How to Look Like a Rockstar: Tips from 7 Artists To Watch
Betty Who. Photo: Molly Cranna
If you’re always searching for the next big thing in music—look no further. We found seven rising stars, from pop’s next dance queen, Betty Who, to Niia, a sophisticated songstress following in the footsteps of Diana Krall. They haven’t just created their own unique sounds but cultivated fresh looks as well. Each artist talks about how they found their style and their sound—plus their go-to beauty tools—below.
You’ll be a fan if you love: Katy Perry and Kylie Minogue.
Why you’ll love her: The 6’1” Australian songwriter is currently opening Katy Perry’s Down Under tour. Her debut album, Take Me When You Go, is filled with exuberant dance-beats that mirror the singer’s effervescent, cheery persona.
On stage vs. off: “I’m far lazier about how I dress off stage—lots of black, oversized clothing. On stage it’s all tennis skirts and crop tops. For makeup, I do a lot of contour and eyeshadow; there’s just something about having really striking makeup on that translates so well to an audience. And glitter everywhere!”
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Stage makeup must-haves: Stila Liquid All Day Eyeliner ($20) gives her, “The best and cleanest lines.” She says of MAC’s Matte Lipsticks in Heroine and Candy Yum Yum ($16): “I love the way the color stays on my lips on stage.”
Short hair fix: Bumble & Bumble Thickening Mousse ($29): “Nothing makes my hair look as awesome as this does.”
Glow source: Coconut dry oil for skin ($12.56), “It gives me this awesome sheen on stage without looking too oily.”
Betty Who - Somebody Loves You from Adam Powell on Vimeo.
Niia in “elegant brooding vixen” mode. Photo: Thomas Whiteside
You’ll be a fan if you love: Sade and Corinne Bailey Rae.
Why you’ll love her: With a background in jazz and years touring with mentor Wyclef Jean, Niia has a rich range of musical influences from which to draw . Niia describes her own sound on her just-released EP Generation Blue as “moody and emotional, timeless.” It’s hard not to get lost in her gorgeous voice and rich, complicated melodies.
Overcoming stage fright: “I’ve always loved to sing, but growing up I would sing with my back to my family. When I started performing, I would ignore the audience, but then I learned the transaction I have with the audience is kind of amazing. We can channel each other; we feel something and have an experience together.”
What I’d Tell My 20-Something Self: Kerry Diamond
Dressing up to perform: “I grew up watching Sarah Vaughn, Diana Ross, and Shirley Bassey and they are all very glamorous. Performing, for them, was always a very sophisticated event; it wasn’t just a casual t-shirt and jeans. So I kind of give performing respect by dressing up a little and becoming this elegant brooding vixen. Being a kid from generation Y, I’ll wear a black vintage dress with like a funny spike earring, darker lipstick, or something with a little attitude.”
Getting a glow: “I love the hydrating SKII Face Masks. Even if I get off a plane and head to a hotel, I look like dewy and gorgeous like I just came out of the secret garden. When I sing, I make very intense faces because I’m trying to hit notes so the creases all come. Having a little extra moisturizer makes your skin not look so yikes!
Life-changing lip color: “I just discovered No Lipstick Lipstick. It only comes in one color. It’s so hydrating and gives you just enough color that it almost looks like you’re not wearing lipstick. I wear it all the time. ”
Mandy Lee with her band MisterWives. Photo: Shervin Lainez
You’ll be a fan if you love: The Ting Tings and The Lumineers.
Why you’ll love her: The year-old band has been making waves with their infectious EP, Reflections. The pop-meets-funk band boasts super catchy songs enhanced by songwriter Mandy Lee’s incredibly unique voice.
Her Peter Pan style:” I’ve always dressed the way I do, I clearly have Peter Pan syndrome! If you look at baby photos of me, the outfits I wore then aren’t so different than what I wear now: Cats, florals, donuts, polka-dots, and cheetah prints currently fill my closet! I always loved funky mix-and-match prints. Couldn’t help it, I’m from killah Queens.”
The fix for breakout-prone skin: “Arbonne CC cream ($32) saves my awkward 22-year-old skin that seems to still be going through puberty and won’t stop giving me pimples. It’s also vegan and doesn’t have any crazy harsh chemicals, which is good for my sensitive skin.”
DIY natural facials: “Apple cider vinegar is a great toner that smells horrible but works wonders. Boiling a pot of water and steaming my face to open up my pores is one of the firsts things I do when we get back from the road, dropping a few essential oils in the water to make the experience super relaxing. I also make facemasks out of tumeric and avocado and look like an ogre—it’s a hot look! ”
On-the-go vegan: “On the road, I bring a hot plate so I can cook scrumptious, vegan, healthy meals. I can’t get down with fast food and hurting animals! Lots of greens, grains, tofu, and donuts is how I keep a balanced diet. I also bring my Vitamix to make endless fruit smoothies and throw in some vegan protein powder.”
