The Purple List 2025: 30 Genuine Rising Stars!
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Our annual list is back, ready to let you know who to watch out for in the new year. From R’n’B songstresses to soulful MCs, dance-pop extraordinaries to anthemic rock, there is something here for everyone. Our past lists have included Rachel Chinouriri, Say Now, Tems, Jaz Karis, and Griff, so trust us when we say we know a future star when we see them.
Our writing staff has come together and picked 30 artists who we think are going to make an impact in their respective scenes. So sit back, relax, and get your teeth into some new music recommendations.
Contributors: Esme Watson (Journalist), Kloe Paton (Journalist/Editor), MALIKA (Journalist/Artist/Songwriter), Jane Sophia (Journalist/Composer), Priyanka Kotak (Journalist), Georgie West (Journalist/Musician), Santiago Abad (Journalist/PR/Artist), Jon Chew (Writer/Journalist/Actor), Emily Teague (Journalist), and Thomas Atkinson (Journalist/Editor-in-Chief)
Vicky Trantou
Location: West London, England
It’s a special time for U.K. R’n’B, and Vicky is one of its newest artists to keep your eye on. 5 years into her career and it’s looking like a breakthrough year. Her latest single ‘All Your Time‘ is already her most streamed track on Spotify. What makes this singer stand out is her voice and the passion in her performance, which immediately grabs your attention. Don’t take our word for it, as she’s also been highlighted as one to watch by 1Xtra and BBC Introducing.
Follow on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Standout Track: Soul Tied
JayaHadADream
Location: Nottingham/Cambridge, England
One of the hottest new MCs, this rapper has been making noise with her witty bars and smooth delivery. Having started out in 2019, she gained a lot of attention last year, particularly for winning Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition. She’s already collaborated with respected names like Kamakaze and Gardna and done freestyles on platforms including Travs Presents and Red Bull. In particular, her ability to rap over a variety of beats is praiseworthy, making her someone to keep your eye on.
Follow on Instagram, X, TikTok, and BlueSky.
Standout Track: Twiggy with Zoutr
Sasha Keable
Location: South London, England
One of the next up in U.K. R’n’B, this singer is finally getting her flowers. A previous BRIT school graduate, Keable has been making music for over a decade. Having initially made waves for her collabs with DJ Zinc and Disclosure, the 2020s have seen her have huge success in the genre of love. What stands out the most is not only the vocals but a commanding presence on the mic. From a performance on COLORS to getting 4 nominations at The State of R’n’B Awards, 2024 was huge. However, we think 2025 will be even better.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: WHY
Gabriella Rose
Location: Spokane, Washington, U.S.A (Originally from Southern California)
Growing from local fame to a viral sensation, Gabriella Rose saw success on TikTok in 2024 with her hit ‘Doublewide‘. Caught between an earworm of a melody and homegrown lyrics, the singer highlighted her unique voice with her latest song, leading to collaboration with popular US brand Lucchese. In the current surge of country music popularity, she has quickly moved up the ranks as an independent artist and has set herself up nicely to ride the success into 2025.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: Doublewide
kwn
Location: Walthamstow, East London, England
For R’n’B fans, kwn is the new artist you need to tap into this year. Pronounced “kay-wuhn”, this East Londoner is creating an indulgent, rich, and addictive repertoire of undeniable hits. With an aim to make music that resonates and heals, she will win over lovers of PARTYNEXTDOOR or Leon Thomas’s sound. The singer collaborated with Kehlani on their ‘While We Wait 2‘ mixtape and is joining them on tour this month. With their street style, dance moves, grills, face tats, and confident energy, this will be a big year for this artist to show the world they are truly “wun of wun”.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: eyes wide open
Dolly Doops
Location: London, England/Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A (Born on Isle of Wight)
Originally from the Isle of Wight, this future pop star knows how to make anthemic music with earworm hooks. Not only as a singer does she know how to perform, but her music videos show her ability to capture the audience’s attention. Her blend of pop mixes in elements of rock and dance music, whilst telling tales of s****y partners and self-assurance. This artist seems to have everything you need to build a good fanbase in the pop scene.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: untouchable.
