This past weekend at Coachella, one of the biggest music and arts festivals in the world, Kanye West joined Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd) onstage, which I believe established The Weeknd as an A-lister in the music scene. And, for a good reason.

The Weeknd sounds exactly as he does live as on his records -- something that you unfortunately don't see often enough in the mainstream. He seems to have pioneered the hybrid between R&B and hip-hop music, a genre that has largely been popularized by his song "Earned It" on the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack.

The Weeknd's music is full of dark lust, resounding emotion, and tender vulnerability. Check out my playlist "nextdoor" (above) for my favorites from The Weeknd in addition to other artists characterized by that same soulful, seductive style. In my first "ARTISTS SIMILAR TO" post, I'd like to show you some more artists I've been into lately who match The Weeknd's sensual quality, while creating nuanced styles of their own (for the notable tracks, refer to my playlist above):

PARTYNEXTDOOR

PARTYNEXTDOOR'S music is ruthlessly honest like The Weeknd's but, as The Fader writes, less emotionally "detached" than the Weeknd's tracks. Listen to PARTYNEXTDOOR if you're a fan of that dark aesthetic from The Weeknd.

NOTABLE TRACKS:
x "Break From Toronto" // This one features a gorgeous sample from Miguel's "Girl with the Tattoo," which is also featured in my playlist.
x "Wus Good / Curious" // No words needed.
x "Sex On The Beach" // I was stoked to hear a "Latch (feat. Sam Smith)" by Disclosure sample.

Miguel

Miguel's voice carries a lovely, bold seductiveness like The Weeknd, while with a more echoey howl that communicates an incredibly raw sense of emotional urgency.

NOTABLE TRACKS:
x "Girl with The Tattoo" // A short track, but one that really showcases Miguel's vocal talent.
x "Power Trip (feat. Miguel) // J. Cole's tougher raps contrast intensely with Miguel's softer vocals in this song.

Jeremih

Jeremih's music, while sharing that deep, alternative vibe from The Weeknd carries a more ghostly, breathy ambience, while sometimes more upbeat (and less lyrically moving) in a track like "Birthday Sex." His music seems to characterize more of a guilty-pleasure genre than one I'd be open to listening for emotional fulfillment.

NOTABLE TRACKS:
x "All The Time (feat. Lil Wayne & Natasha Moseley)"
x "Birthday Sex" // Definitely a notable hit from 2009.

Want more? Listen to J. Cole and Drake, also featured in my playlist above.

Future trap is the new wave of trap music that has been making waves in the electronic scene, with artists like Flume and Hermitude completely changing the game, drawing from influences from hip-hop, house, and garage to seriously push that boundaries of what electronic music can bring to the dance floor.

Listen Here

I love this genre because of it's one I've always found myself in the mood for, whether I'm in need of a morning pick-me-up, having a bad day, or just in need of motivation to get work done. It's emotional and vulnerable, but at the same time, stirring, passionate and even uplifting. If you're finding a genre that commands a presence, you've come to the right place.

The drops in the 26 songs in this playlist "f i r e" transform these emotive songs that feature smooth, deep vocals into incredibly badass, strong synth tracks. I've started with a stunning new release from What So Not (which consists of Emoh Instead, and formerly Flume): "Gemini," with George Maple's airy vocals that bring a gorgeous depth to the song. I first heard Maple's music when she collaborated with Flume in the song "Bring You Down" in 2012.

Another new release in this playlist is Flume's remix of "Lay Me Down" by current pop and soul king Sam Smith. While the anticipation really builds in the beginning, I do feel that it drags out a bit throughout the entire track, while not providing as big of a satisfying drop as his remix of "Tennis Court" by Lorde (also included in this playlist).

My "f i r e" playlist is getting me pumped for the What So Not and Flume concerts coming up. If you like what you hear, snag their tickets here and here.