7 Up and Coming Artists To Keep An Eye On In 2021

Maddie and Tae

Classy country singer-songwriters Maddie & Tae made an initial breakthrough with 2014’s platinum-selling single ‘Girl In A Country Song’, which was followed by a well-received debut album, Start Here. A whole new chapter began when the US duo signed to Mercury Nashville for 2019’s One Heart To Another EP, which features the acclaimed ‘Die From A Broken Heart’. In its wake, Maddie & Tae opened for Carrie Underwood on her high-profile Cry Pretty 360 tour, while new music and a recently-announced US tour with Lady Antebellum are already in the pipeline for 2020.

Announced Events: Maddie & Tae at Baltimore Soundstage, March 27
Maddie and Tae Concert Tickets

Jessie Reyez

Canadian Jessie Reyez is a stylish singer and songwriter whose infectious pop is accented with R&B and hip-hop influences. Her breakthrough came through her association with Toronto’s Remix Project, which first introduced her to Chicago-based hip-hop star King Louie. Their 2014 collaboration, ‘Living In The Sky’, received widespread critical acclaim and led to Reyez co-writing songs for Calvin Harris and Normani as well as penning Dua Lipa’s 2018 UK smash, ‘One Kiss’. Her own Being Human In Public EP was recently nominated for a Grammy and, with her debut album imminent, it’s hard to believe that 2020 won’t belong to Jessie Reyez.

Announced Events: 2021 dates coming soon!
Jessie Reyez Tickets

YUNGBLUD

Reinventing himself as a genre-bending hip-hop-influenced rock artist, the Yorkshire-born Dominic Harrison first grabbed headlines when his 2017 single ‘King Charles’ drew comparisons with Jamie T and early Arctic Monkeys. An ensuing deal with Geffen led to his debut album, 2018’s 21st Century Liability, while his striking Halsey and Travis Barker collaboration, ‘11 Minutes’, earned a platinum certification in Australia. YUNGBLUD’s 2019 EP, the confident The Underrated Youth, peaked at No.6 in the UK, while his upcoming seven-night stand at London’s O2 Forum suggests that Dominic Harrison’s star is on the rise as he faces 2020.

Announced Events: Yungblud at Hangout Music Festival, May 21
YUNGBLUD Concert Tickets


Tom Walker

Those Americans who have managed to avoid the siren call of the UK’s reality TV show Love Island might not be familiar with this gravelly-voiced Glasgow native. Despite his impassioned growls, Walker can just as easily pull off a Sam Smith-inspired falsetto. His debut album, What A Time To Be Alive, is fittingly titled, given that his fusion of traditional songwriting with hip-hop-inspired beats and vocals is tailor-made for today’s streaming audience. Following in Ed Sheeran’s footsteps, Walker put his busking days behind him and took home the trophy for British Breakthrough Act at the 2019 Brit Awards.

Announced Events: The Watering Hole, Perranporth, UK, 13 Sept
Tom Walker Concert Tickets

Grace Carter

Grace Carter’s confessional pop may speak to her personal experience, but her appeal is universal. The self-taught pianist and singer-songwriter wrings deeply affecting pop ballads out of heartbreak and caught everyone’s ear with her viral hit ‘Silence’. Following a tour with Dua Lipa, she gained wider acclaim, landing on the BBC’s Sound Of 2019 list and releasing her debut EP, Saving Grace. Now the Brighton-based singer continues her hot streak with two back-to-back hits, ‘Fired Up’ and ‘Amnesia’, and is currently on tour with the biggest British breakthrough artist of the year, Lewis Capaldi.

Announced Events: O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London, UK, 19 Oct
Grace Carter Tickets

Easy Life

Hailing from Leicester, this pan-genre quintet embodies the kind of eclecticism that has come to define today’s musical landscape. Since forming in 2017, Easy Life have released a slew of singles and mixtapes on Island, and recently dropped their debut EP, Junk Food Mixtape. Self-described as “your favourite old jazz record mixed with the dirty wonders of modern production techniques”, Easy Life is the sum of each member’s parts, from Dilla-inspired beats to indie electronica, funk instrumentals and a distinctly British sense of sardonic storytelling. After hitting the festival circuit last year, they’ll be heading to our shores for a headlining tour in 2020, making them one of the most exciting UK artists out there right now.

Announced Events: Baby’s All Right, New York, 20 Oct
Easy Life Concert Tickets

Ryland James

Ryland James has already been praised by Shawn Mendes and toured extensively with Alessia Cara, but his reputation-building singles from 2019 – ‘Say Goodbye’ and the yearning ‘In My Head’ – prove that he’s more than capable of holding his own in such esteemed company. The young Canadian singer-songwriter’s mission statement is to write songs which “deeply impact on people” and his seamless fusion of gospel, roots, gritty soul and anthemic pop suggests he’ll make good on his promise in the very near future.

Announced Events: Napa Valley Expo, Napa CA, 02 October
Ryland James Tickets