From being featured by Burberry to having their songs played on hit Netflix shows, here are five young and upcoming indie musicians you should listen to:
The 23-year-old first shot to fame when a YouTube video of her encounter with Pharrell at a university masterclass went viral. In it, Pharrell was left speechless and visibly impressed by Rogers’ demo of her now hit song, Alaska. Since then, the singer-songwriter has graduated college, landed a major record deal, released an EP and is currently playing a ton of tours worldwide.
Listen to: Dog Years
Image: Maggie Rogers’ Facebook
The Zimbabwe-born, London-based musician – real name Tinashe Fazakerley – went by the stage name Tinashe for a while, before relaunching his musical career under the moniker Rationale. Since his debut EP Fuel To The Fire in 2015, the soulful singer has attracted praise from the likes of Justin Timberlake and Elton John. His second EP, Vessels, was released early this year, with a full-length debut album to follow soon.
Listen to: Fast Lane
Image: Rationale’s Facebook
The brains behind the dreamy, nostalgic tunes – one of which was featured on the Netflix hit 13 Reasons Why – of this indie pop act is none other than 21-year-old Amber Bain. Despite her young age, the Buckinghamshire native already has four EPs under her belt, and has been compared to the likes of fellow English musicians The xx and The 1975 – she has supported the latter on tour. For now, she is working on her debut LP.
Listen to: Cool Blue
Image: @diymagazine’s Twitter
The Shrewsbury-born singer-songwriter might be young, but boasts a captivating voice that has drawn comparisons to legendary American musician Tom Waits. With two full EPs to his name, Owen’s energetic and skilful live performances has landed him spots in supporting artistes like Rae Morris, Kaleo and Birdy on tour, as well as a performance on Burberry Acoustic.
Listen to: Made To Love You
Image: Dan Owen’s Facebook
The Australian singer-songwriter has already achieved success in her home country since appearing on the scene in 2013, with the Australian radio station Triple J playing her songs on heavy rotation frequently. She has been featured on the likes of Buzzfeed and The New York Times, and supported British group Clean Bandit on tour in 2015. Now, the 26-year-old is ready to come into her own with her new debut album, Low Blows.
Listen to: Roll Up Your Sleeves
Image: MEG MAC’s Facebook
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