As I’ve briefly mentioned before, I once had a great love for a singer who went by the stage name Porcelain Black (that love still exists today). I thought that her music was the end-all be-all as far my music tastes went. No one could compare because there was no one quite like her. I was actually kind of disappointed, if I’m going to be totally honest. Why couldn’t there be more singer-songwriters like her?

As it turned out, there were.

I eventually had the bright idea of googling “Artists like Porcelain Black,” and voila, I found a list. On a whim, I decided to look up exactly who Kerli and Colette Carr were, because why not? They were supposed to be the most similar to her. I actually liked their music, so for a while, I was content with my Music Trio.

Like all things, however, that was to come to an end. I’d had their music on repeat for at least a year, and I was starting to want more underground singers. Three wasn’t enough. I repeated the same process, and found out about Emilie Autumn, Neon Hitch, The Dresden Dolls and Birthday Massacre (which, yes, I realize the latter sounds morbid. I was very hesitant to admit I know who they are, and even more hesitant to admit I like their lyrics). I remembered enjoying Trading Yesterday’s album, and started putting their songs on repeat now and then.

Last summer, I found out about Bea Miller, and bought her full-length album. When I was still a freshman in college, I remembered liking one of Beth Crowley’s songs, because for whatever reason she reminded me of Miller. I found out she had released an EP and an album. I got both. Then I found out about Olivia Bray, and severely enjoyed her eight track album. I did some more digging around to find artists like Bray, and discovered Lily Kershaw, who, somehow, reminded me of my love for The Cab.

Later, I went on to listen to Mayday Parade and The Piano Guys. A friend of mine recommended I listen to SayWeCanFly. Somehow I found out about a Romanian singer named Alexandra Stan and two different singers who formed t.A.T.u.

I don’t really know what draws me to alternative singers. There are singers and bands that are well known and whom I like (Bea Miller and Little Mix, just to name two). I’m not sure if it’s the lyrics that I like so much, or if it’s the fact that a singer like Olivia Bray has never had a song that’s been overexposed and overplayed the way a song like “Uptown Funk” was.

What I’ve discovered is that their music feels a lot more authentic then what’s considered mainstream music. Yes, I listen to Bea Miller, and yes, I listen to Little Mix. They are very mainstream compared to the rest of the music I keep on my iPhone, yet I still think (perhaps naively) that they are being just as genuine. I’ve found that these singers and bands tend to have lyrics that I really, really connect with. They’re more poetic. They make me think. The melodies are the kind that I think you don’t really hear on mainstream or overexposed songs (but, again, this could simply be a naive belief; I’m by no means “fluent,” if you will, with music. I’m just here for a decent song with deep lyrics).

The more of these singers I discover, I’m usually always left wondering why they’re not as popular as, say, Meghan Trainor, or Katy Perry. Singers like Lily Kershaw have such a huge talent, and it makes me wish she was able to build a career out of music and singing. I wish that they were more well-known. I wish that I could other fans of their music in real life.