Tag: best New artist

Watch ELLE Magazine’s Exclusive Livestream of the 2024 Spotify Best New Artist Party Here

February 1, 2024

Our eighth annual celebration of the year’s Best New Artist nominees has arrived, and we’re pulling out all the stops for the week’s hottest pre-show party. This year, we’re at Paramount Studios in Hollywood to toast the group of rising artists—Gracie Abrams, Fred again.., Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, Noah Kahan, Victoria Monét, and The War and Treaty—with live performances, special DJ sets, and more. 

And to give fans inside access to this year’s festivities, we’ve partnered with ELLE Magazine to exclusively livestream the evening’s red carpet for the first time ever. 

Join ELLE’s host Tefi, content creator and comedian, for a live breakdown of the hottest celebrity red carpet looks and behind-the-scenes interviews that offer a glimpse into the lives of this year’s nominees.

 

The livestream has wrapped. Thanks for joining!

Be sure to check Spotify News and For The Record for more coverage of the night’s proceedings—complete with behind-the-scenes footage and photos—and follow ELLE Magazine on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for more exclusive coverage from the event.

Get to know this year’s talented nominees by hitting play on our Best New Artist playlist below.

Best New Artist 2024: Everything You Need To Know About This Year’s Nominees

January 31, 2024

Over the last eight years, Spotify has honored the top rising stars in the music world with an annual celebration recognizing their accomplishments in landing a nomination for Best New Artist. 

We’ve remained committed to supporting emerging artists across all genres, helping them to launch their careers, and connect with fans all over the world. And that continues with this year’s eight nominees—Gracie Abrams, Fred again.., Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, Noah Kahan, Victoria Monét, and The War and Treaty—representing a wide-ranging spectrum of sounds, voices, genres, and backgrounds that have caught the ears of listeners everywhere. 

To celebrate this diverse group of talent ahead of their biggest night yet, we hosted the week’s hottest pre-show party at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. Featuring live performances from the nominees and special DJ sets from Ladies of Leisure and HoneyLuv, the party produced many standout moments. Noah Kahan and Gracie Abrams performed “Everywhere, Everything” together on stage, while Jelly Roll invited Lainey Wilson to the stage to perform “Save Me.” 

Sweden’s Best New Artists Celebrate Their Grammis Nominations With New Spotify Singles

April 28, 2023

On May 3, Sweden’s music industry will come together for the 40th edition of its Grammis awards show to honor its best and brightest musical talents. As one of the gala’s sponsors, we’re honored to be presenting the award for Best New Artist, a category featuring Cornelia Jakobs, BELL, Olivia Lobato, Hooja, and Stella Explorer as its nominees. 

To celebrate, we invited these rising talents to the Spotify studio in Stockholm and gave them each the chance to record a cover for our Spotify Singles program. Cornelia, BELL, and Olivia each picked a song from an artist who was previously nominated in the same category. And to make things interesting, they picked a song that had personal meaning to them. 

Now we’re excited to share the three new tracks from these exciting artists:

“It Takes a Fool to Remain Sane” by Cornelia Jakobs

(Originally recorded by 2001 nominee The Ark)

“Genom Eld” by BELL

(Originally recorded by 2011 winner Oskar Linnros)

“Måndagsbarn” by Olivia Lobato

(Originally recorded by 2007 winner Veronica Maggio)

“The studio is the beating heart of our HQ and a place where both established and aspiring artists can build their careers, realize their visions, and create new chapters in their catalogs,” says Sophia Olofsson, Music Program Lead at Spotify. “We don’t own any rights to the music we record here; rather, the studio is a way for us to contribute to the future and progression of the music industry. It’s an amazing luxury to be so close to the creative process, tell stories together with the artists, and open doors for new collaborations.”

We’re committed to supporting artists at all stages of their careers, and our partnership with the Grammis is just one of many ways we’re spotlighting the next generation of talent in the music industry. 

Discover more of Sweden’s hottest musical exports on our playlist It’s Hits Sweden.

