On the Rise
Cautious Clay

"Our music is the ultimate scrapbook... with these projects, we’re tracking our lives in real time.”

The Dirty Hit-signed trio from Kansas City, TyFaizon, Deiondre, and TheBabeGabe could be the label's trump card, with a DIY work ethic that's led them to drop three albums to date, with a fourth due in 2021. Mixing nods to mid-noughties melodic indie alongside a genuine celebration of what it feels like to be young and make mistakes, Blackstarkids are creating a blueprint for the perfect indie disco anthem.

"Our main aim through what we’re doing is to spread love and positivity, and to help even just one person get past shit they might be dealing with through being able to relate to what we write about."

Dialling down the tempo via a string of single releases over the past few months, London three-piece Jacquard Looms’ muted palette, to some extent, resonates with the twilight tone of the times. Lulling acoustic vibes intertwine with laconic vocal drawls in a quasi-hip-hop motion that proves at once emotionally distant yet rejuvenating. Sparse ambience and subtle electronic nods saunter in an openness that strikes at the core of the band's slow-burning traction and appeal.

“I thought it would be an interesting name to use for this project because so much of my life has been back and forth between art and electronic music and folk. But I think in the end they can all come together with this project.”

New York-born Helen Ballentine channelled a summer of depression and obsessive Nick Drake listening into her first compositions and has inevitably found a home among her peers on Secretly Canadian. Last year’s “Places/Plans” toplined an EP that showcased an expansive melodic soundscape: crunchy acoustic guitar, open-tunings, and music to get lost in.

“We weren’t really within a scene so we weren’t influenced by a movement of music. That's why we are so different to most of the bands in London, because we just had ourselves.”

Last year saw the fresh-faced Fiction-signed trio transcend the orbit of their utterly charming bedroom pop, as well as their suburban Hampshire hometown, rocketing towards London and tour dates with The Orielles. Their improvised cut-up methods of lyricism and celestial pop creativity know no bounds.

“I push my honesty, that’s what’s really interesting about what I do, that’s what people connect to and that’s what the world needs.”

The moniker of London-based Bella Latham, Baby Queen taps and swipes through touchstone topics of the modern age with wit and refreshing honesty. She twins subjects such as mental health and the pervasiveness of internet culture with synth-rich bubblegum sheen. Recent six-track EP Medicine found the South African-born artist in her element, volleying flights of electro-pop with unfiltered lyrical depth – an off-kilter but irresistible duality that hooks without fail.

“I don’t think I’ve reached my full potential, it’s an ever-evolving thing and I want to make music for the rest of my life, so I want to keep getting better.”

Greentea Peng’s exciting twist on neo-soul is informed as much by Dilla, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill as it is her time spent in both Mexico and the UK capital. A smoky South-London soul sound with a psychedelic filter, she’s making music that explores facets of identity, personality and spirituality - it’s expansive, intelligent and nourishing.

“I love the fact I’m in the countryside, there’s just this sense of freshness and freedom you can’t get anywhere else.” 


Finn Askew’s take on melody-rich hyperpop sees the Somerset-born songwriter finding a summer-washed timelessness that revels in youth and excitement. A collab with Canadian producer Whipped Cream and a clutch of tracks in 2020 - beginning with “Roses” - have added colour and depth to the 19-year-old’s musical vision. A debut EP is promised at the end of the month.

"I’m not saying my EP is going to change the world, but people need stuff to cling onto right now."

Adding whispers and dark electronic twists to a more classical approach to songwriting Licolnshire-based aritst Holly Humberstone tackles self-loathing, pain, desperation and depression in the charming tracks which complete her debut EP Falling Asleep At The Wheel. Every track is like a conversation and through the captivating warmth of her voice and relatable lyrics Humberstone subtly slid into the lives of many as a new friend and beacon of hope during the pandemic. With three already sold-out London shows scheduled for later in the year, Humberstone is here to stay.

"I'd much rather go through bad stuff, feel it completely and write about it, and work through it in all those ways than protect myself from it and not have anything good happen ever. I think it's tied together— you can never feel bad without feeling good. And vice versa."

Auckland-raised Molly Payton relocated to London two years back, as a 16-year-old and dropped her debut EP Mess in Spring of last year. Her brand of lyrically mature, angsty, shambolic pop juts between extremes of melody and discord, and found a fan in schoolfriend Oscar Lang, who produced her first tracks.

“I want to spread a message of self-love and patience, a gentle nudge to keep doing things that make us happy.”

