Our Fresh Under 30 you need to know about
The climate of UK Music is as diverse as it has ever been!
Last updated 16th Feb 2022
The climate of UK Music is as diverse as it has ever been and much of that is down to the massive cultural impact of young Black British talent. Inspired the likes of the Windrush generation, who imported their sound system culture to these shores and the Afrobeats movement, each artist highlighted channels these influences in their own unique way.
These are some of the freshest young names in music you should keep you eye on.
Sainte
Hailing from Leicester, the ‘Champagne Shots’ wordsmith has quickly bubbled up to the top of the underground.
His laidback flow coupled with the often ethereal mood of his production places Sainte nicely in the batch of rappers heavily influenced by the ‘cloud rap’ revolution of the previous decade.
Hits like ‘Stylin’ and recently released ‘Summer is Blue’ featuring fellow alt kings Knucks and A2 offer the kind of bounce that resonates so well with the bright-eyed fans who have been packing out his post-lockdown performances.
Amaria BB
Jamaican-born Amaria BB can’t be put in a box. Growing up in East London, her musical upbringing was vast, with R&B, reggae and UK Funky House playing a huge part in her childhood.
The ‘Slow Motion’ artist’s sultry fusion of all these sounds makes for a dreamy listening experience. Her feathery vocals adorn her dancehall-tinged rhythms in a captivating way, lulling yet seeped in groove, as latest single ‘Fundz’ shows so well.
Jelani Blackman
The West London spitter never seems to break a sweat. Attacking each track with an unaffected poise, Blackman is carving out a distinctive lane within the landscape of UK Rap.
With ample charisma at his disposal, the ‘Bubblin’ rapper’s music is both sonically and lyrically fascinating. Earning his spot on Gorillaz latest project, as well as the coveted COLORS visual performance platform, he is reaping the fruits of the hard work he’s put in over the years.
With new mixtape ‘Unlimited’, we’re witnessing an artist whose superpowers are really starting to kick in.
Backroad Gee
With his high octane delivery and undeviating lyricism, Backroad Gee is a star on the rise. Since booting down the doors of the rap scene at the front end of 2020 with infectious drill hit ‘Party Popper’, the eccentric artist has flourished into a versatile and exciting prospect.
Weaving in and out of different styles, BRG has proven his versatility whilst maintaining his unique essence. From the hard-hitting ‘My Family’ with Pa Salieu, to tranquil afrobeat bop ‘Take Time’, the South London showman’s energy is a refreshing addition to a stoic scene.
Alana Maria
Fresh out of West London is rising R&B talent, 20-year-old Alana Maria. Given the sleekness in everything from her songwriting to her music videos, you’d be forgiven for assuming the ‘Chargie’ singer had been in the game for longer than she has.
Her shimmering blend of radio-ready R&B with dancehall influences is propped up by her knack for catchy melodies. Her Pop sensibilities peer through on tracks like ‘Show Me Love’ and Kranium-featuring ‘My Heart’.
If she continues on this trajectory, we can expect even bigger things from her soon.
Mnelia
Breathing life into the UK R&B landscape, North-West London’s own songstress has carved her own lane with her butterlike vocals.
After early 2020 smash ‘Say Yeah’ broke her through, Mnelia didn’t let a pandemic or a pregnancy stop her grind. Releasing her ‘After 6’ EP shortly before giving birth to her son, her sophisticated approach resulted in a project that showcased her command on both contemporary and alternative R&B sounds.
Singles ‘Senseless’ and ‘My Bad’ show real growth and are testament to the benefits of dedicated artist development.
Mista Strange
Pushing his way through with an iconic heartfelt Bl@ckbox freestyle, the 21-year-old rapper made waves for being one of the first openly gay artists not only to appear on the platform, but in the rap scene as a whole.
What he made clear was that, whilst his sexuality is a proud part of his identity, it should not be a precursor for how his artistry is taken. Tracks like ‘DSTNY’ are fun and braggadocious, showing no signs of the pressure that comes as a trailblazing artist.