Isabel LaRosa
Location: Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A
This Cuban-American artist is quickly rising up through the music world. Her single ‘i’m yours’ was a TikTok staple in 2022, but it was last year when LaRosa fully fleshed out her goth-pop personality. Singles such as ‘favorite’ and ‘Muse’ used her whispy voice to front moodier; grimier tones, and live gigs throughout 2024 drenched her in blood-red lights. It was as if Tate McRae – who LaRosa bears an uncanny resemblance to – turned into a hair-twirling, eyeliner-loving banshee. LaRosa is embarking on her own global tour that includes big festival dates like the Governors Ball, and with more music on the way, could take up ample space in the unlit rooms of our soul.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: favorite
Lola Moxom
Location: London, England
Coming straight out of the blocks in 2024, this singer brought melody and memorable choruses to the table. Even with just two singles to her name, she’s already made a big impression and opened for Alex Isley. Having already been highlighted by everyone from Chuckie Online to Mahalia, this rising star certainly has plenty of fans. Also, the way those high notes are hit is nothing short of sensational. If last year was the start, 2025 is looking good.
Follow on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Standout Track: Cool With It
mademoiselle lou
Location: Val de Marne, France
One of the most talented names coming from France right now, this artist knows how to create atmospheric music. Having released three EPs last year, she has been grafting to build her fanbase at home and overseas. Whether through her music, artwork, or videos she is able to create art that takes you into her world. Whether you speak French or not, you can’t deny the musical brilliance on display.
Follow on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Read our interview here.
Standout Track: LES CYGNES
Home Counties
Location: London, England (Originally from Buckinghamshire)
Home Counties are everything you could want from painfully honest, English indie angst. Made up of 5 close friends who have grown up in the same areas, they have found the perfect balance of 70s disco synth and classic indie tropes. Their debut album ‘Exactly As It Seems’ was a whirlwind of all their previous work wrapped up and polished to perfection. They have many gigs and festival appearances lined up this year. With marvellous live performances, you should get yourself a ticket and go see them.
Follow on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Standout Track: Push Comes To Shove
Sofie
Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A (Born in Ghana)
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Lilith Max
Location: Los Angeles, USA (Born in Germany)
Alternative folk-pop artist Lilith Max grew her audience in 2024 with fiction and fantasy-inspired songs. Tapping into the popular literary genre this songwriter is using established stories alongside her own imaginings to capture the minds of her audience while promoting powerful messages for women’s rights and social justice. With her unique pixie-like voice and songwriting skills, I think 2025 is going to be a very exciting year for this singer.
Follow on Instagram, X, TikTok, and BlueSky.
Standout Track: Bears & Wolves
Oppidan
Location: Bristol, England
A new wave of U.K. garage has been taking over the raves in the last few years, and Oppidan is one of the hottest new names. Whether collaborating with Frisco, or her banging remix of Diffrent’s ‘A Little Closer‘, this producer knows how to get you moving. Having firmly established themselves in the scene, we can’t wait to see what new music and sets are to come in 2025.
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Standout Track: Armed & Dangerous with Cutty Ranks
Mychelle
Location: Hackney, London, England
I first discovered Mychelle’s music after a producer friend played me some tracks they had been working on, which sent me on a deep dive. ‘Forbidden Fruit‘ with ENNY (who doesn’t receive enough credit for her work in general, in my opinion) was stunning, but ‘Moving on‘ is my favourite, co-written with Hugo Hardy. Initially discovered while busking, she began working with Idris Elba’s label. However, many of her releases have been through FAAM, the team behind ENNY and Jorja Smith.
Mychelle announced in November 2024 on her Instagram that her album is finished. I’m looking forward to following her journey and seeing where things take her in 2025.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: Moving on
Lady Ice
Location: Manchester, England
Having first come to people’s attention through ‘The Rap Game UK‘, this Manny MC continues to show she is a name to be reckoned with. Whether on freestyles, festival stages, or her own music, she provides a distinct delivery and punchy lyricism. Her versatility is also very much on display whether in her softer delivery on ‘Last Night‘ or rapping on the Drum’n’Bass sounds of ‘I Like‘. This is someone who is going to have a standout year.
Follow on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Standout Track: Money On It
Katie Lynne Sharbaugh
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A (Born in Philadelphia)
The Nashville-based Sharbaugh broke down last year into her own personal, enchanting storybook. Releasing new music inside capsule EPs – with apt titles such as ‘Act I’, ‘Act IV’, and even an ‘Intermission’. The singer’s prolific nature was only matched by her ability to fuse fun and folk into incredibly catchy tunes. Tracks such as ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome’ and ‘Omaha’ are layered, vibrant trips that pair Sharbaugh’s smoky, smoothing voice with her gifts for nostalgic storytelling and playing multiple string instruments. Such a combination can only lead to more musical chapters for this exciting talent.
