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Some of our favourite artists hail from United Kingdom: The Beatles, Queen, the Spice Girls, One Direction, Ed Sheeran… The list goes on an on. But we here at ANDPOP are always on the look out for new talent that’ll make us hit that “play” button over and over again.
Here are some of the best up-and-coming British artists who we believe will make that oh-so-important splash on our side of the pond this year. So check out the artists below now in order to claim some bragging rights over your friends:
5. Coasts
With their electro beats and funk vibes, Coasts’ pop style and choruses are unmistakable. With a sound that’s reminiscent of the 1975 but with catchy melodies and lyrics you can actually understand, you won’t be able to help yourself from singing along. Their song “Wash Away” from their EP A Rush of Blood is moody and dark but fully displays their unmistakable versatility. They’re currently opening for Bad Suns on their North American tour and are slated to play at Coachella later this year.
4. Paloma Faith
Paloma Faith is a fresh jazzy voice you should add to your iTunes library. This former burlesque has an Amy Winehouse/Duffy vibe and has a badass attitude to back her up (she once told a label rep to screw off). Just listen to “Only Love Can Hurt Me Like This (Off The Cuff)”— her most successful album to date, A Perfect Contradiction—to hear her talent.
3. FKA twigs
While the mainstream might recognize her as Robert Pattinson’s new girlfriend, FKA twigs (FKA stands for “Formerly Known As,” an acronym she added at the request of another artist) is a London-based singer-songwriter, producer and dancer who’s rising through the ranks on her own merit. She’s been compared to Ellie Goulding and Bjork, but the more you listen to her, the more you’ll recognize the darkness in her angelic voice. Her distinct brand of R&B has a spooky, super-natural quality to it as she tends to half-sing, half-whisper over textured, danceable tracks.
Twigs also directs most of her own music videos in order to pair high concept imagery with her carefully produced work. She even helmed the concept film, “#throughglass,” for Google’s now discontinued Google Glass. With re-scored versions of her songs “Video Girl” and “Glass & Patron,” this eerie video will keep you captivated for its entirety.
2. Mark Ronson
You’ve probably heard the name Mark Ronson being thrown around a lot recently and it’s all thanks to his mega-hit, Bruno Mars-assisted song “Uptown Funk.” The song quickly became his first number one single in the U.K. and U.S. It also broke a new streaming record in the U.K., after having been streamed 2.49 million times in one week.
While he has an almost Pharrell-like presence in the music industry (he’s produced some huge hits for singers like Amy Winehouse [“Rehab”], Christina Aguilera [“Hurt”] and Bruno Mars [“Gorilla”]), this is the first time he’s made a name for himself. Fans should expect Ronson to release more funky singles from his new album Uptown Special (out now) in the coming months.
1. James Bay
James Bay’s look (shoulder length hair, wide brimmed hat) is as distinctive as his voice: raspy, full of soul and which can convey three different emotions all at once. While he has yet to break out onto the North American scene, he’s had lots of success in the rest of the world. The newly crowned BRIT Critics’ Choice winner sold out shows in Europe, opened for Hozier during the fall leg of the “Take Me To Church” singer’s tour, and his EP, Let It Go, debuted in the Top 10 iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart. One listen to Bay’s “When We Were on Fire” should have any new fan wanting more.
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