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.”

Coming off a ringing endorsement from prolific tastemaker Zane Lowe during his Beats 1 segment with Apple Music, 18-year-old Grace Mitchell has been cultivating a growing fan base among indie pop lovers and the press alike. Her single “Jitter” made waves across music blogs, though it might be a little too bizarre to make a serious dent on pop radio -- and that's not a bad thing.

“Jitter” is a frenetic pop track that manages to be equal parts high-energy and mellow, with Mitchell's smoky vocals off-setting the song's frantic staccato background effects. And while it's a track worthy of party-anthem status at this point (Mitchell sings, "I couldn't be more turnt when I am over here / Just dancin' with my girls, we're knockin' over chairs / And rippin' at our shirts, gettin' so slizzard / While we dishing up this dirt") it didn’t start out that way.

Mitchell said, of the track, "We originally wanted to make it a ballad. Then, it just got faster and faster with that vocal sample. We decided to make it about that idealist young adult party situation. However, it’s high energy, reckless, promiscuous, and provocative. It’s a good indication of what I’m doing.”

From the slow-burning "Bae" to the R&B-influenced title track, Mitchell's second EP Raceday is a blend of genres that come together to create an impressive collection that separate Mitchell from her fellow up-and-coming pop contenders.

With her dark, moody vocals, the obvious comparison here might be to Lana Del Rey, and there’s some merit in that parallel. But there's an understated confidence in Mitchell's vocals, and where Lana's shtick sees the singer resigned to her own innate sadness, Mitchell's tracks are imbued with a sense of bright exuberance.

You can listen to either of Grace Mitchell's two EPs, Raceday and Design, over on Apple Music.

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

More From PopCrush