26 Artists To Watch Out For In 2026

Last year saw UK rap return to the forefront of British music thanks to the emergence of the ‘UK Underground’ in the mainstream. Whilst that term is not perfect, some of the heaviest hitters within the genre such as Jim Legxacy and Esdeekid created some of the most forward thinking music to come out of this country in 2025. Now as we enter a new year, we have rounded up 26 artists to be on your radar for 2026.

There are some people who have not made this list who we still expect to have a huge 12 months (Ceebo, Dexter In The Newsagent, Proph, YT, BXKS) as they have made the list in previous years. The artists we have selected are on the precipice of greatness and are certainly worth looking out for over the coming months:

N4T

N4T feeds Afrobeat rhythms and sounds through the gritty textures of the UK, creating a sound that is messy and vibrant, yet also incredibly focused. With his autotuned vocals that display a brash and burrowing approach to melody, 2025’s GHANAMUSTGO proved to be one of the most unique releases of the year. Unmistakably London whilst still being Afrocentric, N4T has provided a blueprint where the potential is boundless. 

Charlie Edmondson

Armando Spence

North London rapper Armando Spence is diversifying his sound. From road rap influences akin to Skrapz and Potter Payper to gritty instrumentals more suited to a modern sound, this is a rapper who is capable of displaying his talents on any terrain. Already starting the year strongly with ‘TELFAR DUFFLE’ and with a new mixtape on the way, Spence is ready to carve out his own niche and take over with a refreshing amalgamation of UK rap heaters in a unique aesthetic.

Joe Simpson

Travy

The first Irish rapper to land two #1 albums in Ireland, Travy has just begun an exciting new era. Spending the last year broadening his creative footprint, he cemented his place in the UK underground rap scene with his feature on BXKS’s ‘Guestlist’ and a collaboration with Interplanetary Criminal, where he ventured into the dance world with a massive hit. Notably joining Fred Again’s Twitch stream to create a track from stratch and perform with him at RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin, 2026 is set to be an exciting year for Travy, continuing the momentum from last year.

Harvey Marwood

Wohdee

Wohdee understands how her music lives beyond the track. ‘My Shayla’, her biggest release of 2025, took over TikTok through creative skits and short-form content that gave the song real longevity. That momentum has carried into her latest release, ‘Like It’, which has been steadily climbing. Together, they show an artist who knows her market and how to build records that don’t come with a sell-by date.

Valentina Reynolds

KTMelodies

Sitting at the intersection of dance music and the underground scene, KTMelodies finds himself in his own creative niche. His youth in South East London has led to an unmistakable UK rap influence in his flows and poised delivery, whilst sonically his time in LA where he currently resides bleeds into the soundscapes he creates. There is no pigeon hole this artist fits into perfectly, but that is what makes KTMelodies an outstanding talent with a very bright year ahead of him.

Joe Simpson

bib sama.

London-bred artist bib sama. is quickly becoming one of the UK underground’s most adventurous and exciting voices, blending glitchy hyper-rap, trap and electronic textures into a futuristic, genre-defying sound. There is a vibrancy to each release; colourful, playful and clearly meticulously thought through – bib has proven himself as a master of world building. With a growing cult following and a clear creative vision, bib sama. is shaping a universe that feels as fun as it is forward-thinking, marking him one to watch in 2026.

Jade Denis

Slew

A fast-rising talent in 2025, Slew is an undeniable force in the UK rap space. Releasing his debut album ‘WHO ELSE?’ in October, followed by the deluxe version in December, his innate ability to unleash sporadic flows over innovative, quirky production has resulted in him being one of the most respected voices in the underground.

Harvey Marwood

Deela

Nigerian-British rapper Deela has unapologetically stated that she wants to dominate this year. Alongside the likes of Deto Black, BXKS, and brazy, this artist has managed to blaze a trail for women in the UK rap space where representation was previously limited. Blessed with a sharp pen and an ear for a club-ready instrumental, Deela has paved the way for herself to connect with a global audience on a grand scale in 2026.

