In this edition of the Pandora Predictions Chart, we look at the rise of rap duo EarthGang, an LA based electronic duo with a particular affinity for live performances, and a singer-songwriter out of Scotland who appears to be making rapid gains in the US.
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Guest post by Emily Blake of Next Big Sound
On this week’s Pandora Predictions Chart, there’s a rising rap duo living the Dreamville dream, an electronic duo with a knack for live performances and a Hozier-esque singer-songwriter from Scotland who’s quickly growing a fanbase in the States. Read on for an introduction to these new faces, and more.
KNOWER
LA-based electronic duo KNOWER know this: While streaming has become the go-to way for people to listen to music, people also still really love live performances. Genevieve Artadi and Louis Cole have been giving fans lively live video performances on social media for years, and most recently took these performances onstage alongside the Red Hot Chili Peppers, opening for them on stops of their European tour. But none of their past performance have had the effect of “Overtime,” their latest single that they released via yet another lively performance video on Facebook.
In one week alone, the duo added over 35,000 Facebook fans and seeded 200,000 YouTube views. Compared to the week before, they saw an 1,800% increase in both Twitter followers and artist station adds on Pandora. Clearly, the extra hours paid paid off.
EarthGang
Atlanta rap duo EarthGang may have been what some call “slept on” for years, but not anymore. Olu O.Fann and Eian Undrai Parker have released several critically acclaimed mixtapes and albums over the past seven years, but it wasn’t until they signed to J Cole’s Dreamville Records and released their new EP, Rags, that they really started to nab the attention of mainstream rap fans.
Rags’ release on August 31 has spurred across social media and Pandora, including doubling their artist station adds from the week before an driving a 1,300% increase in Instagram followers, a 1,600% uptick in Twitter followers and a 560% increase in Wikipedia page views week on week.
Glenn Travis
LA-based pop singer-songwriter Glenn Travis is feeling the love. In one month, he’s seeded over 3,600 artist station adds on Pandora, added around 3,800 Twitter followers, and racked up over 1.2 million YouTube views. That’s even more notable when you consider that last month he only added 450 Twitter followers and about 100,000 YouTube views.
It’s all thanks to his latest single, “Feel My Love,” which was released on August 26. I seems that he’s getting the most love on Twitter, where he’s added an average of 50 followers and 300 mentions every day over the past 30 days. That’s a lot more activity than we’d expect for someone with his 7,400 followers.
Inas X, Lewis Capaldi
Elsewhere on the Predictions Chart, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Inas X debuts at #15. Last year she linked up with Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock for “Stupid,” and recently got after releasing a part English, part Spanish remix that features Dominican-bred, Barcelona-based artist DCS . (If you haven’t heard, Latin music is kind of having a moment right now.) Over the past 30 days, Inas X has seen an average of over 65,000 daily “talking about this” on Facebook — more than 50 times what we’d expect from an artist with her following.
Debuting right behind her at #16 Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi, who is on the rise after the release of his debut single “Bruises.” Even though he’s only he’s only released one other single with July’s “Lost on You,” Capaldi’s voice — think Hozier with a little more grit — has people hooked, and not just in his home country. Capaldi is quickly growing his fanbase stateside on Pandora. And considering he’s releasing his debut EP, Bloom, next month, prepare for that fanbase to grow even more.
Check out the full list of Predictions artists here.