Our first edition of the Ones To Watch playlist of 2024 is here with 10 standout artists we're on the look out for!
CTRL - Mysie
Raised in South London with Ugandan roots, Mysie’s music is as global as her upbringing. Despite being a classically trained pianist, her music melds deep house, indie-rock and indie-electronica to create a sound that just makes your body move.
Chrissi - Lipo
English singer/songwriter Chrissi offered us an audio journal in her 4 track EP No Love Unrequited. While the EP is bound by her reflections of her romantic experience, each song meanders enough in production style and vocal delivery to keep the project varied enough with a short track list. This EP and Chrissi's music by extension is honest, warm and not afraid to be indulgent in the morose. She hits a pain centre that many listeners will find relatable. Her vocal ability is undeniable but it's her pen game that's truly outstanding.
Nippa - Reverse
Since emerging onto the UK music scene 2 years ago, Nippa has quickly become one to watch after receiving cosigns from Bryson Tiller, Dave and Russ. His sound is neither old school, nor quite new school - a melodic and smooth sound that combines past and present.
dexter in the newsagent - Blue Skies
dexter in the newsagent is amongst the new generation of indie-r&b. If you can conjure up how you feel when looking at the blue sky on a sunny day, blue skies is that feeling in melodic form. dexter in the newsagent perfectly stacks her sing-talky croon on top of airy guitar riffs and warm piano chords.
BXKS - Back It Up
BXKS makes music for the friendly ladies in the girls toilet on a night out. For the girls who go from skanking to throwing it back. Back It Up perfectly combines house, 808 beats and UK noughties garage to create a track that just makes you want to, well, throw it bacckkk
Natanya- Foolish
Natanya is perfectly primed for making music. She was born with a perfect pitch, has classical piano training, attended jazz school and obsessively studying the vocal ability of her favorite singers growing up. The singer/songwriter frequently cites her obsession with making music, even before she knew she'd want to be part of the industry. She reveals that the single Foolish, which amassed over 1 million streams on Spotify, was made mid-revision for A levels with a sock over a microphone.
Shallipopi - Cast
This Nigerian native is swiftly garnering popularity. With a cosign from established artists like Fireboy DML and Focalistic, as well as fellow up and coming star ODUMODUBLVCK on his hit song Cast, it is only a matter of time until he becomes a household name himself. With an EP and album drop this year alone, new fans can enjoy an already expansive body of work that playfully hopscotches from afrobeats and amapiano.
Summer Banton - Be My Guest
The South London singer/songwriter's end of summer drop Be my Guest is a delicious slice of R&B nostalgia. The Livingstone Brown production and the track's visuals combines all the parts of the late 90s and early 2000s that made that time iconic. Summer's other drop this year Miss Me is a stripped back guitar production that lets her vocals take centre stage without compromising on the fun, preppy sound you'll grow to love her for.
£Monzo - Pgg Freestyle
Meet £Monzo. Not much is known about her as a person, so she lets the music speak for itself. Self-produced Pgg Freestyle is bragadocious, fun and flirty, perfect for her infectious and raspy flow. Produced by herself, it's clear she’s crafted a distinct sound.
Romeo + Juliet- Gem
This Jersey native's album Raging Bull solidifies him as a force in the making in the modern R&B scene. This self produced and self-written project perfectly exemplifies the way new age R&B can be a sonic playrgound when an artists leans onto curiosity and playfulness. From the catchy lyrics, to the fun vocal delivery, listening to Romeo +Juliet is a truly wondrous experience.