Hong Kong-born and London bred, bb sway is part of a bubbling DIY scene generating that oh-so affable bedroom-pop sound in Blighty. “Habits”, her final single of 2020, is as delightfully sweet as it is soothing; opening with bright, tropical chimes and a chilled beat, sways’ impish vocal style drifts along her self-aware lyrics as she weaves messages of self-love and acceptance into her songs. Despite finding its nucleus in sway’s experience with depression, the track is the complete antithesis to a low mood.

“When I first started, that was one thing that upset me. ‘Oh, you’re a girl, go back to the kitchen. Oh, you’re a girl, you shouldn’t be speaking like this.’ That’s what kind of motivated me… I feel it’s very intimidating for a strong woman to come into a dominant field and do well.”

It's no walk in the park upstaging Headie One, but on "Fuck U Pay Me", self-styled Queen of Drill Ivorian Doll does just that. Her sixteen on his and Kenny Beats' collab "ENDA" is so percussive and steeped in slang that it requires a few listens to take in, and the boys just fade into the background. ID wields her sexuality like a mace, just like her heros Lil Kim and Foxy Brown, and has wiped the floor this year with singles including the catty, Mean Girls-themed "Rumours". Next she's going to have your favourite drill artists hiding under the sofa.

"From my perspective as a producer, I’m a finisher, so I will literally finish a song, taking a hundred-plus stems and actually go in there and give it a really good mix and clean it up."

He’s written with Taylor Swift, John Mayer and John Legend and began the year with the release of collaborative single “Cheesin’” - featuring Remi Wolf, Still Woozy, Sophie Meiers, Claud, Melaine Faye and HXNS - in aid of the COVID-19 Relief Fund, but it appears now is the time for Cautious Clay to truly shine in his own artistic right. Bubbling as an emerging artist since debut single “Cold War” in 2018, Clay - aka. New York’s Joshua Kareph - found himself giving his old demos a new lease of life; early converts may recall echoes of recent single “Agreeable” in its previously unbuttoned state. Undeniably 2020-topical, the track soulfully jibes at those with conflicting opinions unable to resist the opportunity to undermine each other.

“As a person, I've grown, and my music has grown with me... I always try to push; if the sky is the limit, to go beyond. I would never put myself in a box, that's been a huge thing to me."

2020 saw Mysie win the inaugural Rising Star Award at the Ivor Novellos, and under the mentorship of super-producer Fraser T Smith, she's pushing new boundaries with her cinematic pop creations. She's as much inspired by her Ugandan jazz musician grandfather as she is Radiohead and Mac DeMarco.

“I’m figuring out how to ground myself and what kind of life I want to live and that’s coming to the forefront.”

Another Charli XCX co-sign (hey, she’s got the knack!), Filipino-Australian artist daine has really identified her sonic niche despite clocking in at 18 years of age. Named after her great-grandfather, she is the latest reincarnation of emo-meets-trap-via-cloud-hop sub-genre. Finding a welcoming home during her teen years in the hardcore scene of Melbourne clearly left its audible mark; the alt-pop sound of recent single “bloody knees” or the ominous anaesthesia of “Ascension” showcase the seamless blend of all of daine’s influences topped with a cloying delivery all her own.

“I think there’s something inside of me that pushes to create different images than are classically portrayed in pop music and pop poetry."

Remi Wolf is one of the most exciting voices in pop music. With her major label debut, her second EP, I'm Allergic To Dogs! she unleashed a vivacious, endlessly creative stream of sonic happiness while pairing each single with a unique, trippy visual. The California-born rising star, who was once a promising skiier, graduated from an acapella trio of friends, to a Hollywood ticket on American Idol to comandeering her soon-to-be expanding creative universe of no-fucks sugar-coated chaos.

"I think the music scene in the UK, especially with black artists, is very young and in a very important moment where there’s a shift taking place where the music is getting stronger and there’s so much more than just one sound, more than just grime or hip hop, there’s an array of sounds.”

South-East London rapper Enny found breakout success with “Peng Black Girls”, but it’s the single’s sentiment she’s holding true to as she charts her future. Released via Jorja Smith’s label Famm and featuring the vocals of Amia Brave, the track garnered instant acclaim for its sharp insight and effortless groove.

"The times that I feel a bit off and dark I put it in my music. Day to day you only meet the surface level of someone, I get the deep bits out of me through music. That's why they seem different."

Working in the same leftfield R&B space as genius almost-ran Jai Paul; Ankara, Turkey-born and LA-based emir taha channels East and West into his sultry low-fi creations. Hoping to do for Turkey what Rosalía has done for Spain, Taha’s deft hand of the interplay between vocal and melody marks him out for greatness this year.

