00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest modern artists
00:11who became either instant idols or took years to get there.
00:24Number 5. Lorde Breakout
00:30This New Zealand-born singer signed with the label in 2009,
00:38then worked with producer Joel Little to create her first EP, released in 2013.
00:44On it was the track Royals, which became one of 2013's best-selling songs.
00:48And we'll never be Royals, Royals.
00:52It's a running out of love, that kind of love...
00:55Few debut singles are as successful as it has been.
00:59Even after releasing three more albums, it's still her most well-known track.
01:04It led to a bidding war between labels, as she was an A-list pop star by 2013's conclusion.
01:10Of course, she isn't a one-hit wonder.
01:13She's released a discography full of adored music, allowing her to maintain the momentum created by Royals.
01:20Cause on the aisle, come get my things, but I can't let go.
01:26I'm waiting for it, that greener...
01:28Number 5. Mitski, Took Years
01:31In 2012, Lush was released, the first album by Mitski.
01:35She kept releasing albums at a consistent rate, but they just didn't become popular.
01:40This began to change when her song, Frances Forever, was featured in Adventure Time in 2016.
01:46I don't think I could stand to be where you don't see me
01:54A year later, she began opening for Lord.
01:58In 2018, her record, Be the Cowboy, dropped, which was her first album to chart.
02:04Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody
02:10In the subsequent years, TikTok made her even more famous.
02:14And now she's one of the biggest alternative pop stars.
02:18She was even nominated for an Oscar in 2023.
02:21And getting a ticket for her shows is a nightmare.
02:31Number 4. Dua Lipa, Breakout
02:34This English singer began making music in 2014, and now she has won seven Brit Awards and three Grammys.
02:42After starting her career as a model, the pivot to music proved to be an excellent decision.
02:54Her debut album was released in 2017 and spawned three huge singles, earning her the 2018 Brit Award for Breakthrough Act.
03:03Many wondered if she could keep the momentum.
03:05But her 2020 album, Future Nostalgia, was even more lucrative.
03:18In 2023, she composed a tune for the Barbie soundtrack and also briefly appeared in the picture.
03:25Lipa is surprisingly down-to-earth for a pop star too, regularly interviewing authors for her book club who are often stunned by her interviewing talents.
03:34It makes me so happy when, you know, I meet my readers and they sort of have learned how to say, how are you in Igbo?
03:41Kedu.
03:42Yeah, Kedu.
03:43Well done!
03:44Number 4. Little Sims, Took Years.
03:47I hate the fault of just being a burden.
03:50I hate that these conversations have surfaced.
03:52Sims are artists, so Sim be the person.
03:54This British rapper dropped her debut album in 2015, and while it was praised, it didn't make her a big name.
04:01Well, it impressed Kendrick Lamar, who said she was his favorite rapper.
04:06She released follow-up LPs in 2016 and 2019, building up her fan base with each one.
04:13Her fourth release, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, was considered by many to be 2021's best album.
04:19Said I do as I want, I do as I like, and I watch face, and I don't fear nobody.
04:26This was the moment Little Sims was finally on top of the rap game, and she's not lost tempo since.
04:32Her two follow-up albums have also been widely acclaimed, and it doesn't look like she intends to slow down anytime soon.
04:39Did hat low, incognito, living introvert, but she ain't timid.
04:44My heart will be timeless, I don't do limits.
04:46Number 3. Olivia Rodrigo. Breakout.
04:50I know we weren't perfect, but I've never felt this way for no one.
04:58Before Rodrigo released her 2021 debut album Sour, she was already relatively famous.
05:05She was a regular on the two Disney shows, Bizarre Dvark and High School Musical.
05:10The Musical. The Series.
05:12Still, she was primarily known among children.
05:15That all changed with the immense success of Sour.
05:19Red lights, stop signs, I still see your face in the white cards.
05:26Few debut albums are as instantly successful as hers was.
05:31It was the first debut to spawn two number one singles and shattered all kinds of records.
05:36Rodrigo's rise to fame is easily one of the most meteoric of the century,
05:40and it'll likely take years for someone to break her records.
05:44And now when she's with you, do you get deja vu when she's with you?
05:54Number 3. Charlie XCX. Took years.
05:57In 2014, Charlie became famous for a handful of tracks like Boom Clap and Fancy, alongside Iggy Azalea.
06:12She didn't manage to maintain this momentum and pivoted to creating experimental hyperpop.
06:18This music was widely considered the genre's finest, but made her a semi-underground pop star for many years.
06:32Many thought Charlie's peak was behind her, but this couldn't be further from the truth.
06:37Her 2022 album Crash was her first UK number one LP.
06:42Then its follow-up, Brat, literally defined the summer of 2024.
06:47Now she's considered one of the biggest pop stars around.
06:50Other musicians should look up to her for her confidence to experiment.
07:01Brat Summer is likely going to be studied and remembered fondly for decades.
07:06Number 2. Lady Gaga. Breakout.
07:09If you remember the late 2000s, you certainly have memories of Lady Gaga's mind-blowing rise to stardom.
07:16She was signed to a label in 2007, then released the fame a year later.
07:29By the end of the decade, it felt like her music was being played on all corners of the earth.
07:35She's since released multiple solo and soundtrack albums over the years, reinventing her sound constantly, making her one of the most refreshing singers in pop.
07:52Lady Gaga doesn't have one clearly defined peak.
07:55She's been sitting on top of pop for over 15 years now and is likely to remain there.
08:01Number 2. Chapel Roan. Took years.
08:19Casual fans of Roan will be surprised to hear she started her career in 2013.
08:24She started uploading music to YouTube, then was signed by Atlantic Records in 2015.
08:31Unfortunately, they dropped her in 2020 after releasing just one EP, as it wasn't successful enough.
08:37She later signed with Island Records, which released her first album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.
08:43Roan had worked on this album for several years, but it wasn't instantly successful.
08:56However, roughly a year after the album's release, the single Good Luck Babe suddenly started topping charts globally.
09:03It became the perfect example of a sleeper hit, and we can't wait to see what she releases next.
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09:34Number 1. Billie Eilish. Breakout.
09:37This Californian singer released her first single, Ocean Eyes, in 2015, then an EP in 2017.
09:50Both were acclaimed, but she was still semi-niche.
09:54Well, that all changed with her 2019 debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
10:00It was an absurdly popular release, earning a ton of awards and making her a household name.
10:06Like, I'm the bad guy.
10:10Duh.
10:12She's released two albums since and even composed an Oscar-winning song for a James Bond film.
10:19Eilish was propelled into the highest league of pop stars almost overnight, causing her concerts to sell out in literal seconds.
10:27Number 1. Sabrina Carpenter. Took Years.
10:38You could be forgiven for thinking Espresso was Carpenter's debut single, as it was the track that made her a household name.
10:52She began her career as a character in the Disney series Girl Meets World, but unlike fellow Disney star Rodrigo, her debut album hardly made a splash.
11:02Espresso, surprisingly, comes from her sixth album, Short and Sweet.
11:05Her first four albums were all barely successful, and it wasn't until her 2022 fifth LP that her music started selling well.
11:22Now she's pretty much as famous as a pop star can get, with her seventh album similarly topping the charts.
11:28Were there any potential entries you think should be on the list? Let us know in the comments section.
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