Best New Artists

Every month, we round up some of our favorite new music discoveries. Look back at all of our Best New Artists features here and keep up with them all on the Best New Artists playlist.

London-born and currently Bristol-based artist Nate Brazier is blending forward-thinking dance beats with sweeping vocals and sudden, sugar-rush hooks. “I make sure to keep taking risks, so for me it’s about trying to put something experimental into an accessible, almost pop-leaning format,” he explains, neatly summarizing what makes his songs so compelling. “I’m a perfectionist and every track went through dozens of versions, so then I’m always very conscious to make room again with reduction rather than production. The core of a song needs to shine through, no matter what iteration it is,” he adds.

The music on Nate Brazier’s debut EP YSK, released in February, was made during his teenage years, spanning what he calls his first creative chapter in music. “It’s very much autobiographical—I’m speaking on the world I lived in with my friends,” he says. It’s a world of late nights that bleed into seeing the sun rise with your chosen family and studio sessions with leading lights in the UK underground like p-rallel, Louis Culture, and Mac Wetha.

Instead of shying away from comparison, Nate Brazier speaks freely about artists who inspire hin in different ways, including in a series of thoughtful videos on TikTok where he shouts out artists like James Blake, Jai Paul, Joji, Nia Archives, PinkPantheress, and others. It was through one of those videos that the P&P team discovered Nate’s music, and were quickly hooked by the song “YSK.”

Of his approach on social media, Nate says, “I think people don’t like you to assume that you know who they are. They want to be grabbed each time, as though you’re earning their attention with every post. I also like to wear my influences on my sleeve. That’s probably why those videos connected. I’m hands on with all things visual, so making videos is something I’ve enjoyed for a long time, and I like to take care in making something that feels clean.”

This attention to detail is also felt in the precise production (Arca, Burial, Jai Paul, AG Cook, and Vegyn are noted as standout influences) that never becomes overwhelming and allows space each element of the songs to shine. It’s also seen in the visuals which are richly textured and bring you quickly into Nate Brazier’s world. He’s still building out that world through collaborations, videos, artwork, and more, but everything we’ve seen so far points to an artist with endless creativity and the ability to execute his vision.—Alex Gardner

Songs that go viral on TikTok usually get annoying really fast—even the good ones. It’s a shame, but that’s what happens when you inadvertently watch dozens of fit check videos soundtracked by the same 15-second song clip over the course of a week. That’s not the case with Lola Young’s “Don’t Hate Me.” Even before its release, snippets of the song were going viral, but here we are a month after its premiere, and the track holds up.

Lola Young isn’t really brand new—her releases stretch back to 2019 and she’s been in the major label system (signed to Capitol in the US and Island Records/Day One in the UK) since 2020—but “Don’t Hate Me” is shaping up to be a career-shifting moment for the 22-year-old South London singer/songwriter. The song is a pop anthem, but the ominous bassline, cracking drums, and grunge-y edge keep things interesting. Lola’s voice is the real star, though—her powerhouse vocals are commanding, and she manages to work in some irresistible charisma. Her voice carries the weight of iconic vocalists like Amy Winehouse and Adele, but with some of the cutting personality of up-and-comers like BENEE or Remi Wolf.

From here, things could go in a lot of directions—Lola Young has already proven she can pull off straightforward ballads, well-manicured pop songs, and classic soul. We’ll find out where things are heading soon on Lola Young’s upcoming project My Mind Wanders And Sometimes Leaves Completely, coming May 26.—Jacob Moore

Expression is most authentic in the absence of expectations and pressures. Romeo + Juliet’s independently released debut album Raging Bull is a product of this kind of pure expression, created through raw feeling and liberation. The 14-track project takes listeners on a 41-minute journey that feels like an invitation into the most vulnerable and personal aspects of his life.

Born and raised in New Jersey, singer/songwriter Romeo + Juliet is no stranger to the struggles that come with being an aspiring artist. Being at it for over a decade now, the beauty of this struggle shines through in the quality of music on this debut project. With the sole intention of sharing genuine expression and individuality, Raging Bull is a creation that was born from passion, growth, and unwavering determination—a project that defies categorization.

The project’s opening track “Exordium” sets the tone not only sonically, but creatively. Romeo + Juliet mentions taking all the musical risks he has always feared, and that approach is on full display with tracks like “Motherland/3AM.” The song consists of a huge transition from slower, reflective arrangements (Motherland) to a hi-hat heavy hip-hop beat and melody (3AM). From dance tracks like “Slide” to more stripped down styles on “Hooptie,” the experimentation on Raging Bull creates an unpredictable and captivating sonic landscape. Despite the apparent contrast in elements, Romeo + Juliet finds a way to marry wide-ranging sounds and deliver them cohesively.