Watch his interview below with Ellie Prohan from KISS Nights
Enny
Since dropping breakthrough hit ‘Peng Black Girls’ with Amia Brave in November 2020, the South-East London wordsmith has secured her place in the pool of fast-rising talent the city has to offer.
Combining her witty, conversational pen with social and political commentary, the rapper weaves topics such as female empowerment, racial injustice and gentrification seamlessly into her feel-good sound.
Her penchant for crafting catchy melodies is evident too. Hooks for tracks like ‘Same Old’ and Future Funk cut ‘I Want’ are indicative of her multifaceted artistry that justifies comparison to artists like Lauryn Hill.
Jvck James
At the age of just 21, East London crooner Jvck James boasts the polish of a seasoned vet. The Soul and R&B starlet is a graduate from the East London Academy of Music, and listening to his catalogue, you can tell there is an education behind his sound.
Citing influences like D’Angelo and Lauryn Hill, his harmonies are guided by the same soulful background that shaped the music of his inspirations.
Recent uptempo tracks like ‘Joyride’ and ‘No Drama’ showcase the versatility of a burgeoning artist who is ready for the big time.
Shenseea
Shenseea is the first Jamaican female Dancehall artist to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 17 Years with her collaboration with rapper Kanye West on “Pure Souls.
She shared her achievement to her followers on Instagram with the caption 'Fxck the first this and first that! I'm just happy I did something great! 17 years!
Shenseea also celebrated with us back in August 2020, for 'Carnival On KISS' 48 hours of carnival for Bank Holiday Weekend with special takeover shows and live DJ sets. A true celebration of Black music and party culture… something we’re all passionate about here at KISS.
Mahalia
Now a music scene veteran, Mahalia’s evolution from understated acoustic pop girl to UK R&B frontrunner has been remarkable.
Emerging from Charnwood in Leicestershire, Mahalia signed her first deal at 13, releasing her debut project ‘Head Space’ three years later. As she continued on her journey, the ‘Roadside’ singer began incorporating the hip hop and R&B elements that would see her collaborating with the likes of Burna Boy and Ella Mai on her 2019 album, ‘Love and Compromise’.
She possesses a fluidity in sound that guarantees a powerful performance on Dancehall, Trap and UK Garage inflected rhythms. An overriding feel-good factor surrounds her music, with themes such as self-worth and acceptance present throughout her esteemed catalogue.
Tems
The alluring alto tones of Nigeria’s latest star have been causing quite a stir!
Best known for her show-stealing performance on Wizkid’s defining summer anthem ‘Essence’, the 25 year old Lagos native has quickly garnered a worldwide following with her boundary-pushing brand of alternative R&B.
Coexisting with the West African alté counterculture that dips in and out of popular Afrobeat styles, Tems has landed on a delicate musical balance. Tracks like ‘Damages’ have a distinct Afrobeat vibe, whilst ‘Found’, cut from her recently released EP ‘If Orange Was a Place’ takes on a more soulful feel, showing the artist’s vast musical palette.
Koffee
Mikayla “Koffee” Simpson was the first female artist and youngest woman to ever take home the Grammy for best reggae album—at 19 years old. The track "Toast" even landed on the Barrack Obamas' summer playlist!
She began writing lyrics in her bedroom after being inspired by the reggae singer Protoje. Koffee gained popularity after uploading a video to Instagram of her singing.
In October 2020, Koffee was named by Elle magazine as one of “10 Trailblazing Women Changing The Future You Need To Know”
Ivorian Doll
Bursting with pop appeal, Ivorian Doll is perhaps the glossiest talent to emerge from the UK Drill scene.
Armed with a bucket full of charm, the East London native built her following across various social platforms before unleashing her raw and dynamic musical ability to the masses as part of a duo.
Following her explosive 2020 solo debut ‘Rumours’, the entertainer has gone onto release similar thumping anthems including ‘Body Bag’ and featured on ‘F U Pay Me’, taken from Headie One’s UK Number 1 album ‘Edna’.
PinkPantheress
Few artists could make a more legitimate claim to being ‘the moment’ than 20-year-old sensation PinkPantheress.
