verse on the first-ever Ladies Cypher on On The Radar. In the fall, a clip of Lola performing “Don’t Play With It” resurfaced on TikTok, starting a viral moment and propelling the song up the TikTok trending charts (27.5k video creations). The raw power and undeniable charisma exhibited in “Don’t Play With It” earned Lola major co-signs, including from Cardi B, Meek Mill, and JT from the City Girls. Released in the wake of the rise of “Don’t Play With It,” Lola’s follow-up single “Here I Come” earned positive notices in Pitchfork, Okayplayer, VIBE, and many other publications.

With much more music on the way and the ear of the game’s best and brightest, Lola Brooke has the juice to become NYC’s next breakout star. Stay tuned.

 

MIA GLADSTONE:

 

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Blending elements of hip-hop, DnB, R&B, and more into an ever-shifting, yet harmonious sonic realm, MIA GLADSTONE marches to the beat of drums that she’s programmed herself. Her songs change rhythms and modulate keys with ease, creating an unpredictable and fascinating atmosphere for her otherworldly harmonies and incisive lyrics that take a critical look at the fractured communication of the digital world. The North Carolina-based artist released her third project, LOOPY, in 2023, welcoming kindred spirits like Teezo Touchdown, Matt Martians, and Lance Skiiiwalker into her idiosyncratic world. The culmination of a three-year journey as a human exploring gender, sex, identity, fluidity, social media, the mind, and more, LOOPY finds the artist leaning into the idiosyncrasies that make her music so powerful.

“OPEN LETTER” is a freewheeling duet with Teezo Touchdown that explores intense infatuation and features some of Mia’s most soulful vocals. Mia critiqued the nastier elements of internet communication with the beat-shifting “TALKING ONLINE” ft. Belis, which earned praise from FLAUNT, who called it “a brilliant satirical dig at the limitations media places on the human psyche.”

Written in its entirely by MIA GLADSTONE, who also had a hand in the production of each of the project’s track, LOOPY establishes MIA GLADSTONE as a vital artist and one of the most creative producers in music today.

 

WHITEROSEMOXIE:

 

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Listening to Rich Amiri is like going through a wormhole–past and future collide upon themselves and emerge transformed, yet familiar. Amiri first emerged on SoundCloud, rhyming over far-out and atmospheric plugg instrumentals with a velvety voice that evokes stars of R&B’s past. He first earned recognition with his 2021 song “Never Fail,” which surpassed 2.7 million plays on SoundCloud, and he struck again late last year with his percolating hit “Walk In.” Amiri’s bubbling online presence drew the attention of Taz Taylor and Internet Money, who’ve become regular collaborators. In June, Rich Amiri shared For The Better, an astonishingly infectious debut project that featured Internet Money production and featured appearances from fellow rising stars SSGKobe, Summrs, Jaydes, and Desire. The Boston native continued in 2022 with the imperial single “Can’t Die,” which earned more than 1 million Spotify streams, and shifted gears for the romantic “Dirty Money” to close out the year. Continuing to push music forward with his powerful pipes, the talented teenager is a great bet to elevate his game in 2023.