Thanks to his surprisingly ace Purpose album and suitably penitent interviews like his i-D cover story, Justin Bieber pulled off the comeback of 2015: from bratty bad boy to genuinely credible pop artist. Who will be next to turn things around so spectacularly? Here are five artists who might be able to “pull a Bieber” in 2016.
Zayn Malik
Since he left One Direction in March, the group’s most enigmatic member has kept a pretty low profile. Though he initially seemed to be working on solo material with Naughty Boy, the Bradford-born 22-year-old later recruited a much cooler collaborator, Frank Ocean’s producer Malay. Last month Zayn shared a snippet of a new track called Befour that suggests his debut album could have a seductive alternative R&B sound. He also told The Fader that he wasn’t “100 percent behind the music” he made with 1D and grew up listening to “a lot of R. Kelly, a lot of Usher, a lot of Donell Jones, a lot of Prince.” As long as hardcore Directioners can forgive him for kind of shading the band’s music, Zayn seems perfectly poised to pull a Bieber in 2016. He already looks cool; he just needs to produce the tunes to prove it.
Lady Gaga
She soared so high so fast that some form of burnout was inevitable. Gaga’s last album Artpop was no disgrace, but it failed to yield any singles that captured the zeitgeist like early hits Poker Face and Bad Romance. But this year, the shape-shifting New Yorker has steadily rebuilt her brand by reminding us that she’s actually super-talented. She showed off her vocal chops at the Oscars in March, gave an impressive and supremely stylish performance on American Horror Story: Hotel, and highlighted the horror of sexual assault with her haunting song Til It Happens to You. Then when Billboard named her its Woman of the Year, she called out the music industry for being a “fucking boys’ club.” If Gaga surrounds herself with the right people, there’s no reason why she can’t return to the top of the charts in 2016. Her problem isn’t a lack of ideas; it’s streamlining them into a vision that’s cohesive and fully realized.
Gwen Stefani
When she went solo in the mid-noughties, Gwen was unstoppable: a platinum blonde fashion icon peddling a fresh fusion of pop, electro and R&B. But following 2012’s reunion album with No Doubt, she hasn’t managed to recapture the same level of success and third new solo album has yet to materialize. Fortunately, recent signs are more encouraging. Her latest single Used to Love You is a startling response to her break-up from husband Gavin Rossdale, and Gwen’s been working on further new material with Charli XCX, one of several rising stars who count her as an inspiration. Radio isn’t very kind to female singers of a certain age – just ask Madonna and Janet – but Gwen’s imperial phase came recently enough to prevent her being pegged as a retro artist. As long as she leaves the Harajuku Girls in 2005 where they belong, she should be able to holla back again.
Iggy Azalea
After breaking into the mainstream in 2014, Azalea had to weather a backlash this year. She was accused of cultural appropriation, faced allegations of homophobia and racism when some very questionable pre-fame tweets were dredged up, and even saw her technical skills mocked in web articles like ‘6 Times We Couldn’t Make Out What Iggy Azalea Was Rapping About.’ Just last month, Erykah Badu told the Australian that “what you doin’ is definitely not rap.” Can I-G-G-Y pull it back? It’s going to be tricky, but a three-point plan might give her a fighting chance. 1. Give a contrite interview showing genuine awareness of why your past behavior may have caused offense. 2. Deliver another killer pop-rap track like Fancy. 3. Be cheeky and see if you can bag a collaboration with Erykah Badu. Well, if there’s one thing Iggy Azalea doesn’t lack, it’s chutzpah.
Kesha
It’s hard not to wish Kesha (she retired the dollar sign last year) a much brighter 2016. Nearly two years ago she checked into a rehab facility to receive treatment for an eating disorder, and this year she’s been locked in a legal battle with former producer Dr. Luke, whom she accuses of “mental manipulation, emotional abuse and sexual assault.” In September, her lawyer filed an injunction outlining how the ongoing court dispute is affecting her professional future. “If Kesha cannot immediately resume recording… her career is effectively over,” the injunction stated. This would be a terrible shame, because the LA native is a far smarter and more talented artist than she was initially given credit for. She co-wrote sassy pop smashes like TiK ToK and Die Young, sings very well when the AutoTune effect is removed from her vocals, and has spoken out frequently about equal marriage and other gay rights issues. Kesha, we’re rooting for you.
Credits
Text Nick Levine
Photography Alasdair McLellan