4. FKA Twigs (Jamaica)
FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett to a Jamaican father and Spanish mother in Gloucestershire, England, is an pop/R&B singer in the vein of emerging artists like Kelela and SZA—but it was her eclectic, provocative videos that first brought her to the international stage. Twigs began her career as a dancer, a fact she showcased in her inaugural video, for her 2012 single “Hide.” From that release on, it was clear that her voice and presence were equally captivating, as she combined alternately soaring and whispered vocals with attention-grabbing visuals. Two EPs later, Twigs has just released her first full-length album, a super-sensual, stripped-down record that features the production of alt-R&B stand-bys Dev Hynes and Sampha, as well as Yeezus contributor Arca. It’s earned accolades from outlets like the Guardian and Pitchfork, who named it one of their top 100 albums of the decade so far. She’s owning the “underground” R&B scene now—whatever she does next, it’s definitely going to be interesting. Watch one of her videos below: