by Poppy Booth

Every year, new artists emerge. Seemingly going from 0-100, their music suddenly arrives on the scene: they are played over and over on radio stations, mentioned in every day conversation, and booked for bigger and better (and more expensive) gigs. But where did these artists come from, and why do we only know about them now? As much as we hate to admit it, it is every music lover’s guilty pleasure to remind their less cultured friends that ‘I knew about them before they were famous’. It’s pretentious, but it’s true, and I want to help. As a new decade begins, I am here to give you my Top 6 up-and-coming British artists to watch, so that one day, you too can be that person. My credentials? None. My taste? Subjective. But these artists, all offering something unique and exciting, are unquestionably ones you will want to lay claim to later in their career, trust me.

Olivia Dean

Hailing from East London, and with a mere 44,112 monthly Spotify listeners, Olivia Dean is bringing a relaxed, soulful but relatable track-list to the British music scene. Her song ‘Password Change’ takes a petty fight between a couple watching the football, and turns it into a beautiful song, with inflections inspired by classic Jazz, and a full sound supported by brass accompanying her deep vocals. My personal favourite track is ‘Reason to Stay’, but all of her songs are a treat to listen to.

Lily Moore

Another Southerner, Lily Moore is based in Brighton. Her voice is like a mix of Amy Winehouse (the highest compliment) and Lily Allen, and her music is reminiscent of both 00s Indie Pop and the likes of Etta James and Gladys Knight: an odd combination, but one which results in a cool, catchy and complex musical style. Moore is the daughter of the late guitar legend, Gary Moore, but this link to the music business has not made her path to success easy. She frequented the Brighton busking scene, before playing in pubs and eventually winning a competition to play at the Great Escape Festival in 2015. She deserves her inevitable success, and if there is just one song to prove this, it’s ‘In-Between’.

Celeste

There are few artists who I tell absolutely everyone I meet about, who make me so excited about what they are going to do, and who, if I was a record producer, I would sign on the spot. Celeste is one of them. Born in Los Angeles but shortly after moving to Brighton (a hot-spot for new talent, it seems), Celeste’s ethereal, soulful and all-surrounding music is quick to catch your attention. She can do anything, it seems. The song ‘Strange’ is quiet and haunting, while ‘Daydreaming’ has an impressive and powerful chorus, illustrating her versatility. The duet of her and Paul Weller, performing ‘You Do Something To Me’ is stunning, and her voice is one which comes round only once in a while. She recently won the Brits Critics Choice award, so don’t wait too long to listen, or you’ll be left behind.

Willie J Healey

One final Southern musician, from Oxfordshire, Willie J Healey is on the verge of something big. I’m hearing him on Radio 6 every now and then, and his new EP, ‘Hello Good Morning’ seems to be capturing the attention of critics, and for good reason. His songs contain progressive themes, and his new-wave style combined with his unique voice, resulting in something that can’t be ignored for long. What’s more, he just seems like a really nice person, which is always a bonus. He’s toured with Sundara Karma, and recently finished his own Headline tour. He will be playing much larger venues soon, undoubtably, so try and catch him now if you can.

Brooke Bentham

Finally moving up North, South Shields local Brooke Bentham has a style evocative of the 90s grunge scene, but with more modern musicality and a hint of folk. Her deep vocals and writing style suggest a lifetime of experience, but the 24 year old is still at the beginning of her career. Recently supporting Sam Fender on tour, a fellow North-Easterner, it is only a matter of time before she gains the recognition she deserves. For a taster of her more recent stuff, listen to ‘Perform for You’. It’s so good.

SPINN

The only band on this list, SPINN is a four-piece from Liverpool, joining Brooke Bentham in representing the talent of the North. Theirs is the kind of music I would listen to on a night-time drive, giving chilled out, indie-pop vibes. They sound like the best sides of the 00s indie scene, creating Dream Pop, while simultaneously being extremely down-to-earth and funny behind the scenes. Frontman Johnny Quinn described their album, released earlier this year, as "the best album. It's the best album of all. Not even of all time, just the best album.” With inspirations from The Cure and The Smiths, this band is just out to make good songs, and that they do. A personal favourite of mine is ‘Is There Something That I Missed?’.

I don’t want to make any promises, but I’m pretty certain (let’s call it 93%) that at least one of these above artists will be big. I called it with Lizzo and Sam Fender, so if my track record tells you anything, it’s that I might be right. If you want to find yourself in that endlessly satisfying ‘I knew them before they were famous’ situation, then do yourself a favour and give these artists a chance. You won’t regret it.

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