Yahoo News Musicians to watch in 2018: From Lewis Capaldi to Nina Nesbitt
With 2017 being such a mammoth year for music, it's no surprise that everyone's focus has turned to this year's batch of rising stars.
Last year saw many artists diverge from their usual sound and experiment with genre, from Taylor Swift’s Reputation to punk-rock All Time Low’s Last Young Renegade.
The music industry is becoming more open-minded to music breaking the barriers of genre and slowly people are too.
So, here’s our list of Ones To Watch 2018:
Lewis Capaldi
Capaldi, 21, is a Scottish singer-songwriter whose stripped-back, heart-breaking song Bruises won praise up and down the nation.
His raw vulnerability and raspy tone saw his hit single rightfully shoot up the Spotify streaming chart.
An early start to his live career, Lewis Capaldi began touring his local pubs from the age of 12. After his music picked up million of hits online, he is now set to embark on his own headline tour, playing London’s Scala. Capaldi is set to take 2018 by a storm.
Billie Ellish
Ellish, at the age of only 16, is already winning acclaim for her unique blend of artistic, dark electro pop.
Her soft, sharp vocals frame her as a picture of pop music perfection. Ocean Eyes, the debut single under the name Billie Eilish, was released on SoundCloud in 2016 and became a viral hit.
In March 2017 Ellish landed herself a spot on the soundtrack for hit TV show 13 Reasons Why. Playing two sold out shows in intimate London venues, Ellish is paving her own path through 2018.
Tom Walker
Walker, 26, is a Manchester-born singer-songwriter, who stepped onto the scene with debut single Sun Goes Down in March 2016 but enjoyed his first real taste of success on the back of guitar-led Fly Away with Me.
After signing to Sony Music's Relentless Records, a string of successful singles followed, with Fly Away with Me showcasing the depth of his emotional song-writing abilities and his raw, rough soulful vocals.
Having supported pop-rock driven band The Script on tour and seen 8.5 million views on his latest release Leave a Light On, Walker is now set to perform at his headline show at London’s KOKO as part of his European tour.
Nina Nesbitt
Nesbitt, 23, has racked up millions of views on Youtube with her pop-driven silky vocals.
The singer-songwriter made her mark with acoustic guitar-led Stay Out, released in 2013. The soft, husky vocals presented in their raw form saw Nesbitt hit almost 4 million views.
Last week the Scottish singer released her new single, Somebody Special, offering herself up with a pulled back vocal-focused sound with a strong beat.
The pop sensation is making her next London appearance in Charing Cross venue Heaven later this year.
Billy Lockett
Lockett is a 25 year old singer-songwriter from Northampton, who has become known for his vulnerable and acutely personal sound.
He released his piano-led debut EP Burn it Down in 2016 where he was supported via BBC Introducing Northampton and this went in on the top spot on the iTunes Singer Songwriter Charts and Top 10 on the main album chart, and was streamed over 2 million times. Inspired by Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi, his seamless melodies and soul -earching sound have proved a hit with fans.
He has since had four sold-out London headline shows, which includes his upcoming Union Chapel show. He has also bagged himself support slots with both Lana Del Ray and Birdy, clearly putting him in good stead for the year ahead.