Get Ready for the 2022 GRAMMYs With Spotify Singles From the Best New Artist Nominees

April 1, 2022

A gilded gramophone is a coveted item among many musicians, whether they’re an up-and-coming artist or a legendary rock star. And with the 64th annual GRAMMY Awards show taking place Sunday, April 3rd, nominees across 86 categories will be anxiously waiting to hear if that gramophone is meant for them.

As is tradition, Spotify is celebrating the rising talent nominated for the Best New Artist award—and this year, we’re doing it with a special edition of our Spotify Singles program. We collaborated with six of the 10 nominees for Best New Artist to bring exclusive new music to the platform for fans to enjoy. Each singer took to the studio to record two new tracks: a reimagined version of one of their own hits and a cover of a song that serves as a tribute to a past Best New Artist nominee. Gear up for the awards show by giving these tracks a listen.

For his contribution to this new batch of Spotify Singles, singer-songwriter and producer FINNEAS created the first-ever recordings from Spotify’s new Los Angeles–based studio. “I was honored to finally be able to get into the brand-new and beautiful Spotify Studios to record these songs in these special arrangements,” said the LA native. In the reimagined version of his track “Medieval,” FINNEAS offers up an intimate, piano-driven ballad that lets his strong vocals remain front and center. He also used this opportunity to cover 2012 Best New Artist winner Bon Iver’s “Flume.”

 

For her Spotify Singles session, British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks recorded a reimagined version of her song “Softly,” giving it a maximalist flair with orchestral additions. She also covered 2021 Best New Artist nominee KAYTRANADA’s “You’re The One,” allowing her soulful, breathy vocals to flip the original dance track into an R&B jam. “Syd’s voice in ‘You’re The One’ always had this effortless beauty to it in my eyes, and I wanted to cover it to expose the romance and yearning behind the lyrics,” explained Arlo. “It was also an honor to be able to sing my new song ‘Softly’ too. This was a chance to highlight the beginning of a new and beautiful chapter in my career and celebrate being nominated for Best New Artist.”

 

Country phenom Jimmie Allen shares a new version of his debut single that propelled him to Nashville stardom: “Best Shot.” The singer also gives listeners a twangy, acoustic cover of “Un-break My Heart” from 1994 Best New Artist nominee Toni Braxton. “It’s super cool when you’re recognized for doing something you love,” shared Jimmie. “As for ‘Un-break My Heart’—I love the song; it’s one of my favorite songs ever. I’ve always wanted the opportunity to sing it, and this is my chance—hopefully Toni approves.” 

Fans of Jimmie can learn more about the Delaware native on our podcast Spotify: Mic Check. In the episode, Jimmie opens up about overcoming barriers, the influence of his family, and the evolution of country music.

 

Acclaimed artist Japanese Breakfast also recorded new songs for Spotify Singles. The Best New Artist nominee reimagined its hit “Be Sweet,” funking it up with a disco beat and call-and-response vocals. The group also covered Bon Iver’s track “Skinny Love,” giving it a folk-rock spin with orchestral additions. “We decided to record Bon Iver’s ‘Skinny Love’ because it felt like a very surprising cover for Japanese Breakfast. It’s so moving and sparse,” said Michelle Zauner, lead singer for the band. “We felt we could add some interesting instrumentation to the track and celebrate our fellow labelmate.”

 

British chart-topper Glass Animals rerecorded its newest single, “I Don’t Want to Talk (I Just Want to Dance),” for Spotify Singles by incorporating a tinge of psychedelia into this new rendition. They also covered Lorde’s “Solar Power,” giving the mellow original a big, sunny blast of hand-clap-filled pop. “I chose ‘Solar Power’ because in a time when we were all stuck indoors a bit, this song made me feel like I was on a beach,” explained band frontman Dave Bayley. “We all needed a bit of that! It’s a stunning song, and then I just had a version of it in my head where it was faster with a gospel choir behind it . . . so . . . we made it!”