Joe Simpson

Amie Blu

South East London singer-songwriter Amie Blu is one of the hottest voices in the alternative R&B space. Having opened for the likes of Joy Crookes and Faye Webster, 2025 saw her step out of the shadows and release a sensational project, ‘when all is said and done’. Aside from her soft, sentimental vocals which have earned her a co sign from SZA, Blu’s songwriting is genuinely outstanding moving from themes of depression on ‘swimming in pity’ to pure helplessness on ‘legs’. Amie is already demonstrating talents of the highest order while her already impeccable lyricism will only get better with age.

Joe Simpson

Eljé

Making waves in the UK music scene with her distinctive blend of silky vocals and exhilarating beats, Eljè is a no-brainer on this list. Since the success of her viral track ‘Bout To Lose It’ in 2023, she has gone on to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the dance and rap scene, including NOTION, Vard, Toddla T, Dusky, Reek0 and more. With almost three million listeners across the globe on Spotify last year, her diverse vocals that can effortlessly weave into any genre, specifically dance, garage, jungle, drum and bass, make Eljé an exciting international prospect for the year to come.

Harvey Marwood

Dee TDL

Part of the new ‘Grindie’ subgenre (grime and indie) which he is helping to popularise, dEE Tdl has created his own musical world heavily influenced by nostalgia. His incorporation of influences from anime, comic books and cartoons shines through in his breakout single, ‘Barry Allen’, and continues into his recent release ‘First Date’. This is an artist with his heart on his sleeve who can be a leading figure in another UK rap niche.

Joe Simpson

JayaHadADream

Jaya’s artistic voice is profound without being preachy. Her deft pen game renders the personal as political, speaking on social issues from a very real and intimate place. After winning twice at the Youth Music Awards, performing for the second time at Glastonbury, releasing a mixtape to critical acclaim, and embarking on a successful UK tour, Jaya’s 2025 sets the scene for an even bigger year this time around.

Charlie Edmondson

TR Gobrazy

Originally starting as a producer and working on smash hits including Dave and Central Cee’s ‘Sprinter’, TR Gobrazy now finds himself on an incredible solo run. Tracks like ‘Handbag’ and ‘I Was Shook’ saw the South East Londoner burst onto the scene last year and he is wasting no time bringing the heat with new track ‘Homeless’. TR comes with a punchy delivery and his time on the other side of the studio sets him up to be a dual threat for many years to come.

Joe Simpson

scruz

Let’s face it, if you’re big on your UK music, you already know who scruz is and exactly why he’s so universally respected in the country. A speed garage maestro in one respect as a solo artist, his cross-genre production diversity and talent are nothing short of impressive. The mastermind behind the dreamy cloud, alt-rap beats used by artists such as namesbliss, Pozzy and Niko B, the prospect of a consistent 2026 across both his solo work and collaborative work is extremely exciting.

Harvey Marwood

Pozzy

Hailing from Bury St Edmunds and now making waves across the UK, Pozzy blends grime, hip-hop, and jazz-inflected rhythms into a refreshingly personal take on contemporary rap. His 2025 EP ‘it’s all up in the air.’ highlights his lyrical agility – an introspective and authentic writer sitting beneath skippy flows and witty bars. With a headline show under his belt and a sound that feels both technically sharp and emotionally grounded, Pozzy is firmly on the rise as one of UK rap’s most compelling new voices.

Jade Denis

Daniel OG

With a sound that feels just as influenced by US hip hop as it does UK rap, Daniel OG is ready to reach even greater heights in 2026. His new track ‘Estate’ features a nod to Kendrick Lamar while co signs from the likes of Skepta, Clint, and Slawn are demonstrative of his stratospheric trajectory. With clean flows and digestible yet particular lyricism, this is a sound that feels like it will cut through in no time.

Joe Simpson

afrosurrealist

Afrosurrealist’s beats touch on the cerebral prankishness of Dean Blunt, maintaining a musical self-awareness that is well beyond his age. His neo-lo-fi instrumentals look forward as much as they pay homage; neat and considered sampling is coupled with the rhythmic patterns of Black-Britishness and considered textures. If 2023’s Rework EP and 2025’s BUYBRITISH are anything to go by, he stands in good stead to provide the instrumental basis for a thoughtful new wave of London’s underground. 

