Nick Mulvey sings and plays African-style acoustic guitar with a positive karma that you can feel in his music and hear in his words. The lyrics and melodies reach out and wrap around you leaving you with a little of that vibe for the rest of the day. He is also percussionist and hang player in Portico Quartet, London, UK, who play their own ethereal and funky melange of jazz and world music.
#17.
Kentö
Brazilian singer, French and Japanese ancestry, because of his debut single, "Complicated", track was produced by Vincent Turner, known for our longstanding Frankmusik. He's between Tokyo, Sao Paulo and especially Los Angeles, the guy currently working on her debut album, which comes via Popsonic Records that year should be released.
#16
FKA Twigs
Tahliah Barnett, known as FKA twigs is a musician and dancer of Jamaican and Spanish descent originally from Gloucestershire and currently based in London. With roiling beats, floating vocals, and an ominous grace, this UK artist makes trip-hop for a new time.
#15
George Ezra
George Ezra a young English singer-songwriter living in Bristol. He released his debut EP, Did You Hear the Rain?, in November 2013 and he sounds really promising. George Ezra has a voice like a 68 year old Lumberjack. Thankfully he is not a 68 year old Lumberjack, he’s a young, good looking chap from Bristol who’s recently signed to Columbia Records.
#14
Sir Sly
I don't know much about them, but here we go. Indie alt/rock/pop trio Sir Sly band from LA, formed by Landon Jacobs, Hayden Coplen and Jason Suwito. Their song “Ghost,” is the first single to be released, is a slower, melancholy foray into the synth rock realm. I think fans of The Neighbourhood will like them, they sounds similar.
#13
Little Daylight
Indie pop trio Little Daylight made their mark with a grip of remixes for bands like Penguin Prison, Passion Pit, and Freelance Whales but they prove their dancefloor acumen with their own track “Overdose" and "Glitter and Gold" . It’s glossy, catchy, and full of the kind of thick, radio-ready bass and chirpy, yearning hook that will glue itself to your brain.
#12
Wet
Wet is a Brooklyn trio Wet craft some of quirkiest, most authentic alt-pop we've heard in quiet some time. Their self-titled debut EP is out now, and will have to hold us over until the group puts together a proper LP sometime next year.
#11
Shy Girls
Only two years ago, the musings of Dan Vidmar only existed on his sole synthesizer and computer, nestled in his small apartment. Fast forward to now, his moniker of Shy Girls has sprung out of the gates as a 6-piece ensemble that just grabbed the reigns of the Portland's Best New Band by Willamette Week this year. Now fully in form and in the spotlight, Vidmar and Co. are captivating audiences with the sexiest music to come out of this rain-drenched city in some time. At one time jokingly described as "dentist-office funk", their music has evolved: coated in saccharine goodness, complete with smooth sax, synth textures and comforting vocals that lull you back to 1989. What seems to make Shy Girls something special and engaging, is that their R&B is not throwback music of the 80's, their songs are played as if that time never stopped, genuinely crafted with care and detail.
#10
Ella Eyre
Ella Eyre is a British singer/songwriter. In December 2012, Ella Eyre featured on Bastille's cover and mash up of TLC'S No Scrubs and the XX Angels. Titled "No Angels", the song featured on the band's 2012 mixtape, 'Other People's Heartache, Pt. 2'. In April 2013, she featured on Rudimental's single "Waiting All Night". The single was released on 14 April 2013 and peaked at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, making it her first number 1 single in the UK. In August 2013 she also appeared alongside Wiz Khalifa on the track "Think About It" from Naughty Boy's 2013 album Hotel Cabana. The song was released as the fourth single from the album on 17 November 2013. Eyre also features on Tinie Tempah's album Demonstration on the track "Someday (A Place in the Sun)".
#9
Duke Dumont
Adam Dyment, better known by his stage name Duke Dumont, is a British DJ and music producer. He is best known for his single "Need U (100%)", which featured A*M*E and peaked #1 UK Singles Chart in April 2013. He owns the record label Blasé Boys Club and has also used it as an alias for production. He has remixed a number of songs, including several which have charted in the United Kingdom.
