Every week at PopCrush, we’re putting the spotlight on one up-and-coming act you need to know about. Why? So you can get on board early before everyone else and their mother jumps on the bandwagon…and so you can be that one friend in the group who’s always like, “Um, actually, I prefer their earlier work.”

While 1999's Fanmail collects dust in the most avowed TLC buff's basement, Carla Cappa—better known as CAPPA—proved last month that "No Scrubs" still had some mileage left in it. Upon release of her sweeter, wispy remake to streaming highways, the track shot up to the Top 5 of Spotify's Viral 50 list and proved there was space for an indie singer-songwriter with proper appreciation of Atlanta-based R&B trios.

But don't call the 24-year-old a cover artist—she's been writing songs since she was seven and won the USA songwriting competition in 2009 with "I'm Not," a single from her first album. Now based in Nashville, the Philadelphia native's playing with pop's softer territories (she told PopWrapped it's "vibe-y pop" in October), exploring floaty tones generally reserved for angels' choirs. Still, you won't hear the word of God on her eponymous EP, which was released in May and includes darker notes across "Killin' It" and the sullen, regretful "Rain."

CAPPA's most recent original release, "Other Girls" lands somewhere between Phoebe Ryan and Ellie Goulding, and makes a dulcet appeal to resurrect a relationship that's already collapsed. "'Cause you can hold her at night, but we both know you're still mine / We both know you're still mine," she insists over a humming buzz that's equal parts pleasant and stressful.

"I don’t want to box myself in a corner with my music; I just want it to be what authentically comes out," she added to PopWrapped, and noted she's hard at work on new music. "Whether it’s dark or a bit lighter, I’m cool with either. I like to think of 'Other Girls' as an underdog, girl anthem. It sounds super fun and a little more pop friendly, but at the end of the day, it’s basically about me getting dumped."

At least she wears heartbreak well...

Take a listen to "No Scrubs" and "Other Girls" above, tell us what you think and if you like what you hear, be sure to download the CAPPA EP.

Who would you like to see featured in PopCrush Presents next? Tweet us at @popcrush with your recommendations using #PopCrushPresents!

See what these artists looked like when their first albums were released:

 

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