The 18 most promising new artists for 2018

The first weeks of a new year are always a good time to discover some new music. A Bit of Pop Music is happy to help you with that! After correctly predicting the success of acts like Tove Lo (2014), Dua Lipa (2016) and Maggie Rogers (2017), I present you the most promising new(ish) artists for the year 2018! Read through the top 18 and scroll all the way down for a handy Spotify playlist which includes all 18 acts!

18. Cilia
Cilia is a pure pop artist who has it in her to become the next big Swedish pop export product. She gained buzz from some huge international pop blogs with the deliciously catchy ‘Hardcore Heartbreak’ and she is about to come back big with another huge chorus later this month. Stay tuned!

17. Giovanna
Upcoming singer and songwriter Giovanna is currently working on her debut album in both London and Berlin. She has released a handful of tracks over the past months of which the most recent, ‘Surrender With Strength’, made the biggest impact on me. Vocally she goes all out over a bombastic, but atmosperic instrumentation. The intensity in this single is something artists work years and years to achieve.

16. Sakima
Every now and then we need some fresh, out of the box new pop stars to shake up things a little bit and that is exactly what Sakima is here for! The UK-based R&B and electronic pop artist is unconventional in both his image and his sound, resulting in steamy tracks and videos like ‘Daddy’. He just dropped his second EP Ricky a couple of months ago and I’m pretty sure we can count on some more new music this year!

15. Off Bloom
Anglo-Danish three-piece Off Bloom had a big year in 2017. They toured with pop sensation Dua Lipa and released one strong single after another. The band consists of producers Alex, Max and Mette, who also provides the vocals. Their upbeat, highly electronic pop music is not miles off from the sound off fellow Danish pop star MØ. Singles ‘Golden Dreams’ and ‘Lover Like Me’ give a good indication of what they are capable of!

14. LUCA
This London-based singer-songwriter is busy working on his debut album at the moment. The 27-year-old folk artist recently launched the first track taken from the record, titled ‘Wales’ and it is really all you need to hear to recognize his potential. His falsetto vocals are unique and gorgeous and both melody and instrumentation are breathtaking! This song deserves so much more attention!

13. CHILDCARE
This band started by Ed Cares released their first EP in 2017, but it was the single ‘Getting Over You (By Dressing Up Like You)’ that convinced me that they have potential to become big! It is bonkers, lyrically brilliant, insanely catchy and most of all a breath of fresh air. They are busy touring and drop new tracks regularly so keep an eye on these guys!

12. Dagny
Dagny is the first of numerous Norwegian pop acts in this list! The pop star from the North of Norway launched her debut EP in 2016, but started to reach her full potential in 2017 with the subtle, light tropical bop ‘Wearing Nothing’ and properly hypnotic pop tune ‘Love You Like That’. She seems to be gaining new fans quickly and Norwegian radio is starting to get behind her. It is a matter of time before the rest of world follows!

11. Dotter
Dotter, born Johanna Jansson, has been on our radar for a while now. This Swedish singer and songwriter creates big pop tunes with a bombastic feel and a natural beauty, as if Mother Earth herself touched the production. 2018 is going to be an exciting year for her. After releasing some seriously impressive tracks like ‘Creatures of the Sun’ and ‘Rebellion’ she is going to participate in Melodifestivalen, the Swedish pre-selection for Eurovision, which for sure will give her a lot more exposure!

10. Tayá
This young singer from Liverpool stands a good chance of becoming the next R&B sensation. 2017 was a big year for her as she toured with artists like Astrid S and launched singles ‘Deeper’ and the absolutely hit-worthy ‘When Ur Sober’. She absolutely looks like a star and has the sultry type of voice that works perfectly for radio. Can she please drop an album in 2018!?

