Industry Leaders Music

Introducing: Music's Bold New Stars

Not to state the obvious, but beauty is a high priority at Refinery29: We cover it all, from the latest trends to the most innovative products to the gurus who share their hard-earned advice. But, to us, beauty involves much more than what meets the eye. The passion, the quirks, and the unique point of view of every woman we admire — that's what real beauty is made of.

So, to celebrate this ever-evolving concept, we're showcasing 12 women who challenge convention. That's why we teamed up with the beauty trailblazers at Revlon for our second installment of Beauty Nation: The New Provocateurs. You’ve met fashion’s rising stars; now, we’re shining a spotlight on some of the fiercest up-and-comers in the music biz.

Up ahead, you’ll get an exclusive look at 12 of the most boundary-pushing singers, songwriters, producers, and DJs out there. Whether they're baring their souls in a poetic piece of lyrical genius or shredding riffs that could blow the roof off Barclays Center, these women are shaking things up with their daring looks, their unconventional sounds, and their fierce determination. Read on, listen up, and discover the beautiful ladies behind some of music’s boldest sounds.

Julie Kathryn has mastered reinvention. A short time ago, she was a social worker — with degrees from Cornell and Columbia, no less — who sidelined as a singer/songwriter with an Americana slant (and earned plenty of accolades). But, when she started recording on a computer and realized there were new musical realms to explore, she decided to make the leap to full-time electronic chanteuse.

Now, she’s known as Snow Angel, and her new music is more Imogen Heap than Norah Jones. Her debut project, a self-written, self-produced, self-engineered, and self-titled EP, came out in February. With the way Kathryn tries on new looks and sounds, we can't wait to hear how far she pushes the envelope with even more new music this year.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY GEORDY PEARSON.

Why I stopped playing it safe
"I’d been playing guitar and piano and songwriting, in kind of a traditional way, for quite a while, but I started playing around with a computer and recording myself making electronica music. It just clicked. I Am Snow Angel, and it’s something I started in my apartment, never having produced anything before, and it just felt right. I think when I was younger, I was afraid to take risks, but this feels like a good risk. What I'm doing now is the most self-driven, self-sufficient thing I’ve ever done. It can be a little scary, because there’s no one else to blame."

What makes my songs different
"I used to work as a social worker. I worked with homeless people in really underprivileged parts of our society, so I really feel like I carry that stuff with me, and it gives me a lot of strength. As a songwriter, I think emotion is what people connect to in a song, even if it’s a pop song, and I think years of being a social worker made me really in touch with the human condition."

How I feel glamorous onstage
"I need to feel confident, and a lot of times that comes down to how I look. I like to wear something simple and sexy. And, makeup-wise, I think I do best when I pick something and go with it, either a bold lip or really great eyelashes and eyeshadow."

Zimmermann Tiger Jumpsuit, $730, available at Zimmermann; BCBG Max Azria Cap Toe Pump, $225, available at BCBG; Jewelry, Julie's own.

Makeup by Ashleigh Ciucci; Hair by Bethany Brill; Styled by Laura Pritchard