#8
Jaymes Young
Jaymes Young is a singer / songwriter from Los Angeles but born in Seattle.He released in May 2013, the EP Young's Dark Star received immediate interest from record labels and blogs, being mentioned by Nylon Magazine, Earmilk and Noisey, as well as reaching # 1 place several times in the list of "Tracks Most Popular" on the Hype Machine's list. Having just completed a tour of North America and the UK with the trio of British indie pop, London Grammar. Young will release his debut album in 2014.
#7
Sampha
Sampha Sisay, who uses the mononymous stage name Sampha, is an electronic music singer-songwriter and producer from Morden, South London, United Kingdom. Sampha is known widely for his collaborative work with SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Solange Knowles, Koreless, Lil Silva and others. Sampha has released two solo EPs: Sundanza (2010)and Dual (2013).
#6
NONONO
Swedish production duo Astma & Rocwell has previously worked with artists like Icona Pop and Beatrice Eli are now teaming up with singer-songwriter Stina Wäppling to form electronic pop trio NONONO. NoNoNo are about to launch an assault on the UK charts with their intoxicating pop anthem Pumpin Blood. Despite its whistled refrain, it was born from the band's frustrations with the music industry, they tell the BBC. Pumpin Blood reached top 30 (Germany Charts) and peaked in some European countries too.
#5
BROODS
Broods is a pop music duo from Auckland, New Zealand, composed of multi-instrumentalist Caleb Nott and younger sister Georgia Nott on vocals. Broods was formed in 2013 and the brother-sister project began collaborating with music producer Joel Little, who had produced Lorde's hit single, "Royals". Broods released their debut song, "Bridges", online in October 2013. The song was picked up by Idolator and other music blogs, earning over 200,000 streams in a week. MTV described the track as "a bittersweet synth-pop echo chamber". In December 2013, Broods signed with Capitol Records in the U.S. and Polydor in the UK. They will release their debut EP in February 2014, followed by a full-length album in August.
#4
Say Lou Lou
Say Lou Lou are a twin sister (Elektra Kilbey and Miranda Kilbey) musical duo hailing from both Australia and Sweden. Considered Dream pop or Dream Wave, they released their first single in 2012 before forming their own record label, à Deux, in 2013.
#3
Banks
Jillian Banks, better known simply as Banks, is a Los Angeles born, London based singer, songwriter and musician. Banks used websites, such as Soundcloud to connect to people through her music. After reaching a high amount of listeners, she began working with the label Good Years and released her first official single, called Before I Ever Met You in February 2013. The song which had been on a private Soundcloud page ended up being played by BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe In September that year she also released her first EP called London, to a positive critical reception, receiving a 78 from metacritic. Banks also toured with The Weeknd in 2013 as his opening act. Her song "Waiting Game" is featured in the 2013 Victoria's Secret Holiday Commercial. Her sound has been described by others as Ellie Goulding covering The Weeknd but Banks describes her sound as a "dark bluish back with smoke and chants and fire and heart." She cites Lauryn Hill and Fiona Apple as her biggest influences.
#2
Sam Smith
Sam Smith, is a British singer-songwriter. Smith rose to fame in October 2012 when he featured on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number #11 on the UK chart. His subsequent featured on Naughty Boy's "La La La" earned Smith his first number #1 single in May 2013. In December 2013, Smith was nominated for the 2014 BRIT Critics' Choice Award which he went on to win. Smith is scheduled to release his debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour, on May 26, 2014 via Capitol Records. The lead single, "Money On My Mind", is set to precede it on February 16.
#1
Chlöe Howl
As soon as Chlöe Howl left school she signed to Columbia Records and began surrounding herself with some of the best in the business. This included Grammy-winning writer and producer Eg White – who’s worked with past Critics’ Choice winners Florence + The Machine and Adele. Together they’ve been crafting her debut album, which is set for release next year. Her first two singles Rumour and Paper Heart have already marked her as a name to watch. She’s been compared to past BRIT winners Kate Nash and Lily Allen with her loud and proud English accent and lyrics depicting ordinary, everyday life. Chlöe is definitely the next big thing for 2014.
Ella Eyre!!! She slays in Waiting All Night by Rudimental! that song is epic, and I just heard her collaboration with Naughty Boy and just loved it
Sam Smith!!! I'm so here for his debut album, I know it will be awesome!
