Forbes magazine has unveiled its 2021 30 Under 30 list on Tuesday (Dec. 1) and among the musicians, producers, executives and entrepreneurs who made the cut are Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, Gabby Barrett, Doja Cat, Saweetie and Bea Miller, among others. The musicians on the 10th annual Under 30 roster were judged by one of the list’s alums, Taylor Swift, along with Warner Music Group creative officer Mike Caren, Jill Scott and songwriter/producer Nija Charles.
GABBY BARRETT, 20
MUSICIAN – COUNTRYRising star and 2018 ‘American Idol’ finalist Gabby Barrett is breaking records in Country music. Her breakup anthem “I Hope” skyrocketed her career and made history in June as the first debut single by a woman to top Billboard’s Country Streaming Songs chart. Pop singer-songwriter and 30 Under 30 Music alum Charlie Puth later hopped on the remix, which broke into the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 6 in November.
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The 30 Under 30 Music Class Of 2021
The list features 30 of the music industry’s top young musicians, executives, producers and entrepreneurs, selected by a panel of expert judges: superstar Taylor Swift, Artist Partner/Publishing Group founder Mike Caren, singer-songwriter Jill Scott and hitmaker Nija Charles. To be eligible, candidates must be under age 30 as of December 31, 2019, not have appeared on a previous Under 30 list, and show their ability to propel the future of the music industry.
The 2021 Forbes Under 30 Music class shows adaptability to making new content—and making money—in the age of social distance. After a slew of tour cancellations and album postponements earlier this year, musicians got to work by creating new ways to connect with fans.
“The music business is always in a constant state of change but 2020 put it in hyper mode,” Mike Caren says. “So many people that are usually constantly on the move, had a chance to sit down, rethink, and move into action.”
Beyond business dealings, the Music class features a new wave of musicians pushing the limits of genre and artistry. “They are self-starting, creating their own lanes, sounds, and chasing their dreams,” Jill Scott says.
In music, entrepreneurship and social advocacy, the 30 Under 30 Music Class of 2021 is making so much more than chart-topping hits. “I’m truly amazed by the talent of this next generation,” Scott says. “Their tenacity and audacious innovation is inspiring.”
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