Like it or hate it, pop music (in whatever form it happens to take at the moment) dominates the charts, and it’s usually led by powerful, marketable women. The pop stars we all latch on to, the ones who develop massive followings—Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, and so on and so on—are all solo females.

Sure, we love our guys and the groups that make it big have a place in our hearts, but it seems like one of the requirements for having a true, lasting, dedicated fan base is that you’re a woman with talent and a quality that the world can’t ignore.

If you’re getting tired of hearing the same group of girls on the radio, you might need to try some new names. Here are six that might pique your interest. 

6. Chelsea Lankes

Chelsea is truly one of the best-kept secrets in the underground pop world, but one has to wonder how long that can continue with hooks like hers. Music this good will eventually find its way to the mainstream, and it is only a matter of time for Lankes.

Everything about Chelsea’s music is exceptionally well done and on-trend. Originally hailing from Texas and now making her way in Los Angeles, the singer-songwriter seems to take inspiration from the '80s, but in a very modern way. It’s especially interesting to hear her mix smooth production with real guitars, which often find a way to stand out from the beats. Want more? Try her big single “Ghost."

5. Vérité

More than any of the other women on this list, Vérité’s music embraces a certain delicate beauty, communicated primarily thanks to her lovely voice. Don’t let that fool you though—tracks like her latest, “Wasteland,” are true calls to the dancefloor. Plenty of her songs employ other elements to bring the drama, such as big instrumentals (“Weekend” is a good example) and groups of backing singers.

4. Tove Styrke

Yes, that’s right—pop music has another girl named Tove! A fellow Swede, Tove Styrke is just another in a long line of expert pop artists. Everything she creates has influences of other genres, making her entire output an eclectic mix of rock, electronica, and even reggae. The singer is back on the scene now after a few years off, and she’s coming back with a vengeance thanks to her Borderline EP.

3. Hayley Kiyoko

You may already know Kiyoko’s name and face...if you live with young kids. Before making music a priority in her life, Kiyoko had plenty of successful acting gigs, mostly in movies and TV shows aimed at kids, including several Scooby-Doo films. She even already has a successful, charted album thanks to being in the cast of the Disney movie Lemonade Mouth.

Her music has a certain quality to it that makes it feel rather big, making use of expert production and cranking the volume all the way up. While she may have just released her debut EP This Side Of Paradise, that doesn’t mean she’s done with acting. Hayley will be starring in the latest expansion of the CSI empire, CSI: Cyber, now airing on CBS.

2. Monogem

Jen Hirsch, AKA Monogem, is proof that you don’t need big budgets or celebrity producers to make some really great pop music. The Californian is working on perfecting electro-pop, bringing new depth and meaning to a genre that hasn’t been taken seriously for a long time.

Monogem is actually the moniker of Jen and Scott Smith, who is in charge of production and songwriting. The two met in Boston while attending Berklee College of Music, and I for one am grateful that they finally started creating wonderful music together. 

1. Zara Larsson

Larsson is just further proof that there really must be something in the water in Sweden. The singer, who won Sweden’s Got Talent at the age of 10 and is still just a teenager, is finally making her way to America.

In Scandinavia she already has a healthy catalog, including plenty of successful singles and a number one album. Her Uncover EP—named for the song of the same name which is her biggest hit to date—was just released in the US, and it’s only a matter of time until she makes a name for herself on this side of the Atlantic as well.