{"id":7576,"date":"2025-12-22T21:43:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T21:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/independent-artists-you-may-have-missed-in-2025\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T21:43:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T21:43:36","slug":"independent-artists-you-may-have-missed-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/independent-artists-you-may-have-missed-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Independent Artists You May Have Missed in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE-by-Alex-Socks_IMG_9810_EDIT_16I9-scaled.jpg\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" alt=\"\"><figcaption>WALLETTE by Alex Socks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s never easy for independent artists to reach fans and build a career in today\u2019s competitive music industry. But platforms like TuneCore allow musicians to self-release their work to every streaming service without the help of a label, and every year some of the most talented and driven DIY acts break through on their own terms. Here are the SPIN x <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tunecore.com\/accelerator\" target=\"_blank\">TuneCore Accelerator<\/a> artists that you should get caught up on now, ranging from R&amp;B to alternative rock to hip-hop, as they make moves for 2026.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"860\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-1290x860.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-650912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-1290x860.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-340x227.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-498x332.jpg 498w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/SofiaIsella_press-shot-by-Jasper-Graham-1668x1113.jpg 1668w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Courtesy of SOFIA ISELLA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sofia-isella\"><strong>SOFIA ISELLA<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>An unsigned artist getting to perform on the biggest concert tour of all time doesn\u2019t even sound possible, but that\u2019s exactly what happened in 2024 when SOFIA ISELLA opened one of the London dates of Taylor Swift\u2019s Eras Tour. At just 20 years old, the Los Angeles-born Isella had already shared stages with several major stars by the time she self-released her third EP, <em>I\u2019m Camera<\/em>, in May. Her darkly atmospheric, instantly memorable songs are influenced by \u201890s alt-rockers like Nine Inch Nails, but SOFIA ISELLA brings an acidic wit and feminist perspective to songs like \u201cMan Made\u201d and her latest single \u201cAbove the Neck,\u201d both produced by Mr Hudson (Jay-Z, Miley Cyrus). The title of a track she released in 2023 seems to most aptly describe SOFIA ISELLA\u2019s career trajectory: \u201cI Looked the Future in the Eyes, It\u2019s Mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>More from Spin:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2025\/12\/gatlinburg-shines-merry-and-bright-for-50th-anniversary-fantasy-of-lights-christmas-parade\/\">Gatlinburg Shines Merry and Bright for 50th Anniversary Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2025\/12\/caro-kelley-finds-her-voice-by-losing-it-the-quiet-brilliance-of-2025s-most-overlooked-album\/\">Caro Kelley Finds Her Voice by Losing It: The QUIET Brilliance of 2025\u2019s Most Overlooked Album<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2025\/12\/feed-the-fire-pigeons-playing-ping-pong-on-their-new-album-prs-partnership-and-playing-200-shows-a-year\/\">Feed the Fire: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Their New Album, PRS Partnership, and Playing 200 Shows a Year<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>SOFIA ISELLA 2026 Tour Dates:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>4\/18\/26: Capital One Arena \u2013 Washington, D.C. (w\/ Florence\u00a0+ The Machine)<\/li>\n<li>4\/19\/26: TD Garden \u2013 Boston, MA (w\/ Florence\u00a0+ The Machine)<\/li>\n<li>4\/21\/26: Madison Square Garden \u2013 New York, NY (w\/ Florence\u00a0+ The Machine)<\/li>\n<li>4\/22\/26: Madison\u00a0Square Garden \u2013 New York, NY (w\/ Florence\u00a0+ The Machine)<\/li>\n<li>4\/24\/26: Barclays Center \u2013 Brooklyn, NY (w\/ Florence\u00a0+ The Machine)<\/li>\n<li>4\/25\/26: Xfinity Mobile Arena \u2013 Philadelphia, PA (w\/ Florence\u00a0+ The Machine)<\/li>\n<li>5\/5\/26: La Madeleine \u2013 Brussels, Belgium<\/li>\n<li>5\/7\/26: X-TRA \u2013 Z\u00fcrich, Switzerland<\/li>\n<li>5\/8\/26: den Atelier \u2013 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg<\/li>\n<li>5\/11\/26: Docks \u2013 Hamburg, Germany<\/li>\n<li>5\/12\/26: Columbiahalle \u2013 Berlin, Germany<\/li>\n<li>5\/14\/26: Vega \u2013 Copenhagen, Denmark<\/li>\n<li>5\/15\/26: Sentrum Scene \u2013 Oslo, Norway<\/li>\n<li>5\/16\/26: Fryshuset Arenan \u2013 Stockholm, Sweden<\/li>\n<li>5\/19\/26: SaSaZu \u2013 Prague, Czech Republic<\/li>\n<li>5\/20\/26: Arena Wien \u2013 Vienna, Austria<\/li>\n<li>5\/22\/26: Tonhalle \u2013 Munich, Germany<\/li>\n<li>5\/23\/26: E-Werk \u2013 Cologne, Germany<\/li>\n<li>5\/25\/26: Melkweg MAX \u2013 Amsterdam, Netherlands<\/li>\n<li>5\/26\/26: Melkweg MAX \u2013 Amsterdam, Netherlands<\/li>\n<li>5\/27\/26: \u00c9lys\u00e9e-Montmartre \u2013 Paris, France<\/li>\n<li>5\/29\/26: Albert Hall \u2013 Manchester, United Kingdom<\/li>\n<li>5\/30\/26: O2 Institute Birmingham \u2013 Birmingham, United Kingdom<\/li>\n<li>6\/1\/26: The National Stadium \u2013 Dublin, Ireland<\/li>\n<li>6\/3\/26: O2 Academy Glasgow \u2013 Glasgow, United Kingdom<\/li>\n<li>6\/4\/26: Roundhouse \u2013 London, United Kingdom<\/li>\n<li>7\/31\/26: Hinterland Music Festival \u2013 Saint Charles, IA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"1290\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-1290x1290.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-650913\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-1290x1290.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-340x340.