CULTURE Turn It Up Chart-topping artists Wiz Khalifa and Camila Cabello on their eagerly awaited winter albums—plus three playlist- ready breakout acts. By Brianna Kovan

elle: How long does it take you to write a song? wk: Two verses and a chorus is about 45 minutes. I listen to them throughout the week— that’s how I find out what sticks, and then I strengthen those points. That [part] could take from a week to three years. elle: Your Khalifa Kush strand ready ode to friendships lost and of weed is almost two years old. found, which features last sum- How has weed culture changed? mer’s multiweek-chart-topping wk: Edibles, oils, and tinctures track “Havana.” “Hanging out are becoming more popular. with the wrong people makes You can rub CBDs on your you feel more alone than if you joints, legs, and arms. Those are were by yourself,” says the multi- less scary than smoking a joint. platinum artist, whose 2017 sin- gles (like “OMG” and “Crying GONE SOLO in the Club”) have earned her 41 A year after splitting from the million–plus monthly Spotify lis- all-girl band Fifth Harmony, Cu- teners. “People change and grow ban American singer-songwriter apart—that’s a constant part of Camila Cabello, 21, is out with life. Being with the right people her debut album, Camila, a radio- just makes you way happier.”

FRESH FACES KIM PETRAS AMY SHARK DARLINGSIDE HQ: Los Angeles HQ: Gold Coast, HQ: Cambridge, by way of Germany Australia Massachusetts The sound: The sound: Wandering The sound: Harmony- Bubblegum-pop indie pop laden folk anthems The pitch: The Aussie The pitch: The four- THE WIZ wk: Absolutely. He’s four, and The pitch: After her artist—whose 2016 track person string band, Multiplatinum Pittsburgh rapper he’s going to listen to my music. August debut single, “Adore” has tallied 28 whose 2015 album, Wiz Khalifa returns this month I want him to be able to repeat “I Don’t Want It At million Spotify streams— Birds Say, debuted All,” topped Spotify’s kicked off her first North at number eight on with his fourth Atlantic studio it, and for parents to be proud Global 50 chart in just American headlining tour Billboard’s Northeast album, featuring August’s R&B when their kids play with him. four days and racked last month. It features her Heatseekers chart, just radio hit “Something New.” elle: What role did music play up one million Spotify 2017 debut EP, Night launched its second streams in two weeks, Thinker, which entered nationally released elle: Which song on the album in your early life? Petras—who underwent Australia’s charts at album, Extralife. It pairs means the most to you? wk: Growing up, I escaped gender-reassignment number two and earned the band’s four-part wiz khalifa: “Be Okay.” I’d through music and found surgery at the age of Shark Breakthrough harmonies with guitar, 16—is revving up a Artist and Best Pop violin, bass, kick drum,

been working on it for three meaning in it for why I’m here. series of winter singles Release at the country’s mandolin, banjo, Clockwise from top left: Brian Ziff/Lickerish/CPI Syndication; Miller Mobley/ August Image; Cameron Gee; Steve Wyper; Charlotte Rutherford years, and [last] year, my sister People gravitate toward this and collabs. ARIA Awards. and bouzouki. passed away. That’s when I was lifestyle, but it’s the artist’s able to tie everything together. responsibility to help people. elle: Right before 2014’s One of my inspirations is Bob Blacc Hollywood, you had a son, Marley. When he started using Sebastian. Has he changed your his voice for a reason, that con- approach to music? nected to people.

326