Soul Train Awards ‘20: What You NTK About This Year’s Best New Artist Nominees
The Best New Artist category of the Soul Train Awards is a fan favorite. Seeing the new class of fresh-faced singers and predicting who’s going to rise to icon status always makes for great discussions. But what usually happens is every nominee carves out their own unique place in the industry, and this year seems no different. Six different nominees from the eerily powerful Giveon to the lip-biting earnestness of Snoh Aalegra are in the runnings to take home the trophy this year. The race is tight and there’s no telling who will ultimately take home the trophy.
To catch you up to speed at home, BET has created an explainer that details who each of these artists are and why they’re probably in the running for the Best New Artist Award. Check out the list below:
Giveon
Steamy soul singer Giveon first hit the mainstream industry’s radar with his passionate feature on Drake’s “Chicago Freestyle” that dropped earlier this year, featured on the commercial mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes. He’s so much more than that though: he’s toured with Snoh Aalegra and also released a critically acclaimed EP, Take Time. He’s fully embraced this moment and proved that he can hang around with the best.
Layton Greene
It’s still so early in her career to call it, but Layton Greene already has the makings of a smashing success. Her debut EP, Tell Ya Story, came out in 2019 and it arrived off the success of a previous release, “Leave Em Alone,” that featured both Lil Baby and PnB Rock. With her nostalgic aesthetic and dreamy vocals, Greene’s place in this game is cemented.
Lonr.
Lonr’s name stands for “Land of Nothing Real,” and that perfectly encapsulates the atmospheric, subconscious style of music that he makes. He only has a handful of singles publicly under his name, including a collaboration with H.E.R., “Make the Most,” that dropped earlier this year. His mystery has made him one of R&B’s most intriguing rising faces.
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Saint JHN
Jidenna. Usher. Hoodie Allen. Saint JHN has some spectacular writing credits and he’s truly come into his own as a shining singer whose voice shakes shoulders into warm shivers. His third album While the World Was Burning is set to come out on Nov 20 and arrives at a time where his star power continues to rise — making him the perfect example of what the Best New Artist category as the Soul Train Awards is all about.
Snoh Aalegra
It’s been three years since Snoh Aalegra has released her debut studio album Feels, and if you thought that was her breakout moment, it was just a precursor to the amazing work to come. Her second studio album, Ugh, Those Feels Again, came out in 2019. Following that, she’s continued to grow thanks to her James Brown-inspired singing style that’s as energetic as it is smooth and soulful.
Victoria Monét
Victoria Monét has written for pretty much everyone from Ariana Grande to Chris Brown. She’s been nominated for two Grammy awards and has yet to put an album out. She released her latest EP, Jaguar, in August featuring the kind of misty-eyed, sexy R&B that captivates the young and lovely minds of her fanbase. She’s only going to get bigger from here.
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