Summer wouldn’t be the same without some brilliant tunes to get the good vibes flowing. We’re spoilt for choice here at magazine.co.uk over which artists will grace our summer playlist. However, after much deliberation we’ve chosen our favourite up and coming musicians. We’re sure you’ll love their sounds just as much as we do!
Izzy Bizu
Voted by the Guardian and Independent as one to watch in 2016, Izzy Bizu is a name that is definitely hitting all the right notes, especially after performing at The Great Escape Festival in May.
Izzy is most well-known for her song White Tiger, which she released from her debut album, A Moment of Madness. Its upbeat pop vibe still sounds fresh and exciting more than a year after its original release – and her new songs, Mad Behaviour and Sweat, are bound to be just as popular this summer.
You can catch Izzy performing at Glastonbury, T in the Park and Bestival.
Zak Abel
Self-taught Zak Abel signed his first record deal at the young age of 17 and has managed to collaborate with two popular UK artists – house duo Gorgon City and soul singer Kwabs – all before the age of 19.
Now aged 21, Zak has released his own single called Everybody Needs Love, which features his raspy and soulful voice and an impressive music video that was shot in one take. Meghan Trainor and Paloma Faith have both recognised his talent, with Paloma calling him “the best up and coming voice in music right now”.
Zak will join world renowned musicians such as Tinie Tempah and Ella Henderson at The Big Festival in August.
Mura Masa
Alex Crossan – the talent behind Mura Masa – only started posting his music to Soundcloud in 2015 and within a year has built up a large twitter following of over 22,000, won the title of Hottest Record in the World by Annie Mac, and also come 5th in the BBC’s Sound of 2016.
Despite growing up on the small island of Guernsey, Alex’s music has reached a large audience. His new single What If I Go? plays host to a mesmerising blend of harps and steel drums that creates a laidback yet upbeat track, sure to keep him a firm favourite throughout summer.
Not only is Mura Masa doing his own solo tour (details on his website) but he can also be found at Glastonbury, Reading and Latitude Festival.
KLOE
Singer-songwriter KLOE is from Scotland, 19 years old and signed to the same record label as pop legends Florence + The Machine and Charlie XCX – she can only be labelled as the UK’s pop prodigy.
Her single Touch captures the intense emotions of her teenage experiences, with rich synth beats creating the perfect blend for a ballad. However, Touch is only a snippet of what the young pop singer has to offer and her newly released EP Teenage Craze offers plenty more synthetic vibes, making it the perfect album for a dusky summer evening.
Catch KLOE at Festival No.6 in Wales, a music festival featuring the likes of Noel Gallagher and Bastille.
Anne-Marie
After starring in the West-End at the age of 12, gaining the triple world champion title in Shotokan and touring the world with Rudimental, Anne-Marie has had a lot of experience when it comes to being in the limelight.
Do It Right was the perfect song to start the year off for Anne-Marie, and it’s this song that won over the public who voted her number 1 for MTV’s Brand New For 2016 title – a title won by world known artists like Justin Bieber and the Vamps in the past. Since then Anne-Marie has released a lyrically powerful ballad called Alarm – definitely a song to listen out for this summer.
Bestival and Wireless Festival are where you can hear the amazing musical talent that is Anne-Marie.
Barns Courtney
Having toured with Blur and The Libertines, it’s no surprise that Barns Courtney has made himself a household name within the indie-rock genre.
His bluesy vocals and deep beats make his songs distinct and powerful with an infectious rock vibe – and his newly released single Fire has all of these characteristics. You’ll find yourself stomping your feet to this upbeat track, making it a perfect summer anthem for any indie-rock lover.
If you fancy rocking out to Barns this summer, Latitude festival is the place to find him.
Declan McKenna
It all took off for Declan McKenna at the age of 16 when he wrote his debut single Brazil - a protest song with lyrics surrounding the issues of awarding Brazil the World Cup in 2014. From there on in, it was clear that Declan was a musician who was not afraid to tackle taboo areas.
Declan weaves his expressive vocals into all his songs. His summer release Bethlehem is no different as it addresses the issue of religion being used as a justification for hatred and war. Not only will his thought-provoking ballads resonate with a lot of people, the track’s catchy riff will make it a song to remember this summer.
Dubbed as Glastonbury’s most exciting act of 2015, Declan is there again this year as well as Latitude Festival.
The Invisible
Synth beats, a consistent bass riff and reverbed vocals are the ingredients that make up The Invisible, a three-piece band now on their third album.
Despite having released albums before, The Invisible never fail to come up with new ideas. Their newly released album, Patience is jam-packed with an eclectic range of varying tempos and beats. The summer chill out track would have to be Life’s Dancers, as its whimsical melody and downtempo makes it the perfect backing to a summer evening.
As well as their own tour, Latitude Festival will be the place to catch this electrifying trio in action.