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Standout Track: Omaha (The Only What If)
Spoort
Location: Leicestershire, England
Spoort is a Midlands band that brings an unrivalled funk into everything they do. Forming in primary school, the four-piece mixes jazz, hip-hop, and garage ingredients to form an alt-indie mashup that gets you up on your feet. Rivalling some of the leading bands in the scene, they have their feet planted deep in their roots and their heads soaring above the clouds. Releasing their newest single ‘Wetherspoons’ in October of last year, there seems to be more coming from these skilled musicians.
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Standout Track: Self
Ghost Bookstore
Location: Seoul, South Korea
The Korean indie rock scene smashed through last year with some sublime releases. Amidst the exciting milieu was an EP debut release by Ghost Bookstore, a four-person shoegaze group that excelled in combining all the shades of rock into one delicious cocktail. From the lighter, almost pop-rock ‘Firefly’ to the epic My Bloody Valentine-coloured ‘Children with Starry Blood‘, it represented an exciting taster for the main course. That dish, according to the band themselves, will consist of a full-length album and a whole bunch of gigs this year. If all goes well, 2025 could see the band cementing themselves as a full-fledged member of the DIY Korean revolution.
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Standout Track: Children with Starry Blood
Skee
Location: West Norwood, South London, England
If you like rap and you don’t know Skee, then you should be paying attention. A talented lyricist who knows how to flow over the production, he is set for a good year. Fresh off the back of his ‘Suttin 2 Proove‘ EP, he’s already getting in the same rooms as the likes of Dave. Alongside his collaborator, That Producer Ryan, expect smooth and jazzy alternative rap with a point to prove.
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Read our interview.
Standout Track: Headlines/Outro
The Scarlet Opera
Location: Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
The Scarlet Opera is yet to release their debut LP, but they have already made an impression with two EPs, ‘Comedy‘ and ‘Mirror, Mirror‘. Packed with catchy; theatrical tunes, both Queen-esque pop-rock delights were produced by David Stewart – the hitmaker behind BTS’s ‘Dynamite‘. In 2023, the band
took a major step forward by opening for Ava Max on tour, a clear sign of their growing presence in the music industry.
Their parking lot covers often draw significant attention on social media, with lead singer Luka Bazulka’s dynamic and grandiose vocals stealing the spotlight. Their viral performance of the ’80s
classic ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth‘ even caught the attention of both the song’s original producer, Rick Nowels, and singer, Belinda Carlisle. Following this, Rick recently worked with the band to produce an official cover of the song.
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Standout Track: Alive
Bastie
Location: Herefordshire, England
Bastie released two singles in 2024 that combine elements of rock and pop music, ‘She’s Got to Go‘ and ‘Whiskey‘. In 2024 he played Victorious Festival and Camper Calling showing how he is catching the eye of festival promoters. This year he has plans to release new music in 2025 and will be playing more live.
Bastie has an energy reminiscent of the golden era of indie rock and indie pop of the 2010s. While paying homage to all those great bands that came before him, this is an artist speaking of love, of drowning your sorrows with a bottle, and the passing of time. He is one to watch this 2025.
Follow on Instagram.
Standout Track: She’s Got to Go
Greer
Location: Orange County, California
Greer has made their comeback with their latest single, ‘Had Enough’. The adventurous band is made up of close friends and easily recognisable Vine stars, with powerhouse voices that make you question everything you know about indie-rock. While melancholy is at the core of all of their tracks, they have a springing humour that comes with their vibrant storytelling, spoken also through their catchy guitar hums.
Their 2020 EP, ‘Lullaby For You’ encompasses the softness of true love. Hopefully, we get to see more of this comforting vulnerability mixed with a newer version of their easily recognisable sounds.
Follow on Instagram and X.
Standout Track: Aeroplane
Fuel Injection
Location: Burton-on-Trent, England
This rock and roll band takes inspiration from hard rock, blues, and everything in between. After a strong debut gig in December with a combination of hard-hitting covers and original music, the group has continued to captivate audiences into the new year. With single releases on the horizon as well as more live appearances expected, they are definitely one to watch out for this year!