 

The final Best New Artist nominee releasing exclusive new tracks through Spotify Singles is Arooj Aftab. The Pakistani singer, composer, and producer reimagined her song “Baghon Main” with a stripped-down, twinkling version that highlights her hauntingly powerful vocals. She also covered 2020 Best New Artist nominee ROSALÍA’s “DI MI NOMBRE,” transforming the Spanish superstar’s single into a Qawwali-inspired version all its own. “I’ve always felt a very strong kinship to flamenco music, and recently having visited the south of Spain, even more undeniably so. It’s always been in my periphery to make something with that energy,” shared Arooj. “The opportunity to cover a previous Best New Artist nominee pointed me directly to ROSALÍA. And while it was a very ambitious choice, I had a great time versioning [‘DI MI NOMBRE’]!”

Arooj’s nomination marks the first time a Pakistani woman has been nominated for a GRAMMY award. The artist is also no stranger to Spotify: She was named the ambassador of Spotify’s EQUAL program in Pakistan for the month of March, which was amplified with a corresponding billboard in Times Square. To hear more from Arooj, check out her recent interview on Spotify: Mic Check. In the podcast episode, she opens up about her historic GRAMMY nomination and Pakistani culture.

 

Hear these Spotify Singles and more from this year’s Best New Artist nominees below. 

Celebrate the 2021 Best New Artist Nominees in the Latest Episode of ‘Spotify: For the Record’

March 11, 2021

Every year, Spotify goes all out to show our support for the rising stars nominated in the Best New Artist category for music’s biggest night: The Grammys. The breakout artists nominated in the category this year are Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Ingrid Andress, Noah Cyrus, Phoebe Bridgers, D Smoke, CHIKA, and KAYTRANADA.

In this week’s episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we explore the Best New Artist category with a few special guests. Listeners get to sit in on an intimate conversation between Noah Cyrus and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus. The 2021 nominee chats with the iconic country music singer-songwriter about what it means to be selected (Billy Ray was also nominated for the category in 1993), and she reveals some of her favorite advice that’s been passed down from father to daughter.

We also chat with Charles Holmes, cohost of The Ringer Music Show. The former Rolling Stone writer explains the history of the Best New Artist category and how these nominees—which formerly included the likes of The Beatles, Carpenters, Bon Iver, and Kacey Musgraves—often go on to make a name for themselves. 

Marian Dicus, Spotify’s Co-Head of Music, joins us to share how Spotify has supported this category for the last five years. From playlists to parties, our goal is to amplify the developing talent of those nominated for Best New Artist. This year, we are releasing a series of Spotify Singles from five of the nominees: Ingrid Andress, Noah Cyrus, Phoebe Bridgers, D Smoke, and CHIKA.

Gear up for Sunday’s award show by listening to the full episode, “Music’s Biggest Night: The Best New Artists.”

Spotify Fêtes Best New Artists at 2020 Celebration

January 24, 2020

For the past four years, Spotify has celebrated the Best New Artist nominees at a one-night-only party to remember. The event is intended to help further amplify the voices of several breakout stars, and this year was no different. All eight members of the 2020 class—Billie Eilish, Black Pumas, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Maggie Rogers, Rosalía, Tank and The Bangas, and Yola—hit the stage last night and delivered electrifying performances. 

Collectively, the category’s nominees have racked up a total of more than 15 billion Spotify streams to date. We caught up with the artists from the red carpet at The Lot Studios in Los Angeles, California—read on to hear what they had to say and to check out the night’s picture-perfect moments. 

Lizzo

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • “Aye yi yi” did Lizzo knock her performance out of the park. On the red carpet, Lizzo shared her thoughts on what the Best New Artist nomination meant to her: “For me, it was really cool to be like ‘Oh, I was impactful.’ Not only did I put out a good album, but I really showed the world who I was this year; and the world really fell in love with who that person was.” 
  • Lizzo is the collaboration queen. Everyone wants her voice on their tracks. With 23 collaborations to her name, Lizzo is the most featured artist of all the Best New Artist nominees.

