Barry Can’t Swim
Described as a mix of Moby and Fred Again, Scottish producer Joshua Mannie – aka Barry – has surfed to acclaim on the back of December’s Ninja Tune-released debut When Will We Land? Fans have gone overboard in their appreciation – taking to turning up at his gigs hefting life rafts.
Hear: The groovy ‘Always Get Through To You’, featuring rapper Surya Sen.
See: A boisterous ‘Blackpool Boulevard’ live from London.

Caity Baser
Nominated for the Brits’ “Rising Star” Award, Southampton-born Baser started writing songs in her bedroom, channelling life as a teenager in the burbs. Her chatty pop – think Lily Allen meets Anne-Marie – has found an audience on TikTok, while she has cultivated a friendship with Cork singer Cian Ducrot.
Hear: ‘I Love Making Boys Cry’ epitomises her playful, heartfelt songwriting.
See: Baser’s Brit Awards Rising Star performance of ‘Pretty Boys’ captures her wit and stage presence.

English Teacher
The Leeds band met studying classical music, and their songs are both raw and gutsy, but also musically intricate. Initially recording as Frank, they’ve rebranded as English Teacher and gone straight to the top of the class.
Hear: ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’ has a punk energy and art-school sense of weirdness and infinite possibility
See: ‘Paving Slab’ came to life when performed on Later…With Jools Holland.

English Teacher. Credit: Tatiana Pozuelo

Fat Dog
Signed to Domino and earning comparisons to madcap art-rockers The Fat White Family – and not just because of their name – Fat Dog are bedraggled pop weirdos poised to have a big 2023.
Hear: ‘All The Same’ is The Fall trapped in early 1990s Prodigy – and what’s wrong with that?
See: See them play an entire set at The 100 Club London.

Hannah Grae
Fans of Olivia Rodrigo and Avril Lavigne will adore Welsh Gen Zer Hannah Grae’s spiky punk-pop and rumination on the trials of adolescence such as ‘Well I Hope Ur Happy’.
Hear: ‘It Could’ve Been You’ is a spry punk-pop number that springs from the traps.
See: Her quasi-acoustic take on ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’, which she describes as the ultimate break-up song.

Kenya Grace
Grace has already achieved a place in the history books. Her disembodied single ‘Strangers’ topped the UK charts in October, making her just the second female solo artist to have a solo number one with a track they wrote and produced. You might have heard of the other: Kate Bush.
Hear: ‘Strangers’ is a lovely blend of drum ‘n’ bass grooves, downbeat melodies and lyrics about the travails of dating (“How can we say that this is love when it goes like this?”)
See: She reprises ‘Strangers’ at a 2023 SpotifyWrapped gig.

Hotline TNT
The New Yorkers are signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records, but the vibe is 100 per cent shoegaze, with huge, fuzzy wafts of guitar and kitchen-sink production prominent. The triumphant return of Slowdive in 2023 –  their latest LP flew into the UK top five – suggested this loudest of genres is about to come roaring back. Hotline TNT could well be the face of the new shoegaze revolution.
Hear: Buckle up for the gorgeous indie onslaught of ‘I Thought You’d Change’.
See: Watch them chug through an entire 20-minute set via a live Audiotree session.

HotWax
This indie trio from the South Coast of England channel the crunching spirit of 1990s indie – despite being too young to have been around at the time.
Hear: Landfill indie meets Riot Grrl via The White Stripes on the thumping and irresistible ‘High Tea’
See: See them cover ‘Loser’ by Beck for a blog session.

HotWax

Lambrini Girls
Riot Grrrl rides again with Phoebe Lunny and Lily Macieira, who take aim at misogynists and creeps in the indie scene via slamming alternative punk that hits like a molotov cocktail between the eyes. Iggy Pop likes them – and a big 2024 surely beckons.
Hear: ‘Boys in the Band’ is about creeps and abusers on the alternative scene.
See: The video to ‘White Van’ captures the sheer ferocity of the duo.

Omar Lay
Championed by Apple Music’s “Africa Rising” playlist, Nigerian-born Lay blends Afrobeat and hip hop. He also draws on his experience as a member of teen boyband Lil King prior to his break-out out as a solo artist on the songs ‘Hello Brother’ and ‘Do Not Disturb’ – hits in Nigeria now conquering the world.
Hear: The beautifully mysterious ‘Holy Ghost’ is a haunting ballad that marks Lay as a genre-hopping star to watch.
See: Watch him conquer Paris with a 90-minute live performance from last year.

Seb Lowe
Heralded as the “TikTok troubadour” 2024 needs, Oldham teenager Seb Lowe has charmed with his chugging pop. He credits social media with fuelling his popularity – and shaping his songwriting.
His writing also has a strain of political awareness, with lyrics referencing the rental crisis and right-wing punditry. Lowe credits Sinead O’Connor as an influence, telling Rolling Stone, “When she died, I think that was the first time my mum and me have both been really, genuinely impacted by the death of someone we didn’t know”.
Hear: ‘I Fell In Love With A Talking Head’ blends heart-on-sleeve lyrics and sparkling ’70s guitars.
See: He sticks a pin in British exceptionalism with a live performance of ‘Ode To Britannia’

Mega
The London songwriter grew up singing in a gospel choir while hoovering up Britney Spears on the radio. With family roots in Uganda, she is also versed in African music – all of which combines to create a heady mix of soul and pop.
Hear: ‘Be Good Be Kind’ is a soulful ballad where Mega lays her heart on the line understated fashion – like a folk Adele.
See: Her wonderful vocals pack a punch in a live session recorded for the NME.

