Breanna Swiech ‘26, Copy Editor
2025 was a great year for music; along with already popular artists like Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, Tate McRae, and Chappell Roan, newer ‘rookie’ artists emerged and have started to make names for themselves. Among the top new artists are Alex Warren, Olivia Dean, and KATSEYE.
Alex Warren:
Warren was not new to the music industry in 2025; however, his popularity did explode during this year. His first single, “One More I Love You,” was released in June 2021 after garnering attention from social media platforms like TikTok. From there, Warren signed with Atlantic Records to make more music, leading to the release of another single, “Headlights.” He remained a lesser-known artist until the release of his first album, You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter One), in 2024 and the entirety of the album, You’ll Be Alright, Kid, in 2025. The album features hit songs like “Ordinary,” “Eternity,” and his collaboration with artist Jelly Roll, “Bloodline.”
His singing style paired with the acoustic guitar on many of his tracks led to music that felt both comforting and powerful—a mix of Benson Boone, Hozier, and Mumford and Sons-like styles. Senior Lilah Birdyshaw said, “‘Ordinary‘ is my favorite song by Alex Warren.” However, Warren did not start out with a record deal or extensive resources for his music career; his backstory drives the music he creates today. Warren’s father was tragically diagnosed with kidney cancer and passed away after a long fight when Warren was only nine years old. He first started to learn how to write songs as a way to mourn and process his late-father. After his father’s death, Warren’s mother became addicted to alcohol, and when Warren tried to confront her about it, “addiction turned to abuse,” according to BBC reporter Mark Savage. Then, at 18 years old, he was kicked out of the house. A barely-adult Warren slept in cars and had to navigate his way in life with little guidance. Not long after he met Kouvr Annon, who is now his wife, they started posting online and ended up getting a major following. Warren then transitioned from influencing to music, and despite other influencers who tried this transition and failed, he succeeded in part to his “searingly honest” lyrics. Warren said, “I wanted to write about real things. No one else can sing my songs. I don’t take other people’s demos. This is all mine.” Now, Warren is on his first tour across the United States and Europe as he continues to connect to various audiences through his music.
Olivia Dean:
British singer Dean, born and raised in north-east London, debuted her first album, Messy, in 2023, as some extended plays (EP) before then. Since then, she has set off the music world. Dean’s Messy is about learning to embrace and love imperfection. Dean herself admitted she struggled with perfectionism—an impossible ideal that many music listeners can relate to. Dean said in an interview with the BBC, “When it came to my debut album, I put real pressure on myself to be brilliant. It was so crippling, I couldn’t write anything unless it was perfect. It was only when I allowed myself to relax and be messy that I started making good things.” She delved further into the art of imperfection as her music melded different genres together—something that was intimidating for Dean at first, but that she has grown to love. Dean expressed that there seemed to be rules about what genres she could fit into, but then realized that she could do anything. She said, “I can do all of those things. I can do whatever I want.” She has since explored a mixture of genres like alternative pop, jazz, and R&B. This approach has paid off, as senior Teagan Munch said that she loves Dean’s music “because it’s different from mainstream pop.”
However, her fame was mostly in the U.K. (United Kingdom) until the release of her 2025 album, The Art of Loving, an album that clicks with modern culture and the idea of self love and platonic love, as well as romance. Listeners may recognize top songs from this album such as “Man I Need,” “Nice To Each Other,” and “Something Inbetween.” The idea of not needing another person to validate self worth and identity is also a common theme in this album, and Dean’s confidence is inspiring as it shines through with her voice and every note she sings. Dean said in an interview with NPR’s (National Public Radio) Leila Fadel that she is as strong and confident partially because she grew up with excellent female role models like her mother and aunt—“I am very lucky that my mom and auntie are very strong independent women. My mom worked with the Women’s Equality Party in the U.K.. So, it just would be impossible for me to not be a really strong feminist…So, I feel it’s important for me to drum that message home, and this song, I’m really proud of. I think often as women we think about what we could be for somebody else and how we could kind of slot into their lives and make it better, and forget to think about what the person’s bringing to us. Because we’re fabulous.” There is no way to know where Dean’s music career is headed in the future, but with her confidence, vocals, and relatable messaging, it seems very bright.
KATSEYE:
The genre K-pop, or Korean pop, has gained a larger global following in recent years. This led to the rise of groups like KATSEYE, a girl group whose goal is to take K-pop music to a global level for the masses. The group was trained by HYBE, but before the members were chosen for the group, they went through a program where thousands of girls applied, hoping to get chosen. Their story is a docuseries on Netflix called Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. The members who became KATSEYE are Manon Bannerman, Sophia Laforteza, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, and Yoonchae Jeung. All of the members come from different backgrounds and have different stories, yet they come together to create beautiful music and dance—they seem to form more than a group, they are a family. One of the most challenging aspects of K-pop is that there must be complete synchronization and coordination with group members, and so it is exceptionally important for the members of the group to get along and click with each other. KATSEYE released their first album in 2024 called SIS (Soft Is Strong). Since then, they have released their 2025 album, Beautiful Chaos, and other popular singles like “Gabriella.” The group has also gained fame through their collaboration with Gap, a popular clothing store. It was part of Gap’s “Better in Denim” campaign and featured all six members of the girl group dancing to the 2003 hit, “Milkshake”—it immediately went viral. According to the Chronicle, Gap brand chief marketing officer Fabiola Torres said, “This campaign was crafted with intention to amplify culturally relevant voices, celebrate individuality through denim, and spark conversation. With KATSEYE at the center it’s a high-energy celebration of movement and self-expression that speaks to today’s youth culture.” KATSEYE is the latest vision for global music, and fans are excited about where they will go next, wishing all the luck for this girl group in 2026.
2025 was a great year for rookie artists new to the music industry, but still set on having an impact. Hopefully, 2026 will bring more emotion-packed music that sparks something in society, and in the hearts of listeners.
Lyon Life 