10 New Artists You Need to Know: May 2015

Sounds Like: Chilling with your friends at Jamba Juice

For Fans Of: Drake in his "Best I Ever Had" days, Childish Gambino, G-Eazy

Why You Should Pay Attention: "Super Duper" Kyle Harvey makes unabashedly sunny pop-raps, whether it's looping early Nineties one-hit wonder Jane Child into the winning "Don't Wanna Fall in Love," or rhyming about "Fruit Snacks and Cups of Patron." He claims Jadakiss, Will Smith and Incubus as inspirations. He's a Ventura, California beach kid whose childhood resembled the Nickelodeon cartoon Rocket Power, and is known to surfboard over his adoring audience at sold-out concerts. But he also raps to provide income for his mother and his three siblings. "My mom is a single mother, and she's worked really hard to raise us. I'm in a unique situation to make a good sum of money and take that weight off her shoulders," he says. He's built a following by really connecting with fans: "touring, trying to see them as much as possible, talking to them before shows. On Twitter I tell them, 'If you're having any problems, if you need advice, let me know, I'll follow you back, and let's talk about this.' I want to let my fans know that I'm there for them."

He Says: Yes, the 1975 Bob Seger song "Beautiful Loser" inspired Kyle's album title. "My aunt played me that for me as a little kid. I wanted a title that in two words could describe me as a person," he says. "I wasn't really a loser in high school, but I was kinda one. I was on the football team, but at the same time, I hung out with the nerdy kids, staying up until 7 a.m. playing medieval video games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."

Hear for Yourself: Kyle and R&B singer Kehlani bring back Eighties pop on "Just a Picture." Mosi Reeves