BrògealListen to: 'Friday On My Mind'
For Fans Of: Dropkick Murphys, The Pogues, The Mary Wallopers
Chiara Strazzulla
Brògeal have closed 2025 with the release of their debut album ‘Tuesday Paper Club’, and their explosive trajectory is only just beginning. The Falkirk five have curated a sound that sinks its roots into the kind of folk music you might see unfolding from a late-night jam session at the sort of pub gentrification can’t quite reach, resulting in tracks that are lively, intense, and impossible not to dance to.
SOMOH
Listen To: 'Anything'
For Fans Of: Beabadoobee, Esme Emerson, Daisy Harris
Lana Williams
With soundscapes that draw uncanny comparisons to 'Apple Cider'-era Beabadoobee, the London-based solo artist SOMOH paints vivid narratives of love ('Man'), longing ('Anything'), and raw, honest introspection ('CHUG!'). Championing soft pop meets lush folk, SOMOH's breezy, confessional soundscapes are impossible to ignore.
Radio Free Alice
Listen To: ‘Paris Is Gone’
For Fans Of: New Order, Fontaines D.C, The Strokes
Elizabeth Guest
With an ever-burgeoning discography founded upon yearning vocals, sparkling yet angular guitar licks and driving basslines, 2024 has been a stellar year for the Naarm/Melbourne-based Radio Free Alice. After the release of their third EP, ‘Empty Words’ in August of this year, the band have enjoyed increasing global notoriety, namely boasting a supporting slot for indie behemoths The Killers. Bigger, bolder, brasher: next year promises to be no exception for the quintet.
Bellah Mae Listen to 'Sting'
For Fans Of: Megan Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini, Taylor Swift
Chloe Ridgley
Contributing to the UK country music scene, Bellah Mae has built a name for herself, from giving a country twinge to Taylor Swift covers to releasing her own country-pop bops; London-based singer-songwriter Bellah Mae paints her life story from heartbreak ('Feels Like You Died'), pettiness ('Date Your Dad'), and accepting what could never be ('On Purpose'). Rising throughout the country scene with her angelic voice, humble personality, and pop anthems, Bellah will be leaving a memorable mark.
Alessi Rose
Listen to 'First Original Thought'
For Fans Of: Tate McRae, Gracie Abrams, Olivia Rodrigo
Chloe Ridgley
Two years into her career, Alessi Rose has had an incredible year, and it's only going to go up from here. Alessi has played major venues worldwide, including stadiums across the UK (supporting Dua Lipa), as well as arenas around the US (supporting Tate McRae) and her own two headline tours across the UK, EU and parts of the US. Alessi has not stopped; she is passionate, committed and driven. There's no doubt that she will fly even higher next year.
Aaron Rowe
Listen to: 'Hey Ma'
For fans of: Lewis Capaldi, Amble, Sam Fender
Kirsty Thomson
Aaron Rowe's ability to move people with his music is as instinctual as a fish's ability to swim. His story is testament to the power music has to connect people with one another and his artistry is a perfect balance of an old soul with the gritty determination of being a young lad from Ireland.
swim school
Listen to: 'delirious'
For fans of: Bleach Lab, Cliffords, She's In Parties
Kirsty Thomson
Your new favourite indie obsession, swim school, epitomise the feeling that comes with making the decision to block out outside noise and focus on what serves you. Their refusal to chase trends and instead carve out a sound that is uniquely their own is a lesson to all in what you can achieve when you have the confidence to make the music that you want to make.
Girl Group
Key Track: 'Yay! Saturday'
For Fans Of: Wet Leg, Lily Allen, Charli XCX
Emma Constance
Girl Group is an all-female experimental pop band that playfully merges genres, taking inspiration from pop, R&B, electronica and more. Writing about their experiences as women, from female friendships and chaotic nights out to bad dates, their music is relatable and endlessly fun. The five-piece have captured an audience through their refreshing and unique performance style where each of them takes turns to dance, play the keyboard or guitar, or sing.
Good Health Good Wealth
Listen To: 'Eating Good'
For Fans Of: Idles, The Streets, Jamie T
Lana Williams
London-via-Lithuania duo Good Health Good Wealth are carving out their corner on the music scene with gritty, societal observations and unfiltered narratives intertwined with captivating, layered instrumentation. Bold, biting and utterly infectious, their discography'll not remain in the "rising" category for long - jump on the GHGW bandwagon before it's too late to say "we were there first".
alphabet
Listen To: ‘Artificial Light’
For Fans Of: Sonic Youth, Slowdive, Lush
Elizabeth Guest
If searing guitar, punchy percussion, and laudanum-laced vocals are combined, then one duly gets the London-based outfit of alphabet. After releasing their first single in September 2024, alphabet have since crafted a series of singles, all expertly employing a Pixies-esque ability to build brooding, blistering tension, before exploding into a mesmeric frenzy. Both alphabet and their sound swagger with a sophistication beyond their years.
Nxdia
Listen To: 'Feel Anything'
For Fans Of: SOFIA ISELLA, Paramore, MARINA
Maisy Neale
Egyptian-Sudanese artist, Nxdia is building a boundary-breaking discography of honest introspection (‘Feel Anything’), gender euphoria (‘Body On Me’), and tales of the emotionally avoidant (‘Tin Man’). Releasing their debut mixtape this year, the gritty alt-rock sonic edge to Nxdia’s storytelling vocals is matched by an infectious onstage extravagance that everyone should promise to keep watching.
Erin LeCount
Listen to: 'Sweet Fruit'
For Fans Of: Ethel Cain, Florence + the Machine, Nessa Barrett
Jayden Jenkins
Erin LeCount, a self-taught singer, songwriter, and producer from Essex who infuses alt-pop with dreamy, hypnotic synths and electronic textures. Erin delves into themes of personal identity, childhood, and spirituality, which intertwine with her production and storytelling to showcase her unique artistic image.
Eli
Listen To: ‘Somebody I’m Not’
For Fans Of: Imogen Heap, Ariana Grande, Addison Rae
Anna Louise Jones
Making every track feel like its own universe, Eli’s glitter-pop sound and Y2K girlhood aesthetics sparkle with fresh emotion and energy. Crafting addictive melodies that feel both fresh and iconic (‘Marianne’ and ‘Girl of Your Dreams’) and covering brave themes of modern love (‘Like a Girl’, ‘Glitter’), transitioning (‘Somebody I’m Not’) and homophobia in the household (‘Sunny’) - it’s no wonder Eli is your favourite artists new favourite artist.
FLETCHR FLETCHR
Listen To: ‘Feel The Same’
For Fans Of: Fontaines D.C., Wunderhorse, Wolf Alice
Anna Louise Jones
Lingering on the fluidity of change, love, and loss, FLETCHR FLETCHR are crafting music that feels both intimate and immense. Blending inspirations of jazz, folk, drum & bass and indie-rock, the band are carving out arena-sized anthems (‘Jet Black’) and huge sonic landscapes (‘Blink Of An Eye’), with lyrics that embrace the highs and lows of growing up (‘Find Happiness’). FLETCHR FLETCHR are a band embracing the blues in the best possible way.
Compiled by Lana Williams
Images: Swim School by Rory Barnes, Bellah Mae and Alessi Rose supplied by Press, Nxdia supplied by WASSERMAN,
Good Health Good Wealth by Phoebe Cowley, alphabet by @cornolios, Erin LeCount by Furmaan Ahmed
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