Samsung and Billboard are on the hunt for the following unsigned famous person within the NXT 2.0 singing competitors and the race has superior to the following stage.
After vetting by submissions, 12 contenders have been chosen within the one-of-a-kind competitors, which can arm them with gadgets like Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip4 and Buds2 Professional to compete over three challenges. It would all start when the dozen showcase their creativity in Problem 1, the place they’ll be tasked with placing their very own spin on the exact same track. Over the following six weeks, the budding stars will likely be rated on a specialty Billboard chart till the highest ranked trio advance to the following stage of the competitors. From there, the finalists will likely be paired with a celeb mentor and put together for the grand finale in entrance of a dwell viewers and A-list judges in Los Angeles.
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With prizes like a Billboard digital cowl story and studio time to file their first single, the competitors is sure to get heated. Not solely do the contestants rep 10 totally different states, however the various group is made up of assorted ages and backgrounds. Forward of Problem 1, Billboard is providing readers an summary of the contestants competing for the profitable title of season two of Samsung and Billboard NXT.
Andrew Leonforte
Singing has been Leonforte’s ardour for so long as he can bear in mind. His stints in weddings and musical theater whereas rising up is proof of that. As a self-taught piano participant, the Bronx-born singer/songwriter has engaged his social media following along with his musical skills, which contact on every little thing from ballads to uptempo dance. “All I wish to do is categorical myself and my ideas, by my songs,” he defined.
Ellie B
Whereas she listened to Motown, R&B and rap in her adolescent years, Ellie B’s love for Latin music and tradition has modified her life. After dwelling in Colombia in 2016, the bilingual act has immersed herself within the Latin dance group, touring and performing Bachata and Salsa with numerous skilled groups. Earlier this yr, she launched her debut single, “Infiel.”
FIKI
In case you’ve been following FIKI on social media, you already know that the Nigerian-American singer is fast to place her spin on the likes of Rihanna and Tems. Together with her identify translating to “warrior” in Yoruba, the Afrobeats star, who is predicated in New York Metropolis, has had the chance to carry out on levels just like the Apollo Theater and the African Diaspora Awards. Most just lately, the expertise launched a brand new Afrobeats-charged single known as “No Wahala.”
Julian King
An alum of Philadelphia College of the Arts, the place he graduated with a BA in Vocal Efficiency, King, who’s Black and Japanese, touts himself as a “purveyor of heartfelt next-gen R&B” with the dance strikes to pair. Along with his church upbringing and a debut album underneath his belt, the Philly native’s mix of R&B, with pop sensualities, will be heard throughout his social media, with nods to his all-time favourite artist, Jazmine Sullivan.
Kyn Rose
Born in Toronto, Canada, Rose is fast to deliver you right into a dreamy headspace, courtesy of his freestyling on social media. Along with his guitar usually in-tow, the singer/producer, who additionally serves as an audio engineer, is decided so as to add his ethereal R&B/pop to this yr’s competitors.
Lordus
Lordus has been exhausting at work on her music profession and he or she has the credentials to again it up. Born to Haitian mother and father in Brooklyn, New York, the singer has been navigating her sound and artistry, which is basically influenced by ’90s R&B. Along with sharing mashup covers and her journey as an indie act on social media, Lourdes’ skills have prolonged to platforms just like the Essence Competition and HOT 97. She’s at present engaged on a six-track music venture.
Mar’yana Hicks
Storytelling is the driving drive behind Hicks’s musicality. Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, the aspiring singer has used her adolescent years to assist form her music journey. As an adopted little one from Ukraine, the singer/songwriter isn’t afraid to include her experiences into her songs.
Nicole Tortolani
Born in San Antonio, Texas and raised in Venezuela, Tortolani has additionally used her expertise to form her artistry. Whereas she’s dipped into quite a lot of genres, the singer/songwriter is most drawn to the city/pop realm and by the appears of her almost-one million following on TikTok, she’s actually making her presence recognized.
Nyla McDaniel
Nyla XO
Nyla places her efforts into each the vocal sales space and the behind the scenes motion. The Chicago-based singer/songwriter/producer, who was born in Los Angeles, can usually be discovered behind a lens taking pictures and enhancing her personal movies, or designing visuals for her music initiatives. Focusing her music on the human expertise, she hopes to encourage listeners to seek out connection all through her songs.
Peyton McMahon
As soon as known as a “white boy with soul” throughout a dwell efficiency with American Idol inaugural champ Kelly Clarkson, Peyton is intent on taking his music to the following stage. Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the singer began sharing cowl songs on social media a decade in the past and has since kicked his desires into excessive gear with soon-to-be-released authentic materials.
Vaishalini
With over a million streams to her authentic songs and video productions on YouTube and Spotify, the Arizonan singer/songwriter and composer is thought for honing in on synthwave and trendy R&B to create her distinctive sound. The key to her distinctive output sees her draw inspiration from her roots in Indian classical music, easy jazz and Motown-inspired pop/rock.
Wampy
A self-described “music aficionado,” with a ardour for media and style, Wampy hails from Chicago and is able to deliver his love for pop, R&B and neo-soul into the competitors. Since shifting to New York Metropolis within the early 2000s, the bicultural expertise has discovered inspiration by artwork and tradition, citing Stevie Surprise, Craig David and Jessie Reyez as musical influences.
