ETC 2019 Longlist announced - listen to the acts now!

21st March 2019

We’re very pleased to announce the 90 acts on the longlist for our EMERGING TALENT COMPETITION 2019, which is supported by PRS for Music and the PRS for Music Foundation. These acts were picked by our judging panel, made up of 30 of the UK’s best online music writers.

We’d like to say a huge thanks to the many thousands of acts who entered the free contest, and the judges for helping to narrow them down to just 90 acts.

Each of the bloggers has chosen their favourite three acts. They’re listed below, and check out the SoundCloud playlist of all the acts above (apart from the acts who chose to enter a “private” track).

These acts will now be whittled down to a shortlist of just 8 acts who will compete at April’s live finals for a slot on one of the main stages at this year’s Festival. The winners of the competition will also be awarded a £5,000 PRS for Music Foundation Talent Development prize, to help take their songwriting and performing to the next level. Two runners-up will also each be awarded a £2,500 PRS for Music Foundation Talent Development prize.

Amazing Radio 
1. …And The Hangnails
“I defy anyone not to lose control of their body to this band”
2.  Alan Finan
“Beautifully crafted melodies”
3.  [ K S R ]
“KSR’s brand of soul is sparse in musicality yet big in feeling”

Black Plastic
1. JacobNeverhill
“Emotionally vulnerable R&B with beautiful, sophisticated production”
2. Kudu Blue
“Blends melancholic vocals with sophisticated and soulful house music”
3. Jen Simmonds
“Captures a blissful dreamlike state”

Breaking More Waves
1. Amahla
“Amahla has an effortlessly beautiful tone to her voice”
2. Amy Vix
“With elements of country, Americana and rock incorporated in her music, Amy Vix also possesses a wonderful pop sensibility”
3. Anoushka Lucas
“Warm, elegant vocals and jazzy atmospherics… superb stuff”

Bristol in Stereo
1. Lazy Day
“The richness of Tilly Scantlebury’s vocals and the effervescence of the whole band make them a joyous unit”
2. Lilith Ai
“Catchy, empowering and includes the phrase “resting bitch face”. This. Screams. Summer.”
3. Kid Kapichi
“This is ‘stop what you’re doing and listen’ music.”

Crack Magazine
1. Nasari
“The eccentric, oddball energy of Connan Mockasin with the rich velocity of My Bloody Valentine”
2. Monks
“Clear technical skill along with an ability to perform in a relaxed, carefree manner”
3. YAMAYA
“Sun-kissed Afrobeat party-starters”

Devil has the Best Tuna
1. Beija Flo
“”A stunning, breathtaking burst of raw edged beauty”
2. Black Mamba Fever
“A huge slice of deliciously demonic raucous post punk”
3. Bienvenue
“Takes 70s funk and gives it a fresh, millennial twist”

Dots and Dashes
1. Bryde
“An exemplary performance all round – the vocal, musical components, and atmosphere are spot on.”
2. Blanketman
“Grinding, angular post-punk. Great stuff!”
3. Callum Spencer
“Straight as a die, but – Springsteenian to its core – it’s dead good all the same.

Drowned In Sound
1. Seatbelts
“Interesting song, diverse range of influences and confident live. Definite potential here!”
2. Millie Manders and The Shut Up
“Definitely ready for the big stage”
3. LIINES
“About to go on a UK tour with Sleaford Mods and it’s easy to see why. Stands out above everything else”

Dummy Magazine
1. M.I.C
“M.I.C is ripping up the rulebook when it comes to the mic”
2. Marika
“Marika’s hyper-HD, almost ASMR vocal sits beautifully over this super soulful, low-slung production”
3. Louis VI
“The combination of smoky, expertly crafted jazz and rhythm-led vocal is a killer.

Fifty3 Musings on Music
1. Sophie Morgan
“A really captivating song, skilfully arranged to underline the quality of Sophie’s voice; a delicacy and rarity of tone that marks her distinctiveness.”
2. The Harriets
“A kind of marriage of the best of Belle & Sebastian and Squeeze”
3. Truly Ford
“Truly is a brilliant interpreter of song and her live work is equally exceptional”

Gigwise
1. Charismatic Megafauna
“Scrappy, bratty electronic punk music with an anti-misogyny sting”
2. Che Lingo
“Self-confident lyrics set against minimalist production are a hot proposition live”
3. Cassels
“Frontman Jim Beck has a near spoken word way of delivering lyrics and the guitar trickery blending with his brother’s frenetic drums is invigorating live”

Gold Flake Paint
1. Porridge Radio
“There’s a dense, almost hypnotic atmosphere throughout which is really captivating”
2. OK Button
“Quiet and haunting throughout”
3. Jessie Reid
“The little percussive nuances are super interesting but it’s Jessie’s plaintive voice that steals the show. “

It’s All Indie
1. Swimming Girls
“Vibrant with some quite breezy synths and guitars with gorgeous vocals draped on top”
2. Tallsaint
” Great melodies mixed with a driving electronic subframe”
3. The Assist
” Charming Brummy vocals mixed with some delightful guitar tones with a vibrant chorus”

Josh Hall
1. Patawawa
“Like Toxic-era Britney meets Quincy Jones meets UKG…”
2. Megan Vice
“Sick throwback French touch-esque bubblegum pop, I un-ironically love it”
3. Sugarcane
“Absolutely lovely – expert mid-summer Sunday morning vibes”

Laura Snoad
1. VŌS
“It’s the soundtrack to pulling a sickie because you stayed up all night with your new crush”
2. TrueMendous
“Lyrical dexterity, impressive flow and impeccable delivery”
3. One Little Atlas
“One Little Atlas’s soaring vocals pull you into a tapestry of emotionally charged, interwoven landscapes”

