BBC Radio 1 have been running their ‘Sound of…’ poll for the past 14 years now. It’s basically where ‘critics and industry figures’ decide who they think will blow up over the course of the year, or rather whose music they can rinse to death and sell to the audience of 15 year old girls they’ll seemingly do anything to appease (like hiring Cel Spellman and Clara Amfo). This was confirmed to me the other day when four Year 9 girls, all in tracksuits, passed me on the high street playing ‘Sound of 2017’ winner, RAY BLK, ‘My Hood’ out of one of their Daddy's IPhone 7s in the great white monoculture of Taunton. Admittedly, RAY BLK is an artist I respect massively, and whose music I listen to a lot, but also an artist who the BBC can really sell to their new younger target audience. Other people on the list were the painfully average Stefflon Don and Declan McKenna, joined by token underwhelming rock band, The Amazons and Lady Leshurr understudy Nadia Rose, amongst others. So, here is my list of the 8 artists I predict will create the best music and put on the best shows during 2017, no hidden agenda:
8. Kodie Shane
With her debut EP, ‘No Gravity’ released off the back of ‘Sad’ featuring last years biggest underdog, Lil Yachty, Kodie Shane has quickly made links in the upper echelons of underground R’n’B and hip hop. Combining melodic samples and loud basslines with soulful vocals, Shane is only going to increase the size of the waves she’s creating throughout 2017.
Listen to: Losing Sevice, Can’t Handle it, Sad
7. Harlea
Since releasing her first single, ‘Miss Me’ in September 2016, Harlea has dipped back under the radar and remained silent until popping back up again with her second barnstorming single, ‘You Don’t Get It’. 'Miss Me' went Spotify viral, and became the most streamed track in Slovenia for a bit, and ‘You Don’t Get It’ is receiving similar plaudits. She claims ‘there’s a gap in the market’ for a sound like hers and she’s certainly true, ‘female pop vocals on real rock’n’roll instruments’ isn’t something you come a cross too often in the male-dominated genre. Her secretive nature is part of her allure, she says what she wants through her music, and although she has only released a couple of songs as of yet, Harlea is promising to be one of the most exciting new acts of 2017.
Listen to: Miss Me, You Don’t Get It
6. The Big Moon
London four-piece, The Big Moon, is a band born straight out the abyss of modern life. Juliette Jackson bored of her dead-end waitressing job, decided being in a band would be more fun, and so she formed one, with three like-minded female musicians. With a grungey but melodic sound, The Big Moon are putting out music that makes them a must-see this festival season. Listen to 'Formidable' and tell me you can’t imagine your-sweaty-self blasting it out in a tent somewhere. Forward thinking grungey, punk-pop with the past firmly in the periphery. I like it, I like it a lot.
Listen to: Formidable, Sucker, Cupid
5. Dave
When Dave isn’t at college studying for his A-Levels, he’s collaborating with Drake or travelling the world with his mandem filming music videos. David Santan, or Santan Dave, is only 18, but he’s a dead cert to become one of, if not the biggest thing in grime this year. With big names showing love, and with Drake making a feature on track ‘Wanna Know,’ the guy can do know wrong at the moment. He’s not just shouting over an Eskibeat; he’s serious. He knows what he’s talking about and he talks about it with passion and flow like no one in the game. Dave’s in for a big year, but first he’s got to get his head down, he’s got exams coming up.
Listen to: Wanna Know, Six Paths, Picture Me
4. Noname
Chicago has a knack for producing some of the best rappers of past and present, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West and Vic Mensa to name but a few, and it looks like the windy city has birthed another in the form of Fatimah Warner, or Noname. Taking influence from Lauryn Hill and working alongside friends Chance and Mick Jenkins, on their LPs, Noname released her debut album, 'Telefone', in July last year, and it received critical acclaim. After starting as a poet and stepping into rap, Noname’s lyricism and soulful vocals combine with chill beats to create music like no other artist right now. Seriously, take a night his week, just lie down, shut your eyes and bang ‘Telefone’, you’ll access parts of your mind you never new existed.
Listen to: Diddy Bop, Yesterday, Casket Pretty
3. SG Lewis
With Kaytranada leading the way for a new generation of original and forward thinking dance producers and artists, SG Lewis is in pole position to destroy the agonising sameness of every track you ever hear on the radio. (Thank you, Chainsmokers). Sam Lewis, hailing from Reading, began catching peoples eyes on dance circuits in 2014, remixing Jessie Ware’s ‘You and I (Forever)’ and since then has released an EP and numerous singles, featuring the likes of Gallant, Bishop Nehru and RAY BLK herself. Creating atmospheric and affective dance music unlike anyone on the market, SG Lewis’ busy 2016 is only going to be outdone by 2017.
Listen to: No Less, Meant To Be, Chill Out
2. Loyle Carner
Loyle Carner is the kind of guy I’d really love to just chill out with, he just seems like a great guy. He also makes sick music. Just imagine piano samples off a 'Mellow Sunday,’ Spotify playlist with your best mate just chatting about life over the top, that’s Loyle Carner. The fact he’s good friends with King Krule and Rejjie Snow kind of lets you know the kind of hype this guys on. It’s been about three years since he started releasing music on his Soundcloud, but an album is finally due on the 20th of January and it promises to be one the albums of the year. With ‘Tierney Terrace’ earning him a recording contract in 2015, tracks like ‘NO CD’ and ‘Isle of Arran’ are getting spins from daytime DJs and so 2017 promises to be Loyle’s biggest yet.
Listen to: Florence, Tierney Terrace, Pieces
1. Hare Squead
With a strapline like ‘Three black Irish kids making waves,’ you’ve got to be pretty confident that what you’re doing is fairly good, and in the case of Dublin rap group, Hare Squead, they have a right to be confident. The constant shapeshifting of rap is what makes it one of the most exciting genres, and Hare Squead have managed to morph it into something accessible, expressive and energetic. Having only released 4 tracks, it is already clear that no two tracks are the same, ‘not confused, well absorbed.’ Having released their first EP ‘Supernormal,’ in 2016, they’ve provoked critical acclaim. As for 2017, they’ve only announced a couple of gigs, one in Dublin and the other in Holland, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a couple of festival appearances and a lot more music.
Listen to: Herside Story, Loco, Long Way To Go