From Caity Baser to Dylan John Thomas, the musicians and bands to look out for in 2024
THE LAST DINNER PARTY
THE most talked about new band in years need no introduction.
They have already been announced as winner of The Brits Rising Star award and today have been named as Radio 1’s Sound Of 2024.
Their album, Prelude To Ecstasy, is due out next month with new single Caesar On A TV Screen showing why everyone’s talking about them.
It follows on from singles Nothing Matters, Sinner, My Lady Of Mercy and On Your Side.
Mixing baroque pop and post-punk, the theatrical five-piece comprises Abigail Morris – vocals, Aurora Nishevci – keyboards, Emily Roberts – lead guitar/flute, Georgia Davies – bass and Lizzie Mayland – guitar and all five write and perform.
The Last Dinner Party have already created a live fuss through amazing shows at Glastonbury, The Great Escape, Reading and Leeds and Latitude as well as opening for the Rolling Stones at Hyde Park in 2022 before they had released any music.
Their February headline show at London’s Roundhouse is already sold-out.
They set themed dress codes for their live shows with fans joining in and dressing up too. Past themes have included “folk horror” and “a night at the opera”.
CAITY BASER
INSPIRED to become a singer after watching Katy Perry at London’s O2, Caity is a straight-talking, fast-rising pop sensation.
Caity, who grew up in Southampton but now lives in Brighton, began writing songs in lockdown. Her tune Average Student about how mundane life is, amassed half a million views in less than a day after being uploaded to TikTok.
She’s already collaborated with Sigala, Mae Muller and Stefflon Don.
He new 14-track mixtape Still Learning is due in March.
She says: “This mixtape is a window into everything: all the nonsense from boys, amazing times with my best mates, the mistakes I’ve made and everything else.”
HOTWAX
POSTPUNK meets grunge trio from Hastings who are Tallulah Sim-Savage, Lola Sam, and Alfie Sayers.
They met at music college BIMM in Brighton and their first gig was supporting Kid Kapichi. They bring different influences to the band but share a love of grunge music.
Influenced by Hole, White Stripes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who they supported last year at All Points East, their sound is uncompromising and addictive.
Debut EP A Thousand Times has received plenty of praise and live they are electric having played Mad Cool Festival and headlined BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds.
TOWA BIRD
HALF-FILIPINO, half-English singer who grew up between London, Thailand and Hong Kong and is now based in LA.
Forming her first band aged 14, musical inspiration came from her dad’s record collection, and The Who, Jimi Hendrix and Prince are her heroes.
Discovered in lockdown after uploading videos of herself covering Supertramp’s Breakfast In America and other hip-hop, pop, and R&B songs.
Willow Smith and Halsey are fans while Billie Eilish said “gimme kiss” on social media and the pair later met up and are now friends.
Her debut album American Hero, is out later this year.
GIA FORD
COMBINING her love of storytelling and classic Americana sound, the Sheffield-born singer-songwriter has been compared to Joni Mitchell and Laura Marling.
Gia recorded her debut album in LA at the legendary Sound City Studios with Tony Berg (who produced Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher), and it’s due out this summer.
Inspired by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Portishead, Grace Jones and Pink Floyd.
One song, Falling In Love Again, tells the story of a man mourning the death of his wife by asking his new partner to dress up in her clothes.
It’s no wonder Gay Times called her “Music’s most exciting new storyteller”.
LUZ
PRONOUNCED “Luce”, the Irish/Argentinian singer writes songs which deal with mental health and sexuality.
A version of Dean Lewis’s Lose My Mind became a viral hit resulting in a support slot with Lewis at a show in Dublin.
With a stunning, tremulous voice, singles I Shouldn’t Be Here and Not Going Anywhere have won tons of praise.
Nominated for a Rising Star Ivor Novello Award, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi are all fans.
Debut album due in 2024.
MAXWELL VAREY
INDIE singer and guitarist following in the footsteps of Richard Ashcroft and The Lathums by hailing from Wigan.
His honest and passionate songs are influenced by his upbringing.
Falling Down deals with the mental health epidemic of his generation while Sorry is another standout of last year and debut EP Ivory was produced with John Foyle (FKA twigs, Gorillaz, Jai Paul).
He dreams that one day he will headline Glastonbury and is being called indie’s new working-class guitar hero.
DYLAN JOHN THOMAS
DISCOVERED by Gerry Cinnamon, who invited him on tour and became a friend and mentor when the curly-haired Glaswegian Dylan John Thomas was only 17.
He’s also played shows with the likes of Liam Gallagher, Sam Fender, Stereophonics and Ocean Colour Scene.
Now aged 25, his self-titled debut album is out this month and will feature Jenna, Fever and a live version of Wake Up Ma to keep his growing fanbase happy.
Recorded at Liverpool’s Parr Street studios with Rich Turvey (Blossoms and the Courteeners) it’s going to get his year off to a flying start.
Growing up in care and a regular busker on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, Dylan got into music listening to the skateboarder Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 soundtrack on PlayStation, discovering Johnny Cash’s Ring Of Fire, The Beatles, and Lindsey Buckingham, and later he discovered The Specials and Madness.
He’s got a cult fanbase and sold out Glasgow’s famous King Tut’s venue faster than any other debuting Scottish artist.
In November he played his biggest UK headline tour including three sold-out shows at Glasgow’s Barrowlands as well as festivals including Reading and Leeds, Glastonbury and TRNSMT.
SEKOU
HAILING from Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, 19-year-old Sekou has a rich soul voice which sounds much older than his years.
Discovered in 2021, he is known through his stunning singles Better Man, Forgiving Myself and his Out Of Mind EP.
Influenced by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Beyonce, he made his live debut at Glastonbury in 2022 and has fans in Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, and Sam Smith.
His dream is to sell-out London’s O2 Arena and New York’s Madison Square Gardens plus play the Super Bowl.
TINY HABITS
FOLK-POP trio from Boston who opened for Gracie Abrams on her Good Riddance tour.
Maya Rae, Cinya Khan and Judah Mayowa were discovered on TikTok after meeting at the prestigious Berklee College of Music where they started posting covers on social media recorded in the stairwell of their dorm.
Recent single Small Enough shows off their gorgeous harmonies – Joe Jonas and Justin Timberlake have both commented on their talents.
They’ve supported Noah Kahan on tour in Europe and will play their own headline shows in May, including London’s KOKO.