2020 has been a year for the books!!! It’s been a year filled with every emotion possible that’s for sure! One thing that you can always rely on however, is good music!
While Coronavirus has dented a lot of artists’ promo, marketing and slowed down many releases, it’s comforting to know this year was still a good year for UK music. 2021 can only mean bigger and better!
These are my top 5 newly discovered UK artists of 2020!
Pa Salieu
We all can agree that Pa Salieu has had an incredible 2020! He did release music before 2020 however it was the breakout single, ‘Frontline’ released in January of this year that catapulted him into the spotlight. Since that release, he’s been on fire! His singles ‘Block Boy’ and ‘My Family’ have been crowd favourites! “TELL MY BABES OFF HER WIG, WE’RE GOING TO WAR” from his song “My Family” featuring BackRoad Gee may be the lyric of the year!!! I do love the way he’s able to switch between his melodic flow and break out into crud mode straight away. He also released his debut mixtape ‘Send Them to Coventry’ in November which has to be one of the best releases this year.
My favourite release from 2020: My Family
Promise
It was March when I had the pleasure of hearing this talent and I haven’t looked back since! Promise, hailing from East London has the perfect afrobeats sound! He has to be my favourite discovered artist from 2020. His beats are always top tier and his songs always have some kind of important meaning behind them! This is a young man with a purpose, and it is so clear music is his calling! I absolutely loved his song “Gara” produced by Ransom Beatz. Since the release of that song, he has grown in confidence and has released two other songs at the same high standard! He is definitely one to watch for 2021, I believe he is really going to level up even more!
My favourite release from 2020: Gara
Ivorian Doll
It’s been a pleasure to see the growth of Ivorian Doll within the drill scene! Her music has consistently levelled up this year and she’s added a list of star studded songs she’s featured on! Her work rate this year has been top tier! Her first single of 2020 ‘Rumours’ shocked everyone! She was clearly warning us all that she was here to stay! Her Daily Duppy was one of the best Daily Duppy freestyles of this year for sure! She’s pleasantly surprised everyone this 2020 and you love to see it! Her recent collab on Headie One’s number 1 album ‘Edna’ called “F U Pay Me” proves that she can hold her own and still go toe to toe with some of the UK’s heavyweights. Her flow, confidence and personality are all top and I really believe she is only going to get bigger! Big up IVD! We need to see more women taking front stage in drill!
My favourite release from 2020: Rumours & F U Pay Me (Headie One)
Shana
17 year-old singer Shana has been one of the ladies that has gripped me this year! She has a unique laid back sultry sound that I believe is missing in the UK scene. Her music has a mixture of R&B and Afrobeats. Her first single ‘Crush on You’ released earlier this year in April has that sort of relaxed vibe that we haven’t heard in a while. Her latest single; ‘No Rainy Days’ a Garage remix produced by Jiffthegeneral, is hard to get out of your head! I predict big things for her next year!
My favourite release from 2020: No Rainy Days (Jiffthegeneral Garage Mix)
Scribz Riley
Scribz has it all! He’s a Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, rapper and producer. His established producing credits are huge with a discography containing artists like Chris Brown, Cardi B, H.E.R and so many more. 2020 however, was the debut year for his own music! His debut single ‘East Side’ released in April this year pays homage to his East London roots. He also released a debut EP titled ‘Wish Me Luck’ in November which contains features from artists like 6LACK and Headie One. On one of the songs from the EP; ‘Dim My Light’ he sings “Never hit the Mobos but I won a Grammy”, I really hope the UK take him in and give him the flowers he deserves going into 2021.
My favourite release from 2020: East Side
Some honorary mentions from other new UK artists and my top songs from them I discovered this year. Hoping for an even bigger 2021 for them:
French The Kid: Dream, Mad About Bars Freestyle
Essex boy is rapping rapping 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/cdCzH7WDvj
— SpotlightFirst (@SpotlightFirst_) May 11, 2020
Joshua James: Homies
Asya: Ride For Me (Listen on our Dope Finds Playlist), FWU
AE: Wavin’