The 2019 Breakout Stars Yearbook: From DaBaby To Baby Yoda
The 2019 Breakout Stars Yearbook: From DaBaby To Baby Yoda
because the bell rings on 2019 (and on another decade), we've got a new crop of breakout stars to crown! It was the year we celebrated "Hot Girl Summer," fawned over Baby Yoda, and took a ride down the "Old Town Road." In celebration of these memories and more, take a look at the "freshman class" of 2019, comprised of the scene-stealers and chart-toppers who made this year one for the books. These are the fresh faces you'll be seeing more of in 2020 and beyond...
Lil Nas X: Most Outgoing
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Age: 20
Breakout song: The TikTok sensation-turned-cultural phenomenon, "Old Town Road"
How he ruled 2019: You already know. Lil Nas X rewrote the history books with his meteoric country-trap oddity, which spawned four remixes, became the longest-reigning Hot 100 hit of all time, and sparked enthusiastic debates about what genre actually means. Although his breakout wasn't just a fluke — Nas X's debut EP, 7, gave us his follow-up single "Panini," which he performed at the VMAs immediately after winning a pair of Moon Person awards. All of the while, the Georgia rapper stayed true to himself by coming out as gay over the summer and constantly wowing us with his seemingly endless variety of cowboy glam ensembles. What a ride it's been.
What's next: The 2020 Grammys, where he's nominated for six awards, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year; a new album that he's reportedly working on with Pharrell
Hunter Schafer: Best Dressed
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Age: 19
Breakout role: because the magnetic new kid in town, Jules, in HBO's provocative teen drama Euphoria
How she ruled 2019: Schafer was a revelation in her first-ever acting role, starring opposite Zendaya plus a stacked cast of fellow newcomers. With each other, the cast of Euphoria tackled issues like drug addiction, sexuality, and mental health in candid fashion, also it was particularly personalized for Schafer — the model and actress worked with show creator Sam Levinson to create ensure specifics of Jules's story mirrored her own experience as a trans teen.
What's next: More glittery eye makeup action in the next season of Euphoria, expected in 2020
Rosalía: Biggest Flirt
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Age: 26
Breakout song: "Con Altura," a homage to classic reggaeton featuring J Balvin
How she ruled 2019: It's tough for an artist who sings predominantly in Spanish to cross over into mainstream attention In America, however Rosalía is doing exactly that. Spain's breakout flamenco pop star dominated the Latin Grammys with five wins, including Album of the Year for 2018's El Mal Querer (which made her the opening woman to win the award since Shakira in 2006). Prime performances at the VMAs, Coachella, and Lollapalooza helped boost her profile, and while doing so, she never stopped releasing new music, like "Aute Cuture," "Millionária," and the Ozuna-assisted "Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi." She and J Balvin also took house the VMA for Best Latin for "Con Altura," which became the No. 2 most-viewed music video of the year, and one of only two videos from 2019 to reach the Billion Views Club.
What's next: Her hotly anticipated third album; hopefully her oft-teased teamwork with Billie Eilish
Florence Pugh: Most Outspoken
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Age: 23
Breakout role: As traumatized college student Dani in Midsommar; as headstrong artist Amy March in Little Women
How she ruled 2019: Pugh scored big with three (very different) films this year, starting with her role as pro wrestler Paige in Fighting With My Family. From then on, she continued showcasing her versatility in the modern horror classic Midsommar, and then stole scenes because the littlest although most popular sister in Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women.
What's next: Making her Marvel debut alongside Scarlett Johansson in 2020's Black Widow
BLACKPINK: Best Dancers
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Ages: 22 (Lisa and Rosé), 23 (Jennie), 24 (Jisoo)
Breakout song: The deliciously maximalist "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du"; the explosive "Kill This Love"
How they ruled 2019: The K-pop queens released their five-track Kill This Love EP this year, embarked on their first North American arena tour, and made history at Coachella by becoming the opening Korean girl sort to perform at festival. All of the while, the quartet continued churning out explosive visuals, with "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" becoming the most-viewed K-pop order music video in YouTube's history, and also because the highest-charting single by a Korean girl order on the Hot 100. If you're not a Blink nevertheless, what are you waiting for?
What's next: The final dates of their Japan Dome Tour; a new project reportedly slated for early 2020
Megan Thee Stallion: Life of the Party
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Age: 24
Breakout song: money Shit" with fellow breakout rapper DaBaby
How she ruled 2019: She's the only breakout star on this list who owned an entire season; no big deal. Meg turned her viral "Hot Girl Summer" meme into a lifestyle, then a bona fide banger featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign. However that was just the starting for the Texan star, who also released her debut album Fever, collaborated with Chance the Rapper, and earned a spot on XXL's Freshman Class. Oh, and she achieved all that while continuing to study health administration at Texas Southern University.
