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1. Leighton Meester
The actress, best known for playing the iconic Blair Waldorf, has some amazing chops too! Although best known musically for her feature on "Good Girls Go Bad," Meester has the perfect singer-songwriter, soothing tone of voice that makes you just want to listen over and over again. She released an independent EP, Heartstrings, with a lead single of the same name back in 2014. Trust us, when you hear that song, you will never think of her as just Blair Waldorf again. She should definitely be more recognized for her music!
2. Bridgit Mendler
This disney alum has stripped away her corny, Disney pop songs and shown a whole new sound - and we love it! Her new music sound is hard to easily describe, but it is full of dark, rhythmic pop with hints of electro. Notable hits from her 2014 EP, Nemisis, include, well, all four tracks! However, Atlantis and Do You Miss Me At All have gained more commercial notoriety. Mendler has also released new tracks throughout most of 2017. Although it might take a while for her new sound to catch on, we are sure she will gain the musical notoriety she deserves!
3. Halo Circus
This alt-rock group, featuring lead singer Alison Iraheta (an American Idol alum) produces incredible should-be commercial hits! With one album under their belt, two songs definitely stand out from the rest: Nothing At All & Band-Aid. Nothing At All is such an incredibly powerful song that you will play on repeat for days! As a critically-acclaimed bilingual alt-rock group, they recognize themselves as crafting "anthems for introverts" which could not be a more perfect description for them and their music. We predict they have huge attention coming soon, as they are bound for commercial success.
4. Keelan Donovan
Keelan Donovan is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter with ample commercial success. He has a 2015 album, Happenstance, which has notable should-be hits Honeysuckle & Wine, Have You Heard the News, and It's Alright. Every one of the songs on this album are great and it is easily one of the best singer-songwriter albums we have heard! Donovan has seen more success with his new self-titled EP which includes In Arms Reach and Love of Mine. He also made a few appearances in singer-songwriter Haley Reinhart's 2016 summer tour. Check him out on Spotify!
5. Pia Toscano
Famous for being eliminated very prematurely from American Idol and often being compared to a Pussycat Doll member, Pia Toscano has an incredible voice that is perfectly suited for radio and commercial success. Her latest EP features the song Pyro which is an electro-pop masterpiece that has sadly been overlooked. Back in February of this year, she released a cover of Say You Won't Let Go which is just indescribably amazing. You HAVE to go listen to it on Spotify! Another notable song from the singer is her first single post-Idol This Time. Although it does not show off her vocals as well as it could and is not the best song for her, it is still an underrated hit!
