2010 has been extremely kind to the âbreakout artist.â Many of them are landing superstar collaborations on their tracks, signing to major record labels, and performing amongst their peers at the most coveted award shows. The future looks bright as they ride the wave of fame right into 2011. While he may seem like a newbie to the scene, singer-songwriter Bruno Mars has been writing and producing hits for artists like Brandy, Cee-Lo, and Flo Rida for quite some time. Marsâ breakout moment came when he stepped from behind the scenes to lend his talents to the hook of the B.o.B hit single âNothing on You.â Since then, he has received seven Grammy nods, all while releasing chart-topping songs like âJust the Way You Areâ and âGrenade.â This has also been a fairy tale year for Roc Nationâs newest recruits Willow Smith and Alexis Jordan. Smith, refusing to rest upon her parentsâ dynasty is building her own empire as âWhip My Hairâ peaked at no. 11 on Billboard Hot 100. She is also slated to begin a European tour with Justin Beiber early next year. Not to be outdone, Jordan is receiving rave reviews for her first single as well. The track âHappinessâ is Jordanâs way of âbringing something positive to the world.â The former Americaâs Got Talent sensation is taking audiences overseas by storm and America is next! With strong Latin and R&B influences, the melodic vocals of singer Miguel have landed him a spot as one of the undisputed breakout artists of the year. The release of his album âAll I Want is Youâ and hit single by the same name have both been receiving outstanding reviews. Miguelâs star quality is evident and he is currently touring with Usherâs celebrated OMG Tour. It may seem like Mike Posner came out of nowhere but he has been on the scene as an indie artist since his early Duke University days. His breakout opportunity came when his street album âA Matter of Timeâ peaked at the top spot on iTunesU. Posner was so in demand that an extensive bidding war amongst record labels ensued until he found his home at J Records. With a newly released album that is climbing the charts, itâs clear that Posnerâs moment has arrived. When speaking of the hottest new artists of 2010, no list would be complete without the self proclaimed âHarajuku Barbieâ herself â Ms. Nicki Minaj. Recently signed to Lil Wayneâs dynamic Young Money record label, this hitmaker has collaborated with nearly every major recording artist in the industry – not to mention the unparalleled success of her debut album âPink Fridayâ. From a fan perspective, this has truly been the Year of the Barbie. These artistsâ recent rise to superstardom leaves fans hopeful about their success in the upcoming year. But judging from their credentials, hitmakers like these are sure not to disappoint!