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-498x498.jpg 498w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/WALLETTE_cover-artwork-1668x1668.jpg 1668w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Courtesy of WALLETTE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wallette\"><strong>WALLETTE<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Wallette Watson, better known as WALLETTE, moved to New York City to follow her dreams and has performed in Paris and Rome, but her soulful music is deeply informed by a childhood of singing in church in North Carolina. From modeling for and collaborating with major fashion and fragrance brands to soundtrack work, WALLETTE has built a diverse portfolio beyond a catalog that includes her 2020 EP <em>Trust the Process<\/em>. In November, WALLETTE released \u201cListen to the Music (2025 Rework),\u201d a modern imagining of Judy Carter\u2019s 1983 club classic recorded at Miravel Studios as part of the Paco Rabanne\u2019s #RabanneRemix challenge. And this month she released her song from the 2025 action thriller <em>Safe House<\/em>, co-writing \u201cI\u2019m on Fire\u201d with the film\u2019s lead actor Lucien Laviscount and recording it with Grammy-winning producer Judah Jones.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"1812\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-1290x1812.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-650916\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-1290x1812.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-340x478.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-768x1079.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-1093x1536.jpg 1093w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-498x700.jpg 498w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-1668x2344.jpg 1668w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/KaelinEllis_pressphoto-scaled.jpg 1822w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Courtesy of Kaelin Ellis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kaelin-ellis\"><strong>Kaelin Ellis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Playing multiple instruments and fusing jazz with hip-hop and electronic beats, Florida-based producer Kaelin Ellis has a distinctively funky, instantly recognizable sound. Ellis has appeared on NPR\u2019s Tiny Desk Concerts and worked with platinum artists like Logic and Jazmine Sullivan, uniting with Lupe Fiasco for the 2020 collaborative EP <em>House<\/em>. Ellis\u2019s prolific 2025 output has included the guest-heavy album<em> Chrysalis<\/em> as well as the instrumental collection <em>Off Beat<\/em>, and Chicago rap stars Saba and Mick Jenkins appeared on his latest single \u201cCome and Go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1179\" height=\"1566\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/wagNightmare_Pressphoto.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-650881\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/wagNightmare_Pressphoto.jpeg 1179w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/wagNightmare_Pressphoto-340x452.jpeg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/wagNightmare_Pressphoto-768x1020.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/wagNightmare_Pressphoto-1156x1536.jpeg 1156w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/wagNightmare_Pressphoto-498x661.jpeg 498w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1179px) 100vw, 1179px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Courtesy of $wag Nightmare<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wag-nightmare\"><strong>$wag Nightmare<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Carrington Bornstein already had two million followers on TikTok and was profiled by <em>GQ<\/em> by the time he released his first single, \u201cNight Phone,\u201d under his musical alias $wag Nightmare in August 2024. In just a year, the Hollywood-based content creator pivoted from comedic videos to a self-produced emo rap sound, amassing over 20 million streams independently. The <em>Even in Hell<\/em> EP and <em>Franken$tein<\/em> mixtape, both released in 2025, feel like the beginning of a passion project growing into a unique, exploratory new musical identity.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-650884\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1-340x453.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1-1290x1720.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2025\/12\/BREE-PRESS-1-1-1-498x664.jpg 498w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Courtesy of Bree Runway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bree-runway\"><strong>Bree Runway<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Some independent artists have been through the major label system, and have come out the other side with enough experience to succeed on their own terms. London singer\/rapper Brenda \u201cBree Runway\u201d Mensah signed to EMI Records early in her career, winning a BET Award and collaborating with mainstream stars like Missy Elliott and Khalid. Since 2023, however, Bree Runway has been independent, returning to her DIY roots as a teenager recording in her home studio, while still making deeply original, genre-blurring music. After guesting on one of the most acclaimed albums of 2025, Amaarae\u2019s <em>Black Star<\/em>, Bree Runway is prepping an EP for the new year, and recently traveled to Brazil to direct the video for the lead single \u201cHot Like.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2021\/07\/the-greatest-rock-stars-of-all-time\/?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=bottomlink&amp;utm_campaign=yahoolink\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WALLETTE by Alex Socks It\u2019s never easy for independent artists to reach fans and build a career in today\u2019s competitive music industry. But platforms like TuneCore allow musicians to self-release&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[214,213],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ad-takeover","category-partner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7576\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}