Imeh Akpanudosen, Getty Images for
Coachella
Laura Mvula performs at the Coachella Valley
Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club
on April 12, 2014, in Indio, Calif.
Beyoncé . Jay Z . Pharrell . Drake . Bet you've
heard those names before.
The music titans will compete for top prizes at
Sunday's BET Awards (8 p.m. ET/tape delay
PT) and likely grab all the headlines come
Monday morning. But what about those
names you're not so familiar with?
USA TODAY rounds up five up-and-comers
you should get to know before this weekend's
telecast.
ALSO: 5 things we can't wait to see at the
BETs
LAURA MVULA
Nominated for: Best international act (U.K.)
Get to know her: Influenced by Jill Scott and
Lauryn Hill, the British songstress released
debut album Sing to the Moon in 2013, and
has since picked up Brit Awards nominations
for female solo artist and breakthrough act.
The soulful vocalist, who delivers a breezy
blend of pop, gospel and jazz, is already
making a name for herself on this side of the
pond: covering Little Girl Blue (made famous
by Nina Simone) for the 12 Years a Slave
soundtrack, opening shows last fall for Iron &
Wine, and playing Coachella and the New
Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this spring.
RICH HOMIE QUAN
Nominated for: Best new artist and best
collaboration
Get to know him: Featured on YG 's popular
My Hitta (which peaked at No. 19 on
Billboard 's Hot 100), this breakout Atlanta
rapper was named to XXL 's Freshmen Class
this spring, joining fellow rising stars August
Alsina and Ty Dolla $ign. Rolling Stone
selected his Still Goin' In Reloaded as the 10th
best mixtape of 2013, and the Michigan State
Spartans football team chose his smooth Type
of Way as its victory song last fall. Now, the
hip-hop newcomer is gearing up to go on tour
with Wiz Khalifa this summer, making a stop
at Lollapalooza in August.
LIV WARFIELD
Nominated for: Centric Award, which honors
neo-soul and traditional R&B artists
Get to know her: After releasing first album
Embrace Me in 2006, the big-voiced soul/R&B
singer is finally gaining momentum as a solo
artist. She performed as a member of Prince's
New Power Generation touring band for four
years and received a boost from the Purple
Rain icon himself, who produced her
sophomore album The Unexpected , released in
February, and co-wrote its title track. She has
since stopped by The Arsenio Hall Show and
Late Show With David Letterman for
performances, and will bring her fiery
presence to Essence fest in New Orleans next
weekend.
MACK WILDS
Nominated for: Best new artist
Get to know him: He picked up an urban
contemporary album Grammy nomination for
debut New York: A Love Story this winter, but
the R&B crooner is still best known to most
as actor Tristan Wilds. Since playing troubled
middle-schooler Michael Lee on HBO's The
Wire, he's taken TV roles on Law & Order and
90210 , and appeared in films such as The
Secret Life of Bees and Red Tails . With slick,
sunny singles Henny (featuring French
Montana and Busta Rhymes) and Own It (co-
written with Ne-Yo) under his belt, the singer
is now featured in Vibe magazine's "future of
music" issue alongside Jhene Aiko and
August Alsina.
TIWA SAVAGE
Nominated for: Best international act (Africa)
Get to know her: The sprightly pop star may
not be a familiar name to most outside of her
native Nigeria, but her voice has been heard
across the globe. Starting out, she toured the
U.K. as a backup singer for Kelly Clarkson,
Mary J. Blige and Chaka Khan. She made it to
the top 24 of the U.K.'s The X Factor in 2006,
and wrote the track Collard Greens &
Cornbread off Fantasia's 2010 album Back to
Me . Most recently, she picked up the award
for best female artist at the MTV Africa Music
Awards, and drew comparisons to Rihanna and
Beyoncé for her overtly sexual Wanted video,
stirring controversy in Nigeria.
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