It’s our favourite time of year at MJF Spotlight: we are thrilled to present our list of 20 emerging artists set to make a lot of noise in 2023. As usual, there’s something for everyone and every style!
Many of the artists on this list will be invited to participate in live session shoots and MJF Spotlight events throughout the year and during the Festival. Of the twenty artists selected last year, ten performed at the Festival, including Lady Blackbird, Fred again…, Sam Ryder and Kings Elliot.
ILIRA
A SWISS POP STAR IN THE MAKING
- Our bookers love her because… “We had the pleasure of inviting her on one of the free stages of the Festival this summer. She blew us away with her vocal mastery and her ease on stage. No doubt about it, Ilira is already a true pop star. After Dua Lipa and Rita Ora, we are discovering a new singer who honours her Kosovar-Albanian roots.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… pop.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Dua Lipa at Auditorium Stravinski.
DOMi & JD BECK
A JAZZ DUO LIKE NO OTHER
- Our bookers love them because… “These two young Berklee graduates play their instruments with amazing virtuosity. But what makes them stand out from the crowd is their unique style and aesthetic. It’s no coincidence that Anderson Paak signed them to his label and that they have collaborated with artists as diverse as Snoop Dogg, MacDemarco, Herbie Hancock and Thundercat”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… jazz that can turn into hip-hop.
- We can picture them at the MJF with… Masego and Snarky Puppy at the Lab.
TALK
A POWERHOUSE VOICE
- Our bookers love him because… “We’ve been following him for a while, but it’s his song “Run Away to Mars” that has definitely won us over. A real hit! He’s a huge fan of Coldplay, Freddie Mercury or Elton John, the kind of artists who can make entire stadiums sing. Like them, he has a joyful energy, colourful personality and love for epic choruses.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… pop-rock.
- We can picture him at the MJF with… Sam Fender at the Lab.
FLO
GIRL GROUPS ARE BACK
- Our bookers love them because… “They were not born when Destiny’s Child or TLC were singing their first hits, but you can clearly feel their nostalgia for the R’n’B harmonies of that era. The three English singers – Renée, Stella and Jorja – are the worthy heirs of that era, co-signed by Kelly Rowland herself!”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… R’n’B.
- We can picture them at the MJF with… Sam Smith at Auditorium Stravinski.
THE DOUG
THE NEW FACE OF FRENCH RAP
- Our bookers love him because… “We saw him live in a small venue under complicated conditions. But despite that, we immediately felt an immense raw talent. People compare him to Lomepal or Eddie de Preto, but he really has something of his own with his “white thrash” looks, his big personality and a voice that is closer to Bashung than to today’s rappers.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… a mix of rap and French Chanson.
- We can picture him at the MJF with… Lomepal at Auditorium Stravinski.
OVERMONO
THE METEORIC RISE OF TWO BROTHERS
- Our bookers love them because… “The Russell brothers already had a reputation in the UK underground as Tessela and Truss. But since joining forces, they have become one of the most indispensable electronic bands of the moment. Their love for the sounds of the ’90s is obvious, but they’re not nostalgic: the production, vocal lines and ability to fuse genres is completely fresh.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… electronic music that mixes techno, trance, rave, garage, drum & bass, hardcore.
- We can picture them at the MJF with… Rüfüs du Sol at the Lab.
ETHAN BORTNICK
THE PIANO PRODIGY TAKES ON POP MUSIC
- Our bookers love him because… “At first we thought that the piano parts in his songs were just samples. We then found out that Ethan Bortnick was first known as a classical music prodigy from an early age. We love the way he uses his virtuosity and mastery of the piano to create dark, ultra-contemporary pop.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… piano-pop.
- We can picture him at the MJF with… Jacob Collier at the Lab.
LOVEJOY
THE YOUTUBER TURNED INDIE ROCK PHENOMENON
- Our bookers love them because… “The four Englishmen introduce themselves as “the only indie rock band with a double kick drum”. It made us laugh. There’s a real phenomenon around singer Wilbur Soot, who first made a name for himself on YouTube and Twitch with humorous content. Lovejoy is a welcome addition to the UK indie scene.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… de l’indie rock.
- We can picture them at the MJF with… Wet Legs and Idles at the Lab.
d4vd
THE CASUAL GENIUS OF A GENRE-DEFYING ARTIST
- Our bookers love him because… “David Burke is a bit of a UFO in the music business. He says he’s never seen a concert in his life, and he composed his first tracks because he needed royalty-free sounds in his Fortnite videos. Many of these were produced directly on his smartphone, fusing many styles into a dark and melancholic vibe.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… a combination of indie pop, alternative rock, R’n’B and hip-hop (d4vd called his approach ‘genre dysphoria’).
- We can picture him at the MJF with… Louis Tomlinson at the Lab.
JVKE
A TIKTOK-BORN POP INNOVATOR
- Our bookers love him because… “JVKE was the first to be surprised by the evolution of his success on TikTok: the more he ventured beyond the conventional pop format, the more popular his songs became. And it’s all the more impressive that he writes, composes and produces everything himself. With his latest album, JVKE has even reinvented the album format itself, with four thematic parts, each of which will form an expanding playlist.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… pop with multiple influences.
- We can picture him at the MJF with… Brockhampton at the Lab.
SHENSEEA
THE RISING STAR OF DANCEHALL
- Our bookers love her because… “Whether she sings or raps, the Jamaican is able to lay down her flow and infuse her energy on any style of music. The diversity of her featurings speaks for itself, from Sean Paul to Calvin Harris via Megan Thee Stallion, Masego or Wizkid. We can’t wait to follow the next steps in her career, which took on a new dimension this year with the release of her first album.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… dancehall with touches of R’n’B.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Wizkid at the Lab.
DOVE CAMERON
THE ACTRESS WHO TREATS MUSIC AS CINEMA
- Our bookers love her because… “You can feel that she has made a career in the film industry. Her songs, full of drama and sensuality, brass and strings, could be the soundtrack to a 1950s film. Or rather a remake of it, because the production of here songs remains very up to date, with a darkness that sometimes recalls Billie Eilish. The lyrics are also contemporary, as in the queer and feminist anthems ‘Boyfriend’ and ‘Breakfast’.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… noir-pop.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Lizzo at the Lab.
STACEY RYAN
THE SELF-PROCLAIMED ‘QUEEN OF JAZZTOK’
- Our bookers love her because… “She knows perfectly how to mix her passion for jazz with today’s trends, pop choruses and TikTok challenges. She is inspired by her studies in jazz composition, which allows her to add a little something, a groove, a harmony or a clever melody line that makes her stand out from the crowd. She definitely is the Queen of JazzTok!”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… pop music with jazz, gospel and R’n’B flavors.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Steve Lacy at the Lab.
CAT BURNS
BREAKING DOWN REPRESENTATIONAL BARRIERS IN POP MUSIC
- Our bookers love her because… “Proudly calling herself a pop artist, Cat Burns refuses to be pigeonholed in a specific genre based on the colour of her skin. She cites Tracy Chapman’s influence in proving that a black woman can sing whatever she wants. After her success on TikTok, the singer has already opened for pop giants such as Ed Sheeran and Years & Years-”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… pop.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Ed Sheeran at Auditorium Stravinski.
UNCLE WAFFLES
THE AMAPIANO, A NEW SOUND FROM SOUTH AFRICA
- Our bookers love her because… “She is one of the most promising artists in amapiano, a highly percussive South African electronic genre that blends elements of deep house and jazz. Uncle Waffles has helped popularise this new style around the world through her videos on TikTok and her energetic sets on Youtube.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… Amapiano.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Megan Thee Stallion at Auditorium Stravinski.
GAYLE
THE POP PUNK RENAISSANCE ON TIKTOK
- Our bookers love her because… “Following in the footsteps of Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish, Gayle is bringing the pop punk sound and emo aesthetic of the 2000s up to date. The success of her hit “abcdefu” on TikTok, whether in its pop version or its angrier version, is proof of this. It’s no coincidence that My Chemical Romance chose her as the opening act for their concerts!”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… pop punk.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Maisie Peters and Tate McRae at the Lab.
TOKISCHA
THE WILD COLLABORATOR OF ROSALIA AND MADONNA
- Our bookers love her because… “She has no filters, and that’s what makes her music so exciting and authentic. Madonna, J Balvin, Rosalia and others have worked with her, seduced by her intense flow, personality and explicit lyrics. In a very short time, she has become the biggest ambassador of dembow, the Dominican Republic-born genre that is a faster, more violent derivative of reggaeton.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… a blend of rap, dembow and reggaeton.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Rauw Alejandro at the Lab.
PIRI & TOMMY
DRUM’N’BASS DUO CO-SIGNED BY CHARLI XCX
- Our bookers love them because… “The transition from TikTok to the stage can be tricky for some bands, but Piri & Tommy have done it very well. We were in Brighton for their first festival appearance and we really liked the chemistry of the duo on stage and the new dimension they were able to bring to their songs, with a real drummer to accompany them.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… drum’n’bass.
- We can picture them at the MJF with… Shygirlet Halsey at the Lab.
DOECHII
THE FIRST FEMALE RAPPER SIGNED TO TOP DAWG
- Our bookers love her because… “It was about time a female rapper was signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, Kendrick Lamar’s first label. Doechii excels in pure rap but also in more R’n’B vibes, and handles punchlines and egotrip like no other. The title of her latest EP sets the tone: She/Her/Black Bitch.”
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… hip-hop.
- We can picture her at the MJF with… Baby Keem at the Lab.
EKKSTACY
THE RAW AND URGENT ENERGY OF A SURVIVOR
- Our bookers love him because… « Ekkstacy oozes authenticity. Having experienced depression and suicide attempts, the themes of his songs are anxious and dark, but the vitality of his music provides a true liberating energy. After listening to a lot of hip-hop in his youth, he found his way to indie rock, inspired by bands like The Drums, Beach Fossils or Current Joys.»
- The days of labelling musical genres are gone, but between us, let’s call it… indie rock with goth, post-punk, new wave and hip-hop influences.
- We can picture him at the MJF with… Molchat Doma et Fever Ray at the Lab.