Charlie Edmondson

Cikho

There is a bounce and pep to Cikho’s music as he aims to bring more light to what is often a more melancholic UK R&B scene. Growing up on the likes of Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, the 19 year old has instead drawn upon inspiration from the likes of Steve Lacy and Tyler The Creator to create a vibrant sound that could see him make waves in the summer months. Still in the relatively early stages of his career, this alt R&b/indie pop sound is feel-good and translatable to a huge audience.

Joe Simpson

Saiming

South London’s alternative UK rap prodigy Saiming is an easy fixture on our Ones To Watch list this year. Demonstrating his razor-sharp and steady flow over sample-rich, bass-driven production with jazz and soul elements, his grime-inspired lyricism and clever wordplay craft an effortlessly authentic sound. Releasing his first track of the year, ‘Still’ on the 1st January, it’s a clear sign of intent from an artist continuously growing and sharing his sound with the world. With a headline show at Oslo around the corner in March, this year is Saiming’s for the taking.

Harvey Marwood

Luchï

At just 17 years of age it feels fair to call Luchï a prodigious talent. Her music is able to capture the zeitgeist of what UK rap is at this moment in time – based in the electronic through grime influences but through the lens of the children of the internet. Her youthful exuberance is unbounded and which takes away her limits of potential. As she raps on ‘Lime’, ‘Me and bro watching the Grammys I said we could make it there’.

Joe Simpson

Lizzie Berchie

The ‘Neo Soul Sweetheart from Newham’, Lizzie Berchie, is, put very simply, a phenomenal talent. Boasting beautiful vocal tones, lush textured melodies, and crispy jazz-soul infused production, the cohesion of each sound element in her discography weaves together to emulate the finest of red wines. If new music is on the horizon, all eyes should be on Lizzie Berchie this year.

Harvey Marwood

Pariah

At a time where women in UK rap are thriving, Pariah is another name to add to the hotbed of talent we are currently witnessing. Her debut offering ‘Inner Hunger’ showcases her potential for greatness, blending concise, measured flows with a quickness of wit in her lyricism. With support from Amaria BB, BXKS, and Scorcher amongst others, Pariah is slowly making inroads to a scene that looks to accept her with open arms.

Joe Simpson

Sav NDO

Sav NDO’s catalogue reflects discipline and momentum. Tracks like ‘All This’ and ‘Hoods Honest’ laid the groundwork in 2024, before an intensely consistent run throughout 2025 that saw him release two full projects. He carried that pace straight into the new year, opening 2026 with ‘Most Wanted’, his first album of the year. Rather than isolated drops, his music reads as a continuous, focused body of work.

Valentina Reynolds

Cunning MC

You’ve probably heard “I am the pilot, you are the passenger. I wear Nike, you wear Slazenger” somewhere across social media over the last couple of months, and if you haven’t, there’s no better time than the present. Cunning MC’s tongue-in-cheek approach to barring is refreshingly different, offloading his lyricism over an infectious garage, two-step production in his latest viral track ‘Slazenger’. It’s still early days, but 2026 is looking pretty exciting for Cunning, especially if he can keep up the momentum gained from his recent single.

Harvey Marwood

Svn4vr

svn4vr is an artist who is impossible to pin down. Shrouded in mystery, the Hertfordshire protects his identity with a picture of Chad from High School Musical. His music is just as elusive as his persona, moving from influences of Bon Iver and 60’s folk to the soundscapes of Young Thug and electronica. Lyrically, he tackles topics spanning from faith and AI to the dwindling job market in a plundering economy. There really is no one like him in the current UK underground scene which in turn makes him one of the most exciting voices to come out of it.

Joe Simpson

Tay Jordan

Hailing from Norwood in South London, Tay Jordan offers a refreshing brand new rap that effortlessly blends lofi-hip-hop combined with the nostalgia and irresistible bounce of 90s West Coast rap. Already offloading his first heater of 2026 in ‘Last Pound’, a steady, head-nodding, infectious offering – consistency this year will no doubt see Tay Jordan getting the flowers he deserves.

Harvey Marwood