Timeless artists are hard to come by these days but Romeo + Juliet ensures his presence is felt with the release of this album. “I hope Raging Bull can be the beginning of a new life for me,” he explains. “I hope it helps me find my people. I hope anyone that hears my music reads my story and learns that they’re not alone, that there’s still time.”—Tenzin Dekyi

It’s been along time coming, but now more than ever it seems as if the Detroit rap scene is at the forefront of the genre. With blossoming acts like Babyface Ray, 42 Dugg, BabyTron, and Icewear Vezzo, andso many more, it feels as if there’s a new emcee creating waves from the region every other month. This is where 23-year-old Lelo rapper comes in, one of the leading artists in the “new Detroit” sound wave. If you were to combine Babyface Ray, Lucki, and Earl Sweatshirt into one person you’d get someone like Lelo, who is bringing a fresh sound to the game.

Lelo is a rapper who can rap over pretty much anything. He can do everything from the traditional Detroit-sounding records like “Stuck Up” to the more traditional hip-hop approach of “Upset,” and even venture into Neptune’s sounding production like “Wise.” Another trait that listeners will grow to appreciate about Lelo is his consistency. Right now he’s been releasing one to two records a month and none of them are lacking in quality.

Lelo deserves to be on your radar because of how efficient he is at rapping. This isn’t the kind of style that involves big hooks, choruses, or bridges. However, he does pack high-level lyricism coupled with plenty of witty wordplay and quotable bars that will have you and doubling back to records long after you’ve stopped spinning his music.

Lelo tells us that some of his influences are “Earl Sweatshirt, André 3000, and smooth jazz artists like Micheal Franks and Sade.” He also says that he’s dropping a project this year called New Detroit which “will provide my alternative take on modern rap from the city.” Tune in.—Jarred Howard

re6ce, a 17-year-old artist from Liverpool, UK always felt distant from his peers and craved a life filled with creativity and self-expression. Desperately searching for some sort of creative inspiration, he was scrolling on TikTok when he discovered nimstarr, an artist making music in his room using Audacity. This concept of creating music in one’s bedroom was new to re6ce, who had always believed that music had to be recorded in expensive studios.

With newfound inspiration, re6ce downloaded Audacity and recorded his first song, “Let Me Know,” on a Blue Yeti microphone. Fast forward about a year-and-a-half to today, and he has accumulated over 10 million streams, establishing himself alongside up-and-coming artists such as Riovaz and d4vd. (Watch our new interview with d4vd here.)

re6ce credits his sister for pushing him in the direction that inspired the music we hear from him today by putting him on to artists like Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala, Alex G, and Bakar. Inspired by indie rock but with contemporary influences, re6ce’s music is difficult to categorize; it’s a “choose your own adventure” type of experience. Each song is unique and offers something different from the last. His music has a distinct style that sets it apart from other artists, with a youthful teenage energy and mostly guitar driven production.

re6ce is optimistic about the next steps of his burgeoning career. “For my fans, a lot more is coming, and the future is very bright,” he tells us. “I made some songs during my trip to LA that are really sick. For any new listeners, all my songs are different, and there is something in my discography for everyone.”—Jack Sperling

It’s wicked games in a shattered mirror. Large flies on a naked bulb. Sledgehammers in Beirut. Desire wrapped in a snarl. On Pork, Thoom’s breathtaking mixtape, the Lebanese artist reveals what pirate radio might play if we all evolved in a subterranean nest. Found sounds, glitched rhythms, whispered wants, all snaking through each other. “Kitabi” contorts the singer’s voice until it resembles a pack of wolves howling through a human. As if Thoom saw the devil on her shoulder and said sharafna, yalla, what should we do next? “It’s Going To Be Ablaze,” the project opener, is chaos filtered through a prism. If you drove past it, you’d crash your car looking. I envy anyone who’s seen her perform.

On her upcoming EP, Fantasy For Danger, Thoom rises to the surface with off-pop fit for Twin Peaks — a more melodic approach that taps the uncanny valleys of her earlier work. Quiet chaos for the Y2Kers. She sings of “risking your life for a good time” on “Suburban Mall Jewelry” while insisting “no more ketamine” on “Make It Work For Me.” A hyperreal realm of VHS static and grim taunts and male gaze obliteration. The nonchalance with which Thoom says, “Dogs are barking on the street / chasing us so they can eat” sent shivers up my spine. Yves Tumor know’s what’s up. You should too. —Alex Siber