January 18, 2025
Shazam! Discover tomorrow's icons: emerging Hip-Hop and R&B talents of 2025
Music discovery has changed with platforms like Shazam, helping underground artists become famous worldwide. The Shazam Fast Forward 2025 list features ten new Hip-Hop and R&B artists from five countries and six different styles. These artists are changing the music world, showing how technology and cultural sharing are leading to new ideas.
Shazam (app)
<p>Shazam is an application that can identify music based on a short sample played using the microphone on the device. It was created by the British company Shazam Entertainment, based in London, and has been owned by Apple since 2018. The software is available for Android, macOS, iOS, Wear OS, watchOS and as a Google Chrome extension.</p><p>The original UK developer of the app, Shazam Entertainment Limited, was founded in 1999 by Chris Barton, Philip Inghelbrecht, Avery Wang, and Dhiraj Mukherjee On 24 September 2018, the company was acquired by Apple for a reported $400 million</p>
Global music's rising stars
From Europe to Southeast Asia, each artist on the list adds their unique sound to the global stage. French artist iDS made headlines with "BOOM BOOM," a song popular in Côte d’Ivoire, showing the growing impact of French music. In the UK, Stepz became famous with his hit "Rock," which charted in 24 countries and was on many popular playlists. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Gabriel Jacoby’s R&B song "forever" was loved by listeners in South Africa and France, while BabyChiefDoit got attention in the U.S. Shazam charts with songs like "The Viper."<br><br>CITIZEN wowed audiences in India with "You Haunt Me," leading to a big tour in 2025. Mexico’s La Potter brought attention to Mexican Hip-Hop with "A Tu Salud," which became well-known in the U.S. and Colombia.<br><br>FendiDa Rappa, famous for working with Cardi B on "Point Me 2," reached beyond the U.S. with her unique style to audiences in Africa. Indonesia’s Jordan Susanto topped charts in Southeast Asia with "Senopati in the Rain," and RnBoi highlighted the richness of French Hip-Hop with "RESTE-LÀ," connecting with fans in Francophone Africa and Europe. In North America, Vontee the Singer’s heartfelt song "For Us" became popular on social media and charted in the U.S., UK, and Canada.
Shaping music's future worldwide
Shazam Fast Forward 2025 shows how global connections and technology are changing music. Each artist mixes local and global sounds, helping Hip-Hop and R&B reach new borders. They use different styles and new platforms to create a fresh future for the genre.<br><br>This list highlights the changing music scene, where new artists worldwide are making their mark with creativity, teamwork, and cultural mixing.