Follow on Instagram.
Standout Track: Fallin’ Off The Beat
Jo Hill
Location: London, England (Born in Cheddar, Somerset)
Throw together the stylings of Kacey Musgraves, Joni Mitchell, and Fleetwood Mac, and you get this British singer-songwriter. Her journey so far has been marked by obstacles, from getting Lyme disease while studying in Jordan to finding out her label had dropped her at the start of 2024. Hill, however, has used all this as fuel for some cracking songs, leading to the launch of her luscious debut album, ‘girlhood.’, late last year.
She blends a country-pop leaning with her beautiful twang to such great effect, showcased in tracks such as ‘POW GIRL’ and ‘WHERE DID ELLA GO?’. Hill also displays an affinity for getting up and close with fans, eschewing big gigs for small parties she calls her “gatherings”. Not to evoke a certain country singer-turned-megastar, but this penchant for both indelible music and intimate meetings with her followers could mark a swift journey to success.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: WHERE DID ELLA GO?
xátiva
Location: Germany (Born in Mexico)
This Mexican-born singer made her debut last year blending pop, rock, and dance music to create a memorable blend of sounds. Her music mixes nostalgia from her homeland with the sounds of her new home in Germany. The first two singles gave us a taste of an artist with meaning and intriguing experimentation, and we can’t wait to hear more.
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Standout Track: INFINITA
Jensen McRae
Location: Los Angeles, California, U.S.A (Born in Santa Monica, California)
You have most likely seen Jensen McRae if your ‘For You’ page is anything like mine and full of talented musicians who sing ballads in their bedrooms. While she has been releasing music for a while, her track ‘Massachusetts’ took nostalgia to a whole new level and pulled the internet right into her creative web. After her striking debut album, ‘Are You Happy Now?’ we got an insight into the forcefulness she upholds in her straightforward storytelling and folky flair. Hopefully, this year will bring us more.
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Standout Track: Massachusetts
South Arcade
Location: Oxford, England
South Arcade took hold of the rock side of social media with their rehearsal videos playing songs with car sound effects and just having fun. Their videos are hilarious and fun but the underlying power of it all is the music. The intense riffs of the guitar (played by Harry Winks), the energy of the drums (played by Cody Jones), the goofy energy of the bass (played by Ollie Green), and the angry but fun energy of the vocalist (Harmony Cavelle).
They’re already booked to play Reading Festival and Slam Dunk Festival this year, so we can’t wait to see what they bring to those stages. Songs like ‘DANGER‘, ‘Riptide‘, and ‘Nepo Baby‘ show influences of early 2000’s Nu Metal but the songs have a production style that feels modern and punchy. The drums sound massive and the vocals sound crisp. Harry Winks takes over production duties for the band and does a great job in using pop and rock techniques on the records. South Arcade is the rock band to watch in 2025.
Follow on Instagram and TikTok.
Standout Track: Riptide
Winny
Location: Benue State, Nigeria (Born in Jos)
Following a big year that included a couple of project releases, this multifaceted talent is set to make a name for herself. Her performance style is full of energy and catchy hooks over reggae, R’n’B, soul, and other genres. She’s already gained the attention of artists like Omah Lay and platforms like COLORS while topping Apple Music’s R’n’B and Soul chart in Nigeria. This is looking like yet another future hitmaker to come from the country that keeps on delivering superstars.
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Standout Track: Pretty
Tsatsamis
Location: London, England
Providing danceable electro-pop that is equally catchy as it is expressive, ‘Our Shame‘ was packed to the rafters with meaningful bangers, showcasing an artist who wants to take his music into every room. Having built a fanbase around his personality, music, and merch, this future sensation knows how to garner an audience. We’re expecting another stellar year from one of dance music’s most intriguing new names.
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Standout Track: Misunderstanding
mynameisntjmack
Location: Los Angeles, California, U.S.A (Born in Virginia)
This respected up-and-comer has plenty to say, and the right beats to say it over. Already backed by friend and fellow Virginia native Tommy Richman, last year saw a lot of success in the studio and on the road. His debut album ‘mynameisnt‘ was a fantastic record and deserved its praise. Already starting off strong with ‘argue typing‘, this is a rapper from across the Atlantic that is set to go places.
Follow on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Standout Track: feathers/therapy 2 with Wiseboy Jeremy and Lord Sko
Find our past lists here.
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