Mark Higgins
1. Cousin Kula
“A lovely, woozy bit of psych pop. Washes over you like a gentle wave on a Mexican beach”
2. Darcie
“Delicious production on this, sounding taut but keeping a lovely vibe going throughout”
3. Crosslight
“A hugely endearing right old racket, with big, stadium-filling dynamics”

Mark Muldoon
1. DROOL
“A classic example of lean, confident British indie-rock”
2. Dede
“Stirring, superior piano ballad with a knockout voice”
3. DeeWain
“Great pop-rap production from this versitile hip hop act”

Michael Cragg
1. PHOEBE ΔXΔ
“A whiff of Lorde, sure, but very much part of its own idiosyncratic world. Makes you want to hit repeat”
2. Phidizz
“I love that Feel Alive channels a lot of US hip-hop styles, but is delivered in a clear regional accent”
3. Why-Axis
“Properly experimental, but never alienating. The flow is spot on too”

Music Liberation
1. EKKAH
“Breathy vocals with funky basslines”
2. Elle Exxe
“Powerful and emotive pop from Scottish songwriter Elle Exxe”
3. Ed Whicher
“Soothing reflective tracks over his plush acoustic guitar playing.”

Music Like Dirt
1. Eyesore & the Jinx
“Two and a half years of Brexit distilled into two and half minutes of punk-ish rage and exasperation”
2. Ex-Isles
“Ex-Isles’s Pete Devlin has a gloriously deep, rich voice, that immediately brings to mind John Grant and Rufus Wainwright”
3. Fake Turins
“Post-punk disco funk that wears its David Byrne influence with pride”

Neon Filler
1. Laura Goldthorp
“Has the ability to create ready made pop classics and her engaging vocals are superb too”
2. Roma Palace
“Brighton based Roma Palace offer a fresh take on indie pop and rock, with a slice of blues thrown into the mix”
3. Saachi
“Blending indie pop with jazz to dazzling effect thanks to some fine radio friendly tunes and the fantastic vocal range of singer guitarist Saachi Sen”

Nialler9
1. Marie White
“There is a huge amount of passion in this girl, in her lyric writing and that wonderful voice. A Joy”
2. Paige Bea
“Dreamy, dark and sometimes triumphant production and Paige Beas gorgeous tremolo are a perfect marriage here”
3. Rebel Phoenix
“Deep and thoughtful writing from this Dubliner. Beats and production that could stand alone with expert, effortless flow makes this one for the headphones in the city after dark”

Resonance FM
1. Freya
“Expertly-crafted with a strong soulful vocal”
2. George Moir
“Blame is a solid well-constructed and mournful pop and soul track”
3. GAZEL
“GAZEL are an exciting electronic grouping with an unusual and highly original atmospheric sound”

Rhys Buchanan
1. Haze
“I love the energy bubbling away under the surface here, it’s skulking, sinister and a perfect release for these turbulent times”
2. Heavy Heart
“This track is bright and colourful yet there’s something dark and enigmatic under the surface”
3. HEZEN
“Hezen has delivered an immensely strong pop track with a powerful statement behind it”

Sim Rollison
1. PRIMA
“Smooth vocals set against sparse production and a great, laid back hook you could easily hear on your favourite zeitgeist-led R&B playlist”
2. The Manatees
“As soon as the chorus kicks in on ‘What If’, you know you’re on to a winner. The Manatees show great energy throughout this track and its not difficult to imagine this closing a raucous live show.”
3. Sugar
“Impresses more and more as it draws to its close, the electro production adding layers to the vocal refrain”

The House of Coxhead
1. Ten Tonne Ska
“A positive vibe all round… lyrically and musically”
2. Róise
“An amazing voice and clearly a very talented songwriter”
3. Selin
“Really love the tone of Selin’s voice”

The Line of Best Fit (Lauren Down)
1. IMOGEN
“To have command of such a voice, one that soars and flutters as effortlessly as it delves and broods, is a rare thing. To hear it deployed as perfectly as Newcastle born singer and pianist IMOGEN does is an even rarer thing”
2. iiola
“Pop as it’s supposed to be: sweet and catchy with a little sullen undercurrent, a bruised delicacy akin fresh heartbreak”
3. Iyamah
“Iyamah cuts old school jazz sounds with that modern soulful voice to produce something that has all the hallmarks of a raw talent set to take things to the next level”

The Line of Best Fit (Paul Bridgwater)
1. Shunaji
“Absolutely loving the way Shunaji fuses inventive jazz loops with a Missy Elliot delivery full of attitude, intelligence and humour”
2. Yassassin
“They’re doing something really interesting with what began as quite a raw sound – finding dark melodies and a real swagger of their own”
3. Stanza Divan
“Such an exciting and direct flow with some really solid lyrics delivered with supreme confidence and conviction”

The Quietus
1. Tirikilatops
“A bizarre and quite brilliant UK/Korean fusion  of weird pop, buzzing electro synths and dada-esque cut-up/collage sensibilities”
2. Tidelines
“Subtle, sweet, intricate but spacious songs from a Senegalese, now UK-based kora player and singer”
3. Laurent John
“Cool, atmospheric, electronics-fried neo soul from London. Lovely production, too”

Too Many Blogs
1. Jafro
“Skillful Leicester MC”
2. Latir
“Continuing to drop a myriad of dreamy tracks that combine the best elements of indie and R&B”
3. Kinkajous
“Kinkajous use unusual instruments, electronics and synths that enable them to create astonishingly vast and unique soundscapes”