What's next: A teamwork with Normani for the Harley Quinn flick Birds of Prey
Maya Hawke: Undercover Rockstar
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Age: 21
Breakout role: because the feisty, ice cream-scooping Robin in Stranger Things
How she ruled 2019: It's not easy for a new character to stick out among the beloved Stranger Things gang, however Hawke's Robin managed to do just that. And also helping to save Hawkins from scary creatures and evil Russians, Steve Harrington's partner in crime also became the series' first LGBTQ+ character. Hawke followed that efficiency with a tiny nevertheless memorable role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and then kicked off her music career with her first two singles, "Stay Open" and "To Love a Boy."
What's next: A starring role opposite Andrew Garfield in Gia Coppola's Mainstream, a drama about a love triangle; her impending debut album
DaBaby: Best Smile
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Age: 28
Breakout song: The brazenly confident "Suge"
How he ruled 2019: The Charlotte native's second album of the year, KIRK — released just six months soon after Baby on Baby — shot to No. 1 on the charts and long-established him because the most enjoyable breakout rapper of the year. His super-sized personality was a blast to watch on Saturday Night Live, earning him a coveted co-sign from Drake and stealing the show on his collaborations with Lizzo, Camila Cabello, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, and Chance the Rapper. He also notched the most Hot 100 hits of any artist without consideration of genre) this year.
What's next: More tour dates starting in February, plus a couple of European festivals; hopefully more of his wildly creative videos
Naomi Scott: Teacher's Pet
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Age: 26
Breakout role: As Princess Jasmine in Disney's billion-dollar blockbuster Aladdin
How she ruled 2019: Scott's empowered take on the classic Disney princess clearly struck a chord with crowds this year — so much so that her big ballad from the movie, "Speechless," has been shortlisted for a Oscar. Right after that, the British-Indian actress starred alongside Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska in the modernized Charlie's Angels reboot.
What's next: Scott hasn't officially reported any upcoming assignments, nevertheless here's hoping there's more girl power action in her future!
Lewis Capaldi: Class Clown
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Age: 23
Breakout song: The ugly-cry ballad of the year, "Someone You Loved"
How he ruled 2019: The ginger-haired Scot's signature bleeding-heart hit topped the U.K. Charts back in March, and then caught fire in the U.S., Where it reigned on the Hot 100 for seven weeks. Because the world cried its eyes out, Capaldi dropped his debut album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, and released more tales of burning heartbreak, including "Before You Go" and "Bruises." During his rapid rise to the best, he's become a social media sensation, filling his feed with sarcastic, hilarious, wisecracking humor; basically the exact opposite of his tortured-romantic persona. This guy's got #layers.
What's next: Joining his best buddy Niall Horan on the Nice to Meet Ya Tour, which kicks off in North America in April; vying for the Song of the Year award at the 2020 Grammys
Kaitlyn Dever: Miss Congeniality
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Age: 23
Breakout role: As Amy in the coming-of-age comedy Booksmart; as sexual assault survivor Marie in Unbelievable
How she ruled 2019: Dever and Beanie Feldstein were a movie dream team (and total BFF objectives) in Booksmart, Olivia Wilde's critically adored directorial debut. Not one to be typecast, the actress then showed crowds a different side of herself in the Netflix series Unbelievable, playing a girl accused of lying about being raped. The gut-wrenching efficiency recently earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
What's next: Her first Globes appearance and presumably more big-screen (or silver screen) assignments on the way
Lizzo: Most Popular
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Age: 31
Breakout song: The two-year-old smash "Truth Hurts;" the twerk-friendly "Juice"
How she ruled 2019: The Detroit-born, Houston-raised singer, rapper, and flutist has been "100 percent that bitch" for a number of years right now, nevertheless the world finally caught up with her grind this year. Immediately after her 2017 anthem "Truth Hurts" caught fire and topped the charts for nearly two successive months, it was all Lizzo, all day. She released her debut major label album, Cuz I Love You, in the spring, set fire to almost every awards show stage, collaborated with the likes of Ariana Grande and Charli XCX, and expanded the idea of what a pop icon looks and sounds like.
What's next: Leading the pack of the 2020 Grammy nominees with eight nods to her name
Ali Wong: Best Laugh
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Age: 37
Breakout role: As celebrity chef Sasha in the laugh-out-loud Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe
How she ruled 2019: Wong was doing just fine before her unofficial Netflix takeover this year — her breakout stand-up specials Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife long-established her as a budding comedy superstar long ago. Nevertheless Always Be My Maybe was the feature-length car that really showed off her chops. Wong wrote, produced, and starred in the comedy, about a chef and her childhood best friend who reconnect several years later, despite Keanu Reeves's best attempts to come between them. Also on the Netflix front, Wong costarred with Tiffany Haddish in the adult animated comedy Tuca & Bertie and lent her voice to the hilarious Big Mouth.
What's next: Playing the hard-drinking Gotham detective Renee Montoya in the Harley Quinn movie Birds of Prey; a voice role in Pixar's Onward; a book of essays titled Dear Girls written for her two daughters
Maggie Rogers: Most School Spirit
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Age: 25
Breakout song: It's still "Alaska," which made waves soon as a video of her playing it to Pharrell at NYU went viral in 2016
How she ruled 2019: "Alaska" is Rogers's signature song and a
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