EIGHT BREAKOUTS DELIVER FOR BIG RED

Koe Wetzel & Jessie Murph, Ella Langley, The Kid LAROI

While Columbia stars Beyoncé and Hozier have dropped chart-topping music this year and are primed for big Grammy love, the label also has serious action on the developing-artist front. Eight of its next-gen acts are rocking the DSPs—with multiple tracks at once in several cases—proving they’re ready for the big time.

Ron Perry’s Big Red machine, with President Jenifer Mallory and GM Joe Gallo at the controls, has seen erstwhile teen phenom The Kid LAROI come roaring back with two new solo cuts, “NIGHTS LIKE THIS” and “GIRLS.” The former, which was on the artist’s 2023 album, THE FIRST TIME, hit the Top 20 on Spotify for the first time on 7/3; the latter was among the most-added tracks last week at Pop radio.

It’s notable that the Australian artist, now an old man of nearly 21, is seeing new success after a massive blockbuster—a tough bar for many acts to clear. LAROI’s 2021 duet with Justin Bieber, “Stay,” is one of just eight songs to notch 3b+ Spotify streams.

Columbia is also scoring with a fresh trio of country acts: Megan Moroney, Koe Wetzel and Ella Langley. Wetzel and Langley both have tracks breaking in the Top 25 at Apple Music and albums dropping in the next month. Langley’s “you look like you love me” f/Riley Green (Sawgod) has been the top-streaming country track by a female lead artist since its 6/21 drop.

Wetzel is making waves with multiple tracks, including “Sweet Dreams” and “High Road,” ahead of full-length 9 Lives (due on 7/19). “High Road,” which has held steady in Apple’s Top 25 and Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 over the last month, goes to Country radio this week. The cut features another Columbia comer, Jessie Murph, who broke through with “Wild Ones,” her double-platinum Jelly Roll collab. Murph’s eagerly awaited new album is due soon.

Megan Moroney, Central Cee, Dominic Fike

ACM New Female Artist of the Year Moroney has fans frothing for her sophomore set, Am I Okay? (Sony Nashville/Columbia), which arrives on 7/12. Moroney’s debut, Lucky, has sold 600k+ units; smash single “Tennessee Orange” is north of 3m in total activity.

Big Red has also achieved a unique feat on the hip-hop front: Central Cee has become the first U.K. rapper to break in the U.S., thanks to the blazing “BAND4BAND” f/Lil Baby; his debut full-length is on the way and will be closely watched by rap fans on both sides of the pond. And keep an eye on hip-hop newcomer Ian, whose “Magic Johnson” (Buvision/Columbia) is on track to enter the Spot’s Top 100 next week—just as it hits Rhythm radio. Ian’s debut mixtape, Valedictorian, is racking up 12m audio streams per week and has earned co-signs from the likes of Metro Boomin and Lil Yachty.

Dominic Fike is also seeing a resurgence in activity, with two tracks: new release “misses,” from his own recent mixtape, and “babydoll,” from his 2018 debut, Don’t Forget About Me, Demos. Both Fike songs were in Spotify's Top 100 U.S. last week, with “misses” Top 50-bound, while Fike's 2018 single “3 Nights” has joined the Spot’s Billions Club.

Rumors that cowboy boots are now mandatory office apparel couldn’t be confirmed at press time.