It might seem a bit premature to champion an artist with only two singles to her name. But between the rolling, back-seat rap of "Skippin", and the rambunctious Latin rhythms of "Sativa", Dreya Mac displays more originality than most emcees squeeze into two albums. Her bars have the humour and acrobatics of someone like André 3000, but unlike André, Mac is not laughing with you (see her sly yet brutal delivery of the line "Nah, you must be mistaken fam I'm not your bitch" on "Skippin"). She's an intimidating new voice bouncing between Britain's often polarised rap subcultures.

“I’m hoping there will be more personal growth, more of me realising what I want from myself. I just want to become more of an authentic version of myself and not appease other people’s expectations of me. I just want to do everything I can to put out work that I’m really proud of.”

Rising glitch-glam-pop Mancunian Phoebe Green toured with Sundara Karma, Courteeners and Mac DeMarco before dropping her debut EP. It's bolstered by The Big Moon's Juliette Jackson, who co-wrote “Reinvent” with Green, as well as Alex Robertshaw of Everything Everything, whose production project worked on the EP with the Chess Club signee.

"Don’t wait for the right time – there is never a right time, so just go for it with everything you have, and be fearless with it as well."

Building her rep up over two years with debut “Good Food”, a set at Stormzy’s Merky Festival, and strong support from 1Xtra, West London’s Br3nya is infusing the attitude of Nicki and Megan with a shot of her own Ghanaian heritage. Finding a space for her self-described “bad bitch” music among Afroswing hasn’t been hard, but once Covid’s over, she’ll take that to the next level.

"I feel very meditative when I play or write music so I'm just hoping to have people on that meditative journey with me and reflect on something for themselves."

Reykjavik-based composer Eydís Evensen laid down her first music at age seven, finding her voice through the piano and an approach to melody that eschewed the rules of classical composition. Graduating from the famous Hamrahlíð College, she sang in the same choir that once featured Björk, but turned her back on music for a time, pursuing a modelling career that took her away from her native Iceland. Showcasing her contemplative, cinematic and melancholic sound at Airwaves in 2018, she won a deal with Sony and is set to deliver her debut album this year.

"There’s always someone or something different catching the eye of the public. It might be you next, you just gotta keep working on it, keep the faith, stay focused and not listen to stigma."

Brixx has one of the most curious flows coming out of the UK – a super-low drawl with her two accents, Brummy and Jamaican, fighting for control. Growing up in Illinois, her big brother got her into DMX, Missy Elliot, Ja Rule, Aaliyah and Erykah Badu, but her strict Christian household forbade her from indulging. That was until she moved to Birmingham, got deep into grime – and got kicked out of school a few times, despite being top in her class for English. Brixx got round her teachers the same way she gets in your ear: with impeccable wordplay and iron-clad confidence. May's "Man" was a savage introduction for the emcee, an in-your-face anthem about rejecting dependency on men in relationships, and the only guarantee for 2021 is that she's not about to tone it down.

“It's about the creation and maintenance of the self. We never talk about it, but it's the task that you were faced with from the minute you're born - to create and develop yourself, forever.”

Limerick artist Sinead O'Brien's sprechgesang-meets-post-punk poetry spills over with evocative literary references and captivating everyday observations. The Vivienne Westwood fashion designer started out penning poems and performing them with the musical backing of her regular contributor Niall Burns of whenyoung, with a style that's since grabbed the attention of Chess Club and Speedy Wunderground.

“Of course, corona affected everybody. I had to train myself to understand that things fuck up sometimes — that’s what I’ve learned this year. All you can do is plan. And sometimes, shit don’t go to plan.”

Nigeria-born South London emcee Shayon Brown left 2020 as the next breakout drill star. Rapping since she hit her teens, she racked up over 20k views for an early YouTube clip, uploaded when she was just 13. Ten years on, she’s dropping the Yoruba slang of her heritage (The title of breakout track “Dobale” refers to a “gesture of respect”) alongside fighting talk (“I was born in the ghetto / I was fighting with these bitches in stilletos”) and it all comes together with confidence and craft.

“We start with these honest, bedroom-folksy songs. Then we just start adding like 808s and weird found sounds and pretty soon it’s something totally new and exciting.”

LA-based singer/songwriter Noah Weinman leads Runnner, often recruiting close friends including Skullcrusher’s Helen Ballentine and A.O. Gerber to help with vocals. His poetic, melancholic lyrics shine through on his 2020 second EP One of One, which meanders through contemplative, folk-tinged ballads to an almost unrecognisable, anthemic rework of Thundercat’s “Captain Stupido”.

Words by Kitty Richardson, Olivia Swash, Kayleigh Watson, Matthew Kent, Christopher Hamilton-Peach, Cerys Kenneally, Sophie Walker and Paul Bridgewater. Follow this list of artists over on Spotify.