Coachella is known for bringing in some breakout vocalists, such as Florence Welch from Florence + the Machine, shown here at Coachella 2012. (File Photo)
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has a way of tapping into talent particularly powerful singers (See: Amy Winehouse, Florence + the Machine) just ahead of the mainstream curve.
CORRECTION: I was so excited about the music of Emeli Sande that I managed to add her to the festival lineup. She’s not on it. Thanks to reader Conor McAuley for catching that!
One of the things that struck me about this year’s lineup is the strength of some solo singers performing at Coachella 2013, which takes place April 12-14 and April 19-21 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Explore the roots of the 170-plus Coachella 2013 artists
Something that I don’t remember sticking out in recent years is the heavy R&B influence running through these vocalists. Thinking about Beyonce at the Super Bowl, the comeback of Justin Timberlake (whose tour with Jay-Z comes to the Rose Bowl this summer), R. Kelly playing Bonnaroo and these emerging artists, I think R&B is going to have a very strong ascent and revival in the United States in 2013.
Speaking of those up-and-coming talents, here are some singers worth adding to your Coachooser:
Allen Stone is a singer to watch at Coachella 2013. (Contributed Image)
1. Allen Stone
Don’t judge Allen Stone by his hipster cover. He’s not an escapee from “Portlandia.” Dude can sing. We’re talking serious R&B vocal chops that could land him on tour with a Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke. He also performed on “Live at Daryl’s House,” the amazing online performance web show of Daryl Hall, of Hall & Oates. In Hall I trust for emerging singers.
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Janelle Monae is a set not to miss at Coachella 2013. (Contributed Image)
2. Janelle Monae
Even if you haven’t heard Janelle Monae, you’ve already heard Janelle Monae (if you didn’t spend the last 13 months in a medically-induced coma). She sang on “We Are Young” by fun.
Monae fascinates me. I think she is creative, bright and full of ideas. I appreciate how she bends gender roles in her fashion, too.
To me she has this Jack White quality of having a tremendous musical gift, but also a penchant for collaborating and fostering other artists. He has Third Man Records. She has the Wondaland Arts Society.
Just like how White has drawn from country and blues and garage rock, Monae has the pop, the R&B, the soul and a splash of rock. I can’t wait to see what she does next and I think whatever it is, it’s going to eb huge and Coachella will have a front row seat. Don’t believe me? Check out what she did at Glastonbury two years ago.
Jessie Ware is an artist to watch at Coachella 2013. (Contributed Image)
3. Jessie Ware
Jessie Ware straddles an interesting line. She has vocal qualities that remind me of Sade, but she has also worked with Coachella EDM vet SBTRKT.
Check out “Wildest Moments.”
Want to know more about the artists playing Coachella? Click on the photo below to check out our interactive map of the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival artists.
Interactive map of 2013 Coachella artists.
(Vanessa Franko/Digital Illustration)
And just for fun, here’s some information about another great singer who isn’t on Coachella (although for some reason I was convinced she was for a hot minute), Emeli Sande.
Emeli Sande has already racked up millions of views on YouTube and performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics in 2012, but she’s relatively unknown in the U.S. (her highest chart position thus far has been #101 for “Next to Me”).
iGuide casinos blogger Stephanie Holland has been a fan of her for a while, even naming Sande’s debut, “Our Version of Events” among her favorite releases of 2012.
I’m thankful for Stephanie’s tip because she turned me onto this songwriter who has a voice well worth hearing.