Mega

Mette
The Minnesota singer has a disturbing origin story: she appeared in Tom Hooper’s horror-show adaptation of Andrew Loyd Webber’s Cats. There is a happy twist – she also starred as Video Game Barbie in the biggest movie of 2023 that wasn’t about atomic bombs. Musically, meanwhile, she specialises in plaintive pop that showcases her super-charged vocals.
Hear: ‘Van Gogh’ combines avant-garde production with a melody you can – nay must – hum in the shower.
See: Mette delivers a rocking reading of ‘Van Gogh’ at the 2023 Fashion Awards.

Moistbreezy
Inspired by LadyGaga and CharlieXCX, New York singer and producer Moistbreezy – she also answers to Ida Chelengar – brings a maximalist perspective to pop. Fan favourites ‘When I’m Gone’ and ‘Pure Imagination’ hit like The Matrix with better grooves. Has there ever been a better time in history for dystopian bangers?
Hear: ‘When I’m Gone’ is a future shock belter that lives somewhere between ‘Poker Face’ and an early William Gibson novel.
See: She hits the tennis vourt with aplomb in the video to ‘Once In A Lifetime’ (nothing to do with Talking Heads).

Picture Parlour
Courtney Love was an early supporter of the London retro-rockers, whose music has been variously compared to vintage psychedelia and the Arctic Monkeys at full, lounge-pop pelt.
Hear: ‘Judgement Day’ is a lovely, swaying indie anthem that showcases singer Katherine Parlour’s star power.
See: The video to single ‘Norwegian Wood’ taps their love for Ingmar Bergman.

Say Now
Initially going as “needanamebro”, this teenage R&B trio have clocked up 11 million TikTok likes for their witty and defiant pop. Of their influences, they say: “We love girl groups like Sugababes because they’re so British sounding, Spice Girls because of their fun, girly lyrics”.
Hear: There’s a hint of All Saints to the wonderfully propulsive ‘SINGLE’.
See: Their wonderful harmonies are on show on the acoustic version of ‘Not A Lot Left To Say’.

ScarLip
Bronx rapper Sierra Lewis aims to put the oomph back in hip-hop. “I bring authenticity, unapologetic rawness, and aggression,” the 22-year-old told Stereogum. “I’m bringing pain back to rap. I’m always gonna bring the ugly side.”
Comforting her music isn’t. Fuelled by Lewis’s from-the-hip delivery and heavy, wonky beats, her oeuvre is thrillingly aggressive – which may explain why she has attracted cheerleaders in Cardi B, Busta Rhymes and Ice Spice.
Hear: Early single 'Therapy’ is the perfect introduction to Planet ScarLip, with its deep grooves and supple rhymes.
See: The video to the official remix of single ‘Blick’ has Lewis rocking out with collaborator NLE Choppa to epic effect.

Ayra Starr
At the forefront of a new generation of Afrobeat singers, Starr grew up in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, before moving to Lagos with her family to further her music career. Just 22, she’s already creating a splash. Inspired by Whizkid, Kelly Rowland and Nicki Minaj, 2021 single ‘Away’ clocked up 10 million YouTube views; 12 months later, Starr created history with her single ‘Rush’, when she became the youngest female African singer to achieve 100 million YouTube views.
Hear: Seismically catchy, ‘Rush’ is the perfect introduction to her ferocious pop.
See: The video to last year’s beautifully stuttering ‘Rhythm & Blues’ confirms her magnetism as a singer – it also features a huge haystack, which we could always do with more of in pop.

Ayra Starr

Hemlocke Springs
Having gone viral “by accident” with her brittle indie number ‘Girlfriend’, Ivy League student Naomi Udu has graduated to bigger things via debut EP, Going…Going…Gone!, which drew praise from Grimes and Remi Wolfe. The ’80s are an obvious influence – but the Gen Z melancholy is entirely original to Udu.
Hear: ‘Pos’ is a playful and funky introduction, with hilarious lyrics to boot (“Oh s***, I forgot what…What are the words?”)
See: The ‘Severe The Blight’ video blends Game Of Thrones and van Gogh with wonderful results.

Thandii
From the British hipster seaside haven of Margate, the duo of Jess Berry and Graham Godfrey create woozy, groovy alternative pop – no surprise when you consider past collaborators include Ghoestpoet, Little Simz and Sault leader Inflo.
Hear: ‘The End Of The World’ brings together laid-back, cocktail lounge vibes and a rising sense of menace that recalls Twin Peaks.
See: The video to ‘Another One’ finds our heroes bopping out by the sea.

TiaCorine
The North Carolina rapper broke through via the ancient medium of TikTok and achieved success with a remix of her tune ‘Lotto’, featuring rapper DaBaby. Her sound falls into the Southern Trap genre – it’s ruggedly direct and pulsates with a disembodied ache.
Hear: ‘Lotto’ is a high-kicking introduction to her world.
See: TiaCorine comes at you all puns blazing on the meditative ‘Freaky T’, the video to which features the artist rocking a pink leather jacket.

Tyla
South African songwriter Tyla Laura Seethal is already a star in her home country and is now making waves globally, with the single ‘Water’ reaching 14 on the US Billboard charts. “Everything that’s happening has surpassed anything I could have dreamt of,” she says. “African music is going global and I’m so blessed to be one of the artists pushing the culture.”
Hear: Savvy, stonking and splashy, ‘Water’ is the perfect calling card.
See: Tyla show her reflective side on the quasi-acoustic ‘Butterflies’, which comes with a soft-focused video.

Wednesday
Already on their fifth album, the North Carolina indie band have suddenly become a name to drop with their intense, ’90s-styled alternative pop.
Hear: ‘TV In The Gas Bump’ inhabits a middle distance between Throwing Muses and Boygenius.
See: They blitz through fan favourite ‘Quarry’ in a live recording from Alabama venue Saturn.

Wednesday

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