10 new artists to be excited about in 2023
The joy of discovering new music is an unrivalled high for most contemporary fans. Every year, a series of talents smash their way through the glass ceiling and establish a name for themselves, with 2023 looking to be another sizzling 12 months on that front.
Theoretically, as a new artist, it has never been easier to get people to hear your music, but simultaneously, it is currently the most precarious time to try to make it. Despite having access to millions of potential fans through social media and streaming, persuading them to take time out to listen to your songs is harder than it sounds.
As a fan, it can be easy to drown in a sea of content attacking you from all areas and fall behind on the latest musical trends. There’s no better time to get back on track with new music than at the beginning of the year, and Far Out is on hand with the hot tips to keep you ahead of trends in 2023.
Hopefully, all ten artists featured below will release their debut albums in 2023, but it’s no certainty. While some of the names featured below are new, others have slowly been establishing themselves for the last couple of years, but one thing they have in common is their explosion in 2023.
10 artists to look out for in 2023:
The Goa Express
Since sharing their debut single in 2019, The Goa Express have been building towards the release of their debut album. Last year was relatively quiet for the Calder Valley group, only releasing the Britpop-tinged single, ‘Everybody In The UK’. However, they look set to make up for it in 2023.
While no album news has been announced, the band did recently sign to Communion, which provides hope. They are already harnessing a stellar reputation as a live act, and if the northerners keep progressing on this same trajectory, they’ll be playing to thousands at headline shows in no time.
Somebody’s Child
Somebody’s Child is the brainchild of Cian Godfrey, one of the most exciting talents to emerge from Ireland in recent memory. After sharing a wealth of singles, Godfrey’s first proper body of work, The 20-Something EP, arrived in 2020. Subsequently, it was followed by another two EPs.
The indie-pop maestro is gearing up to release his self-titled debut album on February 3rd through Frenchkiss Records, which promises to be a thrilling, heartfelt debut. In a press release about the album, Godfrey said: “Most of all, I want my music to help people who are struggling. I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks and music grounded me, so I would like to think my music could help change someone’s life too”.
Been Stellar
Is there a more musically inclined city in the world than New York? Over the years, it has been the breeding ground of everybody from The Strokes to Talking Heads, and Been Stellar appear to be the next great rock ‘n’ roll band to be exported.
Although none of the band members are actually from New York, the city is where they’ve harnessed their skills. Singer Sam Slocum and guitarist Skylar Knapp met in a high school near Detroit, later meeting Brazillian-Australian Nando Dale, who plays the guitar. Meanwhile, they met Los Angeles natives Nico Brunstein and Laila Wayans at University, who play bass and drums, respectively. The group have already received extensive radio play on BBC Radio 6, toured these shores extensively, and released a string of singles in the last 12 months.
Rachel Chinouriri
2022 was a year to remember for Rachel Chinouriri, who released a string of singles, including, ‘I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Trying)’, as well as linking up with The Snuts on ‘End Of The Road’, and on ‘Smithereens’ with Boyish. The Londoner has also supported Celeste, Sam Fender, and Lianne La Havas, but her story is just beginning.
Chinouriri’s intoxicating blend of uplifting indie feels fresh, and after building her reputation over the last few years, surely 2023 is the year a full album is unleashed. There’s also a mainstream crossover appeal to her sound and fragile songwriting, which could take her to the top. In May, Chinouriri is scheduled to headline two shows at Hoxton Hall in London, but unfortunately, the pair of dates are entirely sold-out.
Eli Smart
When Eli Smart was 18, he turned his back on the sun-kissed beaches of Hawaii and moved to Liverpool to attend university. During the pandemic, he returned home to the island of Kauai and made the location his base for two years until London came calling in 2022. Smart’s brand is ‘Aloha Soul’, and the feelgood anthems he’s capable of cooking should take 2023 by storm.
If you’re a fan of Khruangbin, then Smart is an artist you need to seek out. Songs such as ‘Highschool Steady’ and ‘Baby Benzing’ are an instant shot of Vitamin D into the veins, instantly making the world seem like a better place. In November, Smart shared his debut EP, Aloha Soul 1, through Polydor, and here’s hoping there are more bronzed tunes to follow this year.
Royal Otis
Sydney’s Royal Otis might only be a duo, but Otis Pavlovic and Royel Maddell are so damn talented that they don’t need anybody else to assist them. Their sound is simultaneously unique and familiar, making for a delightful sonic combination. The Aussie’s melancholic bop, ‘Oysters In My Pocket’, has already been streamed close to nine million times on Spotify alone, and that number will only multiply.
Last October, Royal Otis made their way to the United Kingdom for a series of shows, and it’s unlikely they’ll continue playing such small shows for much longer. In recent years, Australia has been fertile ground for producing indie bands, and Royal Otis are their newest musical gift to the world.
Nia Archives
Of all the names on the list, the genre-spanning Nia Archives is the artist most destined for superstardom. Not only is Nia a gifted singer, but the Manchester-raised artist produces her own work, too, as well as for other artists and DJs — there’s truly no end to her talents.
Nia has fought the hard way for her place at the table. Her latest single, ‘So Tell Me’, is her strongest effort yet, and tells her story of leaving home at 16 in Yorkshire to bravely start a new life in Manchester. In an Instagram post about the song, she wrote: “For me, estrangement has been lonely [and] a chronