New Wave's 10 Artists To Watch In 2025

As the landscape of music continues to evolve, shaped by the artists who have defined the sound of the year. New Wave Magazine’s Top 10 Artists to Watch list for 2024 introduced a wave of talent poised for breakout moments, from boundary-pushing rappers to genre-blurring vocalists. Over the past 12 months, we’ve watched these artists transcend expectations—whether through chart-topping releases, innovative collaborations, or live performances that cemented their star power.

Before we dive into this year’s list, let’s take a moment to reflect on the artistic growth of our 2024 selections—artists who turned potential into impact, setting the stage for the next wave of musical innovation.

From our 2024 list, Artemas continued to rise in the electronic music scene, with standout performances at Ushuaïa Ibiza and the ANTS lineup, further cementing their reputation for dynamic melodic techno sets. Naomi Sharon has continued to evolve her soulful, cinematic sound, resonating deeply with audiences through introspective lyrics and empowering vocals. While specific updates on 4batz's progress remain scarce, emerging artists like him often see growth through live shows and collaborations, marking their place in the industry. Fimiguerrero, meanwhile, saw significant growth with hits like "Vogue" and "Mandy," each surpassing a million streams, and the release of his mixtape New World Order, reinforcing his status as a rising star in the UK's underground scene. Each of these artists has shown remarkable artistic growth and contributed uniquely to the ever-evolving musical landscape.

Now, as we enter 2025, a new generation of artists is ready to take center stage. This year’s list builds on the momentum of last year’s picks, spotlighting the voices shaping the future of music. Some are already making waves, while others are just beginning to carve their path, but all share a defining quality: an undeniable creative vision that demands attention.

Bryant Barnes

Soulful R&B crooner Bryant Barnes is one of the most hotly tipped artists for 2025, with multiple industry tastemakers and platforms including VEVO DSCVR claiming him as one to watch. From covering popular songs on social media, to releasing his acclaimed debut EP Vanity through Mercury Records last year, Bryant has rapidly risen through the ranks in the Alternative R&B space to being on the brink of stardom. His breakout track ‘I’d Rather Pretend’ offered haunting vocals, with poignant lyrics and a pained piano backdrop that intensifies the emotion behind every word.

With a voice capturing the attention of millions of listeners, Bryant has been able to successfully transition his talent from social media, to influential platforms such as COLORS and On The Radar. With new single ‘Why Can’t You’ recently dropping and an upcoming tour supporting 070 Shake, this year Bryant is making sure his presence is felt within the industry.

SAILORR

Get acquainted with SAILORR, the newest American-Vietnamese songstress with a voice smooth as melted butter, adorned with pink, silk bows. Hailing from Florida, SAILORR rose to internet fame in the R&B space with her single ‘POOKIE’S REQUIEM’ which went viral on TikTok and catapulted her audience globally. Tied in with her unique style and highlight of Vietnamese culture by blackening her teeth and practicing fan dancing, SAILORR has been compared to SZA and Mariah The Scientist in terms of sonics and although has only released a handful of tracks, her recent song ‘W1LL U L13’ follows a softer style of production as well as showcases her floating vocals that breath fresh life into 2025, decorated by babypink-Harajuku coquette-core fits and flurries of green dollar bills.  

Bb Trickz

Spanish musician Bb trickz rose to popularity with her single ‘Missionsuicida’ which went viral on TikTok with her whiplash flows and cutesey music video. Despite the mixed reviews from viewers who saw her as a parody, her EP Trickstar from 2023 established her flare for songwriting and a more emotional side of her, amongst her hard-hitting bars such as on ‘Treachory’. After her more emotional EP Sadtrickz tapped into her emo-rap style reminiscent of Lil Peep, as she peeks further into her vulnerable side as she moves a little away from her gaudy lifestyle and more about romance and loneliness. Making a notable impact on 2024 with her track ‘PHARRELL’ with KARRAHBOOO, she reached a new peak that year by featuring on the remix version of Charli xcx’s biggest album to date. Hopping onto the track ‘Club Classics’ on Brat and it’s completely different but still also brat, she flourished with her Spanish edge and is finally getting the recognition she deserves. 

KWN

Boasting over half a million monthly listeners on Spotify, and featuring notable collaboration credits such as with artists like Kehlani, Jordan Adetunji, and Scribz Riley, the East-London Walthamstow-bred artist has become known for her eclectic sound that has bent itself into a fresh sound of R&B, that is eclectic enough to not be boxed into one sound. Growing up as a daughter of a chef and DJ Father and a music obsessed mother, she grew up listening to a mix of sounds, and played the drums and piano before starting to experiment with making her own beats and writing her own lyrics. 

Steadily picking up a loyal pool of listeners, some of Kwn’s notable 2024 credits include her single ‘Lord I’ve tried’, ‘Eyes Wide Open’, and her feature on  Bay-Area native Kehlani’s EP While We Wait 2, featuring on the track ‘Clothes Off’, a sultry anthem that delves into intense desire, Kwn’s contribution enhancing the songs sensual appeal. 

Megra

Megra is a rapidly rising star in the UK dance world and has been tipped as one to watch by many key tastemakers within the industry. With a consistent musical output that creates a sense of urgency and freedom on the dancefloor, Megra’s sound has become instantly infectious within the club and festival circuit.

2024 saw Megra achieve some serious milestones including performing his first ever WHP alongside Disclosure, as well as being picked as a Radio 1 ‘Next Wave’ artist by Sian Eleri. His first two EP’s ‘1:M’ and ‘2:M’, received DJ support from many huge artists including: Fred Again, Jamie XX, Skream and more. With such a solid year behind him, things are only on the up. If you haven’t heard of him yet, get ready to, as he is probably your favourite DJ’s new favourite DJ.

Fana Hues

A breath of fresh air, Californian singer-song writer Fana Hues, is someone who has slow and steadily risen to the top of the mountain, rather than raced up it. Orbiting in the spaces between neo-soul, R&B and pop, Fana delivers her vocals in a sweet, fun and infectious tone as she breezes over perky beats. Some of her standout tracks include  ‘Rental’ is a feel-good bop that immediately lifts you off your feet, and makes you feel like summer – dreaming of warmer days.However timeless ballads like ‘Matters of the Heart’ allow Fana to guide us down gentle stream of the river as we are unwound by a velveteen caress. And then ‘Apple Picking’ is 

A real mixture of tracks in her discovery that allow the Pasadena native to lean further into musical exploration and deep storytelling with her summer album ‘Mouth’ – a body of work that explores the pureness of human connection, and how light is manifested into sound. The 29-year-old’s appearance on Apartment Life, a popular house & r&b series on YouTube, where DJ’s come together. Hues’ was a guest artist on DJ Miamour’s contemporary and nostalgic R&B set – introduced her to a wider audience and increased discussions in the comments section with questions about who is the voice singing ‘Down’ and ‘Til Morning Comes’.

Pozer 

South London’s Pozer rose to popularity last year after making history as the first rapper to have his first two singles, "Kitchen Stove" and "Malicious Intentions," chart simultaneously on the UK Singles Chart. Leading the charge in the emerging UK Jersey drill scene, Pozer blends the upbeat, high-energy rhythms of Jersey club with the cold, brooding atmosphere of traditional UK drill, creating a sound that feels both new and familiar. Before his rise to fame, Pozer was posting freestyles on Instagram with the same lyrical dexterity and  nonchalance reminiscent of our favourite rappers, steadily building a following with his sharp wit and often confronting subject matter. His talent quickly caught the attention of key figures in the scene, earning him co-signs from a number of prominent names in all areas of the scene from DJ Semtex to Dave. Now, with a new record deal under his belt and a growing list of accomplishments, it’s clear that Pozer is on an exceptional run, poised to leave a lasting mark on the UK music landscape.

Sasha Keable

Sasha Keable is one of London’s most underrated talents, with a career that spans over 10 years collaborating with the likes of Jorja Smith, Disclosure and Katy B, it was so refreshing to see the South London resident finally get her flowers as 2024 saw her flourish to new heights, with the delivery of certified anthems like ‘Hold Up’, ‘Auction’, ‘Take Your Time’, and ‘Why’. Throughout her career Sasha has been nothing but raw and organic, her 2019 EP ‘Man’ is a solid body work and should be spoken about more often! Last year saw Sasha make international connections as she teamed up with 6lack, Destin Conrad and Isaiah Falls, it will be interesting to see where 2025 takes the Columbiana songstress and her outstanding vocals.

Sienna Spiro

South London’s Sienna Spiro is making her mark as one of the most captivating new artists in the UK music scene. At just 19 years old, she’s gained a loyal fanbase on social media, with over 149,000 Instagram followers and 700,000 on TikTok. Known for her powerful voice and relatable, emotional pen, Sienna’s latest single, "BUTTERFLY EFFECT," dropped just three days ago and has already struck a chord with listeners. Her raspy tone and unique sound have earned her recognition from major figures, including a shoutout from SZA, cementing her status as one to watch. With each release, Sienna continues to solidify her place as a rising star and we can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store for her!

DialE

Since the release of his debut album ‘dear dialE’ in 2023, the rapper has cemented himself as a mysterious one to watch in the underground hip hop scene. The album cover features a photo of the artist from the neck down holding a laptop, a sign of his desire for privacy as an artist. Dial E wanted the listener to experience the album as though they were ‘club-hopping through London’ due to its mix of different genres, including dance, hip hop and jungle. Already amassing over 17M streams on ‘nine thirty’, which went viral on TikTok in 2024, DialE is on New Wave’s radar as we anticipate new music from him in 2025.