Loving the crowd: “The crowds we play to fill me up with the most amount of happiness. Seeing people elated while singing and dancing to your music makes it very difficult for your heart not to explode. The power of music is the closest thing we’ve got to magic.”
Newcomer Vérité. Photo: Shervin Lainez
You’ll be a fan if you love: Banks and Ellie Goulding.
Why you’ll love her: The 24-year old Brooklyn-based singer songwriter’s weeks-old debut EP, Echo, features haunting, powerful vocals paired with driving alt-pop beats. She’s a total newbie on the music scene, so be the first to discover her.
On finding her style: “It took a while. I’ve spent a lot of time tragically comparing myself to others and trying to emulate other people’s style. Once I let that go, I found it easier to embrace the things that I love.”
Makeup must-haves: Maybelline Superstay 24 Color ($10), “Limitless colors and literally 24 hours of lip color. I’m not great with maintenance, so very few reapplications is a selling point.” Bare Minerals Powder Foundation ($27) is “light, easy to use and evens out my skin tone in a second.” Essie’s Wicked is her go-to nail polish ($9): “I haven’t painted my nails another color in such a long time. It’s dark and classic.”
Kickass accessory: “I have a pair of All Saints booties that instantly make me feel like a complete badass. My Doc Marten’s have the same effect.”
Mapei strikes a pose. Photo: Ruben Sznajderman
You’ll be a fan if you love: Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill.
Why you’ll love her: The Swedish-American singer defies categorization: she’s currently touring with Swedish alt-crooner Lykke Li, is a fierce rapper, and her latest album mixes R&B, dance, pop, and funk.
Music style: “I would describe my music as a breath of fresh air. Like someone who has decorated their apartment really kitschy and colorful! Uplifting, hopeful and dreamy.”
Fashion style: “I read a lot of fashion magazines growing up. I always wanted to push boundaries and wear what no one else was wearing. My style has always been very boho street: I’ll wear a 20’s Josephine Baker-style dress with Air Force 1s and finger waves in my hair.”
Hair must-haves: “Luster’s Pink lotion ($4) smells sweet and keeps my hair in it’s place when I don’t want a fro. Mixed Chicks conditioner ($10.99) keeps my hair silky.”
The key to her confidence: “For a large period of my life I had low self esteem without even knowing it, but I just decided to love myself and be strong. Sometimes you gotta be your own therapist.”
Tei Shi. Photo: Eric White
You’ll be a fan if you love: FKA Twigs and SZA.
Why you’ll love her: The Columbian singer is based in Brooklyn and has been revving up the club scene with her R&B-meets-electronica tunes—perfect party music.
One-of-a-kind style: “I mostly shop thrift, I really like the idea of hunting something special down, and knowing that I am the only person with that item. I like my wardrobe to be a collection of pieces I’ve picked up along the way, each with a special kind of discovery.”
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White liner trick: “I do black eyeliner with a cat eye, and outline it in white. I like it because it makes me think of that black-outlined-in-white comic book aesthetic. It’s just kind of weird, but interesting looking. If I’m going to wear a full face of makeup, I’m going to make it interesting.”
Must-have for gorgeous brows: Shi callsAnastasia Brow Wiz ($21) the “best brow pencil in the world. I love how simply filling out your brows a little can do so much for your face. I’ve gone through a lot of different types—some have been really thick and made my brows look like giant caterpillars—but this fills out the eyebrow really lightly and evenly, and is more creamy so it doesn’t leave a clear line. It just blends in really well.”
Mascara that stands up to the rock n’ roll life: Diorshow Waterproof Mascara ($25), “The waterproof version guarantees that if I’m running around, sweating, in the rain, or if I have to take a little nap or have a good cry, it won’t just wash out and spread all over my face.”
Anna Lunoe in DJ mode. Photo Instagram @atrak
You’ll be a fan if you love: EDM club beats
Why you’ll love her: The singer, DJ, and producer has played with M.I.A. and Diplo, but she just released her first EDM EP, All Out. If you’re ready to rave, this is for you.
Her stage persona: “I have DJ’d and performed my whole adult life, and it has gotten to the point that I’m a pretty fearless performer. I’m leaving nothing behind at this point.”
No more heels: “I tend to stick with skirts and athletic tops that don’t move around too much if I jump around. Whatever can make me feel a little magic and fits that mold is good with me. Lots of leather or denim skirts, Nike crop tops, t-shirts and tanks that I can alter and crop to wear onstage. I don’t shop much, but I often go to Opening Ceremony and pick up a few key things that become staples. I never wear heels any more; they are just out of my life and I will never look back.”
Natural skincare essentials: Ultra C Radiance Serum from Little Alchemist Organic Project ($69), “It feels like my face is eating vitamins!” Coconut Oil ($7) makes a great moisturizer: “I love how it’s totally natural. When you think about it, its pretty weird that we rub chemical moisturizers all over our bodies—that can’t be good! This feels way better.”
