5 UK Music Artists to Watch Out For in 2023
Every new year, we like to reflect on the year that has just been and cherry pick a few artists who in our eyes, are one to watch for the next coming year. With so much music out there, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. 2022 was the first full year since the global pandemic that the entertainment industry could see some normality return. We had festivals like Coachella in April and Afro Nation in July, so live music was fully back in business. With this brought confidence for artists to get creative and have hope that the sky was the limit, with no more lockdowns or COVID-19 restrictions in place to stop them.
In no particular order, here are our 5 UK music artists to watch out for in 2023:
1) RAYE
Ever since Raye broke free from the contract with her previous label and went independent, we have seen her flourish. Raye’s single ‘ESCAPISM’ (Sped Up) became a viral TikTok sensation with over 323.5k videos created using the sound, making it impossible to not fall in love with the catchy but raw lyrics. In Nov 2022, Escapism reached number one in the Irish charts and number two in the UK charts, making it the highest charting single of Raye’s music career to date.
Follow RAYE: Instagram | Twitter
2) NKTA
New on the music scene is Reading’s R&B Princess NKTA (Nikita). Noticed by the likes of BBC Music Introducing for her debut single ‘Thought I Needed You’ released October 14th 2022, NKTA is making swift moves to make her mark in the industry this year.
Follow NKTA: Instagram | Twitter
3) Femi Jaye
The UK is no stranger to producing some of the most popular African stars of today including but not limited to NSG, Afro B, Maleek Berry. East London based Nigerian music artist Femi Jaye (also known as Flower Boy) has created a name for himself by carving out a unique sound that many others have come to know and love him for. The much anticipated album Gardener has helped cultivate a dedicated audience for Femi Jaye.
Follow Femi Jaye: Instagram | Twitter
4) KHAOS Kayy R
With how much music gets released on a daily, it is a competitive battle as to how artists can win the attention from listeners to take in their new projects. KHAOS Kayy R is rising UK rap artist who took matters into his own hands when it came to the roll-out for his debut EP, Motion Picture Living. What better way to engage a crowd than to turn your music project into visual short-film? Well this is exactly what KHAOS did via LinkUpTV. With this kind of innovation, who knows what else is in-store for this talented artist. Definitely one to watch.
Follow KHOAS Kayy R: Instagram | Twitter
5) FLO
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would have definitely known that the 3-piece girl group FLO are in town and have already made a huge impact within the music scene. The last big girl-band the UK/world has seen has been Little Mix however, FLO are here to reignite the burning love we all have for pop music that makes us feel young fun and free. With their hit single Cardboard Box (produced by MNEK), FLO broke the internet with their Y2K aesthetic and visuals that we all feel in love with. In 2023, we can anticipate exciting collaborations with artists that bridge the gap between music from the early 2000’s and music of today.