Yola

Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Spotify

  • Born in Bristol, England, Yola’s country-soul vibe spans across genres, and at last night’s event, she highlighted the impact of her Best New Artist nomination: “It means a sense of validation … It just feels so much like I’m being lifted up by people. People are seeing me for my ability to write, for my ability to perform. Yeah, it’s an utter joy.”
  • Many listeners are discovering Yola’s music on Spotify’s Best Folk & Americana Songs of 2019 playlist. Also, Yola covered Elton John on her debut album—check out her soaring version of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

Billie Eilish

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya,” but Billie Eilish’s performance was “!!!!!!!” The singer’s stripped-down set, with brother Finneas on piano, included “bad guy” and “everything i wanted.” “The video for this song just came out today,” Eilish told the audience as she introduced the latter. “Very exciting!” 
  • With roughly 55 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Billie conquered the charts in 2019—and then some. Last year the singer had the largest number of songs on our Global Top 50 Chart at the one time. On April 1st—and this is no April fool’s joke—14 of the tracks on the Top 50 were Billie’s, and “bad guy” was in the number one spot. 

Black Pumas

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify

  • This soul-funk duo from Austin, Texas, said the nomination caught them by surprise. “We just started working on music two years ago with humble goals, you know,” said Black Pumas’ guitarist-producer Adrian Quesada. “‘Let’s just make songs that move us,’ and here we are two years later. It’s exciting.” 
  • Since the Best New Artist nominees were announced, Black Pumas saw the largest percentage increase in the number of playlists their music was added to.

Maggie Rogers

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • “We’re always searching for language,” Rogers told Spotify before her set. “If you’re an artist, you were born an artist. Everyone here has been working for ten, five, seven, eight, however many years to make music and be at this place; and I think tonight is really about celebrating that work.” 
  • Of all the Best New Artist nominees, Maggie Rogers saw the biggest increase in streams in the week following the announcement of her nomination: Her music shot up more than 103%.

Lil Nas X

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify

  • Lil Nas X crushed the stage with his performance of “Old Town Road,” with Billy Ray Cyrus beside him. “It means I’m one of the few artists who the Grammys saw as deserving of a nomination in a year of so much amazing music. And I’m thankful for that. With Spotify, it’s easier for a new artist to be heard; and when ‘Old Town Road’ was just coming up, the playlisting helped so much.” 
  • While five of the Best New Artist nominees have remixed versions of some of their tracks, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road – Remix” with Billy Ray Cyrus is the top streamed, with more than 870 million streams.

Rosalía

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify

  • Rosalía Vila (aka Rosalía) hails from Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Spain, though she’s certainly made her mark beyond her hometown. At Spotify’s Best New Artist event, she performed a rousing five-song set, which included a surprise appearance by Ozuna for the hit track “Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi.”  
  • Rosalía, who has collaborated with the likes of J Balvin, Pharrell, and James Blake, has the most geographically diverse audience of all the Best New Artist nominees. 

Tank and The Bangas

Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Spotify

  • The night ended with a “banga” performance from Tank and the Bangas, who had noted earlier that the best new artist category is a catalyst for discovery.  “(We) definitely checked out the Black Pumas and … Rosalia, everybody. You really are a Best New Artist because I’m checking out people who I never knew and that’s pretty dope within itself.”  
  • Listeners from Japan to the UK to Germany to Brazil have been streaming this band’s music. Their 2019 album Green Balloon has generated their two most-streamed songs, the curiously titled “Ants” and “Smoke.Netflix.Chill.”  

Spotify Celebrates the Best New Artists

February 8, 2019

Every year, a handful of musicians realize their dreams with a coveted nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. The annual ceremony, now in its 61st year, also honors performers, albums, songs, and composers from across genres and the globe.

Spotify hosts an event each year focused on amplifying the voices of the breakout stars. Together, the eight Best New Artist nominees—Luke Combs, Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Jorja Smith, Greta Van Fleet, Chloe x Halle, H.E.R., and Margo Price—have enjoyed more than two billion streams on Spotify combined.  

Last night, we celebrated these nominees and their accomplishments at our annual Best New Artist party at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Six of the artists, including Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Jorja Smith, Chloe x Halle, H.E.R., and Margo Price, not only attended, but excited the crowd with electrifying performances of their hits. Throughout the night and in-between sets, Chicago-based DJ D-Nice also filled the museum with music.