09. Julie Bergan
Norwegian pop artist Julie Bergan has had a successful career in her home country for quite a while now and with every new track she releases, she shows off more international potential. In 2016 she launched the single ‘Arigato’ which reached number 1 in Norway and top 5 in Sweden, but if you ask me, her latest tune ‘Incapable’ is her best yet! Her surprisingly soulful vocals work perfectly with the light electronic arrangements and the lyrics about being incapable of falling in love with a person you really want to fall in love with, do hit home!

08. Nilüfer Yanya
Nilüfer Yanya’s music is hard to capture in one style, but could be best described as a mix of indie rock, guitar pop and soul. The London-based singer-songwriter with Turkish, Irish and Bajan roots released two EPs and a handful of singles so far, but it was mostly her latest single ‘Baby Luv’ that created a whole lot of buzz for her. Her vocals are incredibly mature and emotive for a 22-year-old and her songwriting is subtle, but still infectious!

07. Wulf
Dutch singer-songwriter Wulf had his first chart success with ‘Summer On You’, a collaboration with Sam Feldt and Lucas x Steve. His first solo single ‘Mind Made Up’, a subtle but insanely catchy acoustic guitar track, became a big hit in his home country as well. He started 2018 by launching the uplifting new track ‘All Things Under The Sun’ and it is safe to say his future as a musician looks bright!

06. Nina June
Amsterdam based pop artist Nina June has been working her way up in the Dutch music industry for quite a while, but 2018 will be the year she finally releases her long-awaited debut record Bon Voyage. The album comes preceded by an impressive string of atmospheric and beautifully produced singles. ‘Till Dawn’ was the most recent and probably her best as well! Such a dark and seductive piece of electro pop! If the quality of those singles is anything to go by, this album will be absolute fire!

05. Ina Wroldsen
Her name might not directly ring a bell, but you have definitely heard songs she has written or even performed. After writing for numerous artists, Calvin Harris used her vocals for ‘How Deep is Your Love’, which she co-wrote as well. In 2016 she released the stunning single ‘Lay It On Me’ which became a hit in Norway. In 2017 she dropped a hot collaboration with Jax Jones and signed a major label deal for her solo career. She is not exactly ‘new’ anymore, but as a solo artist she for sure is promising and then some!

04. Asha
Croydon-based British singer and songwriter Asha gained online buzz when she started to work on a music career a couple of years ago. After a little break she is back and better than ever! Her latest single ‘To The Edge’ has all elements that made Jessie Ware’s debut so incredible, but not without putting her own twist on it. Asha’s soulful vocals soar beautifully and that chorus is simply outstanding. More of this please!

03. Naaz
Naaz is a Dutch-Kurdish pop artist who currently has an international record deal. Her two most recent singles ‘Words’ and ‘Up To Something’ were both very well received in the Netherlands. Her bright and uplifting brand of pop tunes is refreshing and so is her young and playful image. She has a clear direction for her visuals judging by the stylish videos for both tracks. Naaz is a DIY pop star and I am pretty sure she is going to create some more exciting stuff for us in 2018!

02. Eden
This Irish producer and singer-songwriter has been around for a while and has two EPs to his name, but I thought he deserved a mention in this list as he is about to drop his debut LP Vertigo on the 19th of January! His brand of electronic indie pop is catchier than James Blake, more adventurous than even Troye Sivan’s most experimental tracks and his unusual delivery sometimes echoes Frank Ocean’s Blonde album. The artist born as Jonathon Ng recently dropped excellent singles like ‘burn’, ‘crash’ and ‘start//end’ and his debut album will be something special for sure!

01. Sigrid
Sigrid took Norway and pop admiring internet by storm when she dropped her incredibly catchy debut single ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’. This Pop Princess in the making continued dropping flawless pop tunes on her debut EP with tracks like ‘Plot Twist’ and ‘Fake Friends’. Miss Sigrid showed that she certainly is not a one hit wonder. She managed to gain more buzz with recent single ‘Strangers’ and rightfully so. Her melodies are incredibly catchy and her feisty attitude matches perfectly with the explosive nature of her choruses. It is a matter of time before she takes over international radio and streaming lists.