Each year, consumers discover artists on a “whim” across digital media platforms, but behind the scenes are intricately picked outfits, TikTok audios, pre-planned brand deals and partnerships. Many artists are served on a silver platter for the current generation to fixate on as they debut trendy lyrics, media-worthy memes and unique takes across genres of music. Countless artists seem to just reappear on your feed, but rebrands are more prevalent now than ever, as artists desperately attempt to stay afloat among the rocky waves of the music industry. For 2025 and 2026, artists such as Zara Larsson, Addison Rae and KATSEYE made impactful comebacks in pop music, and we predict more old and underground faces will rise to the surface and reclaim their fame in 2026. 

Zara Larsson – 2025 Rebrand

Zara Larsson’s 2025 rebrand was teased when her 2017 song, “Symphony,” became an internet meme. However, Larsson took her unexpected moment of fame and ran with it. Larsson’s team took this as a sign to step back in the music studio.

“Midnight Sun” is Larsson’s fifth studio album, but she is most known for her hit singles like “Lush Life” and “Never Forget You.” Midnight Sun drew inspiration from Larsson’s early 2016 music, and as social media channels, music, filters, and posts from that era resurface, her music is being reused.

Larsson began her “Midnight Sun” tour in late 2025 across Europe, performing for her fanbases in Munich, London, Berlin and Stockholm. She went viral on platforms like TikTok, inviting fans to dance with her onstage and spray-painting their t-shirts. The constant publicity and resurgence of her fan interactions increased exposure. With her tour ending this spring in North America and Larsson headlining several music festivals, it is safe to say that her rebrand was efficient, simple and, most importantly, successful.

Coco Jones – 2026 Rebrand

For artists who could be dominating music charts this year, Coco Jones takes a spot on the list. With her debut album “Why Not More?” reaching tenth place on the Billboard R&B Albums chart in 2025, fans are excited to hear her new projects.

On Jan. 9, Jones collaborated with NPR to make a Tiny Desk Concert on YouTube, surpassing 800,000 views. She sang beautifully composed pieces like “Double Back” and “Here We Go (Uh Oh).” Both flawlessly complemented the smooth Jazz/R&B background vocals and guitar.

Jones is stepping into the new year by taking opportunities as given. At this year’s Super Bowl, she is performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a hymn to African American communities and commonly referred to as the “Black National Anthem.” Each artist who sings this song adds their own individual variations, and Jones will likely take her R&B background to create an influential, moving piece to start the game off.

Addison Rae – 2025 Rebrand

Say “hydrated” not “hi drated,” because Addison Rae came in hot with her first-ever musical album release, “Addison.” Former TikTok star and certified meme, Rae completely rebranded herself into a bona fide pop star with her debut album, which all started with the acclaimed single “Diet Pepsi,” a dreamy summer pop song that took the world by storm.

After multiple singles, Rae came out with her debut album “Addison” that landed number four on the Billboard 200. Rae brought back the “fun” pop sensation with upbeat production, lively lyrics and a consistent art direction. Rae made her mark on the industry. 

Rae was nominated at the 2026 Grammy Awards for “Best New Artist.”

Bebe Rexha – 2026 Rebrand

The Khia Asylum is a made-up concept by pop-culture enthusiasts, referencing artists who are now experiencing career lows with numbers and popularity. The Khia Asylum is a meme where the flopping artists get “sent to” while they wait for another career breakthrough. Artists Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter have successfully excited the Khia Asylum. Unfortunately, Bebe Rexha was one artist who could not seem to break through. 

Rexha had big career moments in the 2010s with her many hits that now have over a billion streams, like “Meant to Be,” “In the Name of Love,” and “Say My Name.” Rexha knows a good beat, but recently, they have not been hitting at all. The numbers have not nearly reached as high as they used to, and her eras have just not been able to hit the right audiences anymore.

However, with so many rebrands like Rae and Larsson coming to speed, Rexha has hope as fans worldwide are attempting to give her flowers and stream her music again. 

KATSEYE – 2025 Rebrand

Global pop group KATSEYE’s debut was a soft launch of superficial, industry-backed music. Their repetitive use of a specific catchphrase or word in each less-than-three-minutes song was evidently tailored for the internet ear. While “Touch” was a popular audio for the average YouTube Short, no one was really touch-touch-touching the play button.

Their success was partially attributed to management. Despite its marketing as a “global girl group,” the band is under a subcompany of a larger Korean enterprise, mainly composed of K-Pop groups. The company was, therefore, more accustomed to the mainstream K-Pop sonic palette and its vibrant yet manufactured allure.

As the ghosts of global girl groups past beckoned them to become yet another failed industry project, they managed to pivot from their falsely fierce pop music with a song that reached beyond their previous digital scope.

“Gnarly,” released in early 2025, was an auditory paradox. Ridden with internet-savvy references and a cacophonous, metallic instrumental, the public received the single with much confusion. Besides the long-standing fans who were eager to lap up any of the group’s releases, the general consensus was that it was an enigmatic, borderline bad song. 

While initially falling victim to a relentless stream of slander, people soon realized that, for better or for worse, the song — and its uneasy lyrics — was perpetually stuck in their heads. What was once viewed as poor production turned into a unique, campy anthem that redefines the limits of music and artistry.

“Gnarly” segways KATSEYE into a new era of unapologetically kitschy music, one their fans can only hope they’ll manage to maintain (we’re looking at you, “Internet Girl”). 

Camila Cabello – 2026 Rebrand

Cabello was a pop icon of the 2010s, initially emerging in the industry through the girl group Fifth Harmony, before pursuing a successful career as a solo artist. Despite the massive success of songs like “Señorita” and “Havana,” both of which surpassed one billion streams on Spotify, her flaming sensation seemed to sizzle to a stop in the subsequent decade.

This decline in popularity parallels the rise of social media and its consequential use as both an artistic outlet and marketing platform for musicians. Cabello, like many others, attempted to latch onto whatever music got the most online interactions, using this as an opportunity to explore her personal sound through projects like her most recent album, “C, XOXO.” 

The album’s hyperpop soundscape was overshadowed by the colossal hit “BRAT” by Charli XCX, and therefore remained significantly undiscovered.

Needless to say, “C, XOXO” was released in 2024, and Cabello’s prolonged hiatus could be a sign of time spent in the studio crafting her next project, one that will hopefully mark her transition into a more appreciated artist.