Lovingly referred to as pop princesses, women dominated the popular music scene this year. Here are five ladies whose music was blasting in our headphones this year.
By Jayne Turner – Staff Member
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina has always been in the public eye since her start as Maya on Disney’s Girl Meets World. She entered the music scene with her first EP “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying,” and gained widespread fame after joining Taylor Swift as an opening act on the North American segment of her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.
Notable singles include “Nonsense” in 2023 (and Nonsense Christmas!), “Feather” in 2023, and “Espresso” in April of 2024. These albums helped her gain a larger following before the release of Short n’ Sweet in 2024.
This year she fed us with another new album full of hits: Man’s Best Friend in August. Since then, she performed at the VMAs and pulled double duty on SNL, all while touring! It’s safe to say that she is the pop princess of the year (and next year, and the next).
You might love Sabrina Carpenter, but would you want to see her songs in your current pleasure read? Check out the debate here.
Laufey
Laufey, pronounced [lay-vay], is known for her unique blend of jazz, classical, and pop music. She released her debut EP Typical of Me in 2021 and gained a large following by posting on TikTok. Fans find her relatable, whimsical, and entirely herself.
Interestingly, she begin her journey as a finalist on the 2014 season of Iceland’s Got Talent and as a semifinalist on The Voice Iceland 2015.
More than ten years later, she has released an album almost every year. Some of her notable songs are “From The Start,” “Falling Behind,” and “Valentine.” Many of these tracks became popular on TikTok, where she initially promoted her music.
In 2025, she gave us A Matter of Time. It is more raw and messy than her other albums, which often contain fanciful love songs. This album explores fear that comes with vulnerability and relationships. While she maintains her signature jazz-pop style, this album is “louder,” probably to suit the large, sold-out audiences on her tour.
Addison Rae
We first met Addison on TikTok in 2019. She was one of the top creators on TikTok in 2019 and 2020, joining the Hype House in Los Angeles. Her content focused on dancing, comedy skits, and lip syncing.
Though she released her first single, “Obsessed,” in 2021, it was nothing of note. Of course, it got streams due to her platform, but her music career didn’t gain traction here. So how did she become one of 2025’s pop princesses?
Addison is loved for being authentic. She wears what she wants, makes music that she likes, and doesn’t seem to answer to anyone. When she was featured on Charli XCX’s Von Dutch a.g. cook remix off of her album BRAT, her music fan base grew.
Then, she released “Diet Pepsi” and “Aquamarine” in 2024, “Headphones On” and “Fame is a Gun” in 2025, and finally, her self titled album, Addison.
This album quickly became a cult classic among the chronically online. This album portrays a feeling. If you get it, you get it. Her breathy vocals and synth-pop production are likely not going anywhere in future albums. Though reviews are mixed, many rave that with this, pop is so back.
To get the most out of your music listening experience, find the best speaker here!
Renee Rapp
Theatre kids have known about Renee Rapp. She was the winner of the 2018 Jimmy Awards alongside Andrew Barth Feldman. It seems like the Jimmy Awards made good choices that year, with both winners gaining success in their respective careers.
Renee went on to star as Regina George in Mean Girls on Broadway from 2019-2020. She reprised that role in the 2024 film adaptation of the musical. She was also in the cast of Sex Lives of College Girls from 2021-2024.
Her debut EP was Everything to Everyone in 2022, followed by Snow Angel in 2023. Her music features her absolutely killer vocals (hello, Broadway training!), emotional ballads, and breakup songs.
Bite Me in 2025 introduces a new era for Renee. Maintaining those impressive vocals, her songs are sapphic, bitchy, and provocative. She is the pop princess of the WLW community, popular for her confidence and DGAF attitude.
Audrey Hobert
With no singles and no Spotify releases other than her debut album Who’s The Clown? from 2025, you might be curious about who she is. Audrey is a singer songwriter. Before releasing her own music, she co-wrote several songs with Gracie Abrams for her album, The Secret of Us. In addition, she was also a staff writer for Nickelodeon.
In addition, you may have heard of her brother, who is a musician in his own. Malcolm Todd is a singer songwriter as well, and the two collaborate, but have yet to release music together. Given the siblings’ unique sounds I’m not sure if they ever will.
Audrey is popular for being relatable. Fans say that she makes music “for awkward girls,” her lyrics are funny, comedic, and well pronounced. She has a unique singing voice, her lyrics are well enunciated and rhythmic.
Whether these are names sound familiar or if you’re hearing them for the first time, Sabrina, Laufey, Addison, Renee, and Audrey are five women worth checking out. Happy listening!
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Author: Jayne Turner is a freelance writer from Orange, California. She has a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with an emphasis on language and cognition. She has ten years of musical theatre experience and a lifelong love of reading. Utterly excited by the brain, she brings a fresh Gen Z perspective to the topics that intrigue us most.
