Susanne Sundfr is one of the biggest stars of Norwegian music. Her last three albums all hit the top of the charts in her Scandinavian homeland and have become popular anywhere they’ve been commercially released.
But in America, Sundfr is likely best known for one of her two dance music collaborations: with French electronic producer M83 on the title song to the soundtrack for the film “Oblivion,” or with fellow Norwegians Royksopp on the oft-remixed “Running to the Sea.”
She’s not alone: America’s current dance music obsession has pushed house, techno and trance songs back into the mainstream, and with that has come added exposure for songwriters who may have struggled for attention otherwise. International performers especially have benefitted by appearing on some of EDM’s biggest hits.
Here are the voices to know — headline names and otherwise — in the dance music invasion.
Trevor Guthrie
A singer-songwriter from Vancouver, Canada, Guthrie earned a Grammy nomination alongside dance music legend Armin van Buuren for 2013’s “This Is What It Feels Like.” His latest dance collaboration, with R3HAB, “Soundwave,” was a hit last fall as well.
Foxes
The British R&B singer made a major splash in America as the voice on Zedd’s “Clarity,” which was a top 10 hit. Her solo debut in 2014 did not fully reap the benefits of her EDM guest spot, but it got her fame in her home country, and she’ll try again for the American audience with her second album, rumored to be coming later in 2015.
Kiesza
The Canadian pop singer has a legitimate worldwide smash with “Hideaway,” but is also known on dance floors as the vocalist behind Jack U’s irresistible “Take U There.” She’s touring behind “Sound of a Woman,” the album that contains “Hideaway,” currently, including an appearance at Governors Ball on June 6.
John Martin
2015 may be a huge year for the Swedish singer-songwriter. His vocals on “Save the World” and “Don’t You Worry Child” were one of the big reasons that Swedish House Mafia was able to sell out stadiums on their goodbye tour, but he’s only now putting together a solo debut album.
Sam Smith
International superstar and multiple Grammy winner Smith first came to American attention on “Latch,” the smash hit single for U.K. dance duo Disclosure, in 2012. In fact, it might have been his pop credibility from that track that got his distinctly adult contemporary leanings onto top-40 stations when “Stay With Me” was released.
Sia
While the singer-songwriter has become a superstar in her own right as of late, her introduction to many in America came through her vocals on the songs of French trip-hop duo Zero 7, including two of the band’s biggest hits (“Destiny” and “Distractions”). A role model and aspirational figure for any singer who writes songs with a dance music producer, she now has her own solo career along with a massive body of work as a songwriter, working with artists such as Beyonce and Rihanna.
If you go: Susanne Sundfr performs at Rockwood Music Hall on Thursday at 8 p.m., 196 Allen St., 212-477-4155, sold out. She also performs at Rough Trade NYC on Friday at 8 p.m., 64 N. Ninth St., Williamsburg, 212-260-4700, $15.
