We already knew that Scandinavia is the finest purveyor of pop in the world but it's doing a particularly stellar job in 2018. Not only is the queen of Sweden Robyn releasing her long-anticipated album Honey this month, Denmark's Mø is dropping her sophomore album Forever Neverland on Friday. It's not just the big guns that are impressing though, there's a whole new crop of artists that are on the verge of blowing up and it's time we lined them all up.
Hanne Mjøen
Norway
Hanne Mjøen may only have a handful of releases to her name but she's already starting to clock big streaming numbers. Her latest single Sounds Good To Me is her biggest yet. With over a million streams in just a few weeks, she looks set for big things and for good reason. Sounds Good To Me is a mighty pop song with a throbbing beat that Carly Rae Jepsen would beg to get her hands around.
Clara Mae
Sweden
Clara Mae spent the early days of her career collaborating with the likes of David Guetta and Tiesto but it took her until 2014 to release her first solo single. This year though, she's found her sound and she's running with it, releasing a string of excellent singles. From the attitude-filled I Forgot to the anthemic Us, she's making radio-ready pop on her own terms.
Rhys
Sweden
20 year-old Swedish pop newcomer Rhys has just released her debut album Stages. It's a refreshing pop album that relies on great melodies and light experimentation. The album is a statement of independence from the A-grade bop No Vacancy to the moody Swallow Your Pride. She's making accessible music that still feels distinctly Rhys which isn't always an easy thing to do.
Julie Bergen
Norway
Julie Bergen has been gaining momentum for a number of years now but she had some big wins last year. She released her debut record Turn On The Lights and nabbed a few hits off it including cascading Arigato and the impossibly addictive Guilt Trip. This week, she's releasing U Got Me, making sure 2018 doesn't pass by without another win.
Miriam Bryant
Sweden
With a dark, brooding voice, there's no way you're going to hear Miriam Bryant's voice and not commit it to memory immediately. She's creating catchy but affecting music that swirls in the head for days. Her single Black Car is an elongated, winding song that manages to both haunt and delight.
Alma
Finland
Chances are you've heard of Alma before. She's had a number of massive bangers including Chasing Heights and Phases plus she's one of Charli XCX's key collaborators. The pair teamed up for Out Of My Head and Charli also directed the Phases video. Earlier this year she dropped her Heavy Rules mixtape and is now gearing up for a debut album. Cowboy is the latest single, a moody cut co-written with Justin Tranter and produced with Bloodpop.
Sigrid
Norway
Sigrid is the biggest name of this list but she's still a relatively new arrival. She burst onto the scene last year with the mighty Don't Kill My Vibe and has since impressed with two EPs. She's already toured Australia and played some of the biggest festivals in the world like Coachella. Her latest cut is Sucker Punch, a woozy, charismatic song that speeds ahead with a chorus that could defeat a small army.
Astrid S
Norway
Astrid S got her break on a Norwegian version of Australian Idol but since then she's forged her own career with unique but accessible pop songs. She's featured on a Lido record and had songs break the 100 million stream mark on Spotify. One of those songs is Think Before I Talk, one of the most effortless ear worms we've heard in a while. Her latest Emotion is her most confident yet and we're almost positive it's set to reach greater milestones than her previous efforts.
Maximillian
Denmark
Danish youngster Maximillian is making soulful, slippery music that balances on a line somewhere between pop and soul. He's got the voice of a superstar and the songs to match too. His latest drop Hollow Days is a dark but sugary track that feels like it should be on the radio everywhere.
