This year, UK-based fashion brand I Saw It First played up to its own name by putting on a nationwide, women-led talent search (with the help of Capital XTRA), opening up its inboxes to submissions from artists up and down the country. From the countless submissions sent to judges Yinka Bokinni, Shayna Marie, Zed Bias and Steel Banglez, 21 entrants made the shortlist to win £25,000, and they have each been given the opportunity to craft music videos of their own.
Those videos have since been uploaded to the I Saw It First website and voting has now been opened to the public who will narrow the search down to one lucky winner. Besides the £25,000 prize, they'll also be given a music deal and the chance to create a track that becomes the sound of I Saw It First.
Of those 21 entrants, we have highlighted four artists—Glowe, Angeloumae, Tabitha Jade and Babyteeth—who we think could take the top spot.
Glowe
View this video on YouTube
Watford-born Glowe is a passionate singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who also has a pretty healthy side-line in acting. Although this is her first professional video, she’s been writing and recording music for a little while now. The I Saw It First-backed video is for her most recent track, “Don’t Let Me Down”, an all-too relatable song about the frustration you feel over a new lover who's just a little too preoccupied with an ex.
Angeloumae
View this video on YouTube
The offering from Angeloumae, “Love Don’t”, sees the young singer bathed in glittering lights in her video. The track itself is a gently bumping piece of R&B of the Jorja Smith and Mahalia variety, stitching together delicate melodies over an unintrusive instrumental. Having moved from the Philippines to Edinburgh at the age of 5 after her parents split—and speaking very little English—a young Angeloumae felt isolated and cut off from the world around her. That sense of alienation is something she poured directly into her music, using at as a means of expressing herself, as well as escape.
“It was hard being the only Filipino girl, especially at such a young age,” explains Angeloumae. “I felt like I had to blend in with everyone and I didn’t like standing out. There was a lot of racism, a lot of Chinese references, which sparked a lot of feelings of isolation and loneliness and that’s what led me to start song writing. Through music, I could express myself, my feelings and be free creatively. I no longer had to hide who I was. Music became my therapy.”
Tabitha Jade
View this video on YouTube
Born and raised in the Wirral, near Liverpool, most of Tabitha Jade’s family are musically-inclined and she even plays in a band with her sister. Her career may be nascent—although she’s a regular fixture on the live music circuit and has played a tonne of festivals—but she already has a firm idea of who she is as an artist and where she wants to be. As she sets out on her own, with a significant stack of original music she’s written, she’s using her new track “Secret” is the springboard to take her to the next level. A pained love song, “Secret” is the heart-breaking and personal tale of being in love with someone who doesn’t take her seriously and wants to hide her from his friends.
Babyteeth
View this video on YouTube
Babyteeth—aka lead vocalist Camilla Roholm, drummer Samantha Lubin, bass guitarist Rio Hellyer and guitarist Eilidh McKellar—present their video for “Cut It”. Now on their fourth single, the band’s impressive list of accomplishments so far includes touring with ‘80s legend Adam Ant and recording with The Killers collaborator Ric Levy, but those achievements haven’t come without challenges.
“We’ve all had tough experiences growing up,” says Camilla, “whether that was to do with sexuality or family problems. There is definitely a little girl inside of all of us that has something to prove, because nothing was handed to anybody in this band. That’s what makes us relate to each other so closely. We’ve all worked hard to do this. We’ve put the hours in and I think there is a great support in our friendship because we all pick each other up when needed.”
Head to I Saw It First to vote for your favourite now.
