Stevie G: Hail the next era of girls to run the world 

Madonna recently secured her highest charting UK single in nearly 20 years with Kylie Minogue. The Love Sensation remix comes from Madonna’s well received dancey Confessions album and in a pop and entertainment world notoriously hostile to older women it is some achievement from the duo.

It got me thinking about the modern day pop landscape from a woman’s perspective, and how it’s looking 30 or 40 years after Madonna and Kylie’s prime. There is plenty of new and emerging talent out there, but who are the next global superstars?

There is certainly no shortage of contenders. Many have staked their claim already and fit the bill.

Beyoncé is at the top of the list. Culturally and commercially, she has made a huge impact since the ’90s, but it’s been her solo career which has elevated her to the top level. In her slipstream Rihanna enjoyed a massive run of hit singles and albums too, before retreating a little from the music business, while Alicia Keys, Sza and many more have come from a hip-hop and r&b background into the wider public eye.

In pure pop terms you would have to mention Taylor Swift, while Lady Gaga is another who remains a consistent big hitter in this century. Britney Spears, Adele, Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Chappel Roan are just a few of the singers who have made a massive impact, while Shakira has proved once again this summer that she remains a global hitmaker at the highest level. Karol G is massive too globally, as are K-pop stars Jennie and Rosė. In truth I could have mentioned many more.

Right now in 2026 there are many great women gaining momentum in the pop world.

Tyla is one of the most fascinating, and her new album A*POP is very polished and assured. Emerging about three years ago with a genuine modern classic in Water, Tyla has probably been the nearest thing we’ve had to Rihanna in the 2020s, and while the RiRi comparisons will continue, A*POP again suggests that Tyla is finding her own wings. It’s even more pop orientated than her solid debut, and since Water she’s already enjoyed quite a lot of airplay with some of the previously released singles from this album, including Chanel and She Did It Again.

Overall, the album successfully blends various pop genres pretty effortlessly, and while it’s hardly revolutionary, it is definitely another important step for Tyla. The South African singer saves some of the more specialist tracks for the end of the album, and Amapiano and Afro house of Crazy of Me and I Don’t Care will prove accessible enough for the mainstream fans while pleasing some underground music heads too. It’s an album packed with hits and radio and club play won’t be a problem for Tyla as she continues to rise in 2026. Current single That Girl is gonna be another huge smash and Tyla’s voice will continue to shine as the summer fades.

Her She Did It Again collaborator Zara Larsson is another great artist whose momentum is on the way up at the moment and while sometimes I can take or leave her material, she has the personality and talent to become a top tier global pop star too. She is amazing on stage and a great dancer too.

It would be hard to talk about the new wave of great pop stars without mentioning Doja Cat. One of the most versatile artists of the modern era, Doja Cat can sing, rap, write and do pretty much everything, plus she is one of the most visually intriguing artists since Gaga.

On a more specialist dance tip, PinkPantheress continues to impress, and she’s got a super personality and unique vibe, which translates well in her music.

Our own Jazzy is now a hitmaker of global proportions too, and I’m looking forward to her debut album proper in the next few months, while TikTok generation youngsters such as Tate McRae and Addison Rae continue to develop their careers at a good pace too.

From a personal taste perspective, I’ve been delighted to see a new wave of soul and r&b influenced music cross over into the big time, and Raye, Olivia Dean and even Sienna Spiro are possibly soon to be joined by young Scottish star Brooke Combe as artists who can gain traction in both pop and soul music.

The new wave of pop divas come from all sorts of different backgrounds, and some of them will become global superstars in future years.