The Bath-born singer has unassumingly taken over the internet in the space of less than a year with her nostalgic blend of hyperpop, drum and bass and jungle.
Whilst existing comfortably in the online spaces, namely TikTok, that propelled her to early stardom, the chart success of Top 40 hits like ‘Just For Me’ and ‘Pain’ have shown that the wispy songbird of Kenyan heritage has what it takes to crossover into the mainstream.
KISS Presenters open up about what Black History Month means to them:
Swarzy Macaly - KISS & KISS Fresh Presenter
"What impact has black culture had on your life?"
Black culture is multifaceted and yet I believe Joy and Resilience are two key attributes of black culture that continue to shape my life. The joy I find in laughing with others despite the struggle, and joining in with the collective resilience - past and present - to keep on keeping on fills me with much hope.
"Who do you want to CELEBRATE this Black History Month? And why?"
I want to celebrate my MUM! She's bossed life throughout the pandemic and lockdown, and I'm so proud of all she's achieved. From listening to my Breakfast Shows on KISS to watching all my interviews and events online, my Mum has supported me ever since I first touched a mic in Year 7! Her strength and resilience inspires me and so my Mum is a huge reason for why I'm celebrating #BlackGirlJoy as part of Too Much Source 2021.
Tyler West - KISS Presenter
"Does Black History Month feel different in 2021? If so how?"
It feels different because we've had so much time in the last year to reflect. It feels like as the world opened back up, so has thoughts and conversations that needed to be happening 🖤
"What impact has black culture had on your life?"
Black culture is the everyday. Whether it be the music, the food, or any of the blessings we experience every day, it's in my DNA. It makes you so open to the idea "there's more to this life" you just need to let it in.
"Who do you want to CELEBRATE this Black History Month? And why?"
I want to celebrate my close ones. The ones who have spoken up and helped raise awareness when there's no one around, the ones who take time to educate and understand but also appreciate black history month the same as I do.
Kaylee Golding - KISS Fresh Presenter
"Does Black History Month feel different in 2021? If so how?"
I think many people and companies were emotionally charged by the horrific murder of George Floyd last year, and that inspired many people to get involved in Black History Month. Now over a year on, it can feel like people have forgotten that black lives still matter, and we need the same energy for Black History Month 2021 as we did in 2021. So I really urge people to continue to celebrate our black heroes, continue to educate themselves and those around them, and most importantly to continue to conversation on equality!
"What impact has black culture had on your life?"
It's very easy for me to say I'm half black so of course, black culture impacts my life that way. But realistically, even if I had no black descent at all black culture would still impact me. Like first off, the Windrush generation helped to rebuild this country. Without that, we have no idea what the UK would have looked like. Black culture has influenced music so heavily. Of course, I love black music, from rap to RnB, to afro-beats to dancehall. But even if that wasn't my music preference, black culture has had an influence on so many genres such as dance and pop music. And finally, I don't think I could go a week without having some form of Caribbean food. For me, it really is the best. I am so proud that to have black heritage.
"Who do you want to CELEBRATE this Black History Month? And why?"
I want to celebrate Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah also known as Lady Phyll. She is the co-founder of UK Black Pride. And black pride is an event that I am able to celebrate both my sexuality and my ethnicity. It's easy for people to think they have to be celebrated separately when they really don't and Lady Phyll showed us that! I think with black history month we focus on US icons, which is great but we also need to celebrate our black UK icons, that are putting in the work RIGHT NOW. And Lady Phyll has provided a safe place for thousands of Black British LGBTQ+ people here in the UK.
Daisy Maskell - KISS Fresh Breakfast Presenter
"What impact has black culture had on your life?"
I think people are finally starting to realise the importance of educating and celebrating black history all year round as opposed to just doing so throughout the month of October. We have taken so much from black culture and benefitted from it in so many ways, it's about time we recognise this and start to give back.
Read more:
Films and TV to watch this Black History Month
Powerful books to read this Black History Month chosen by KISS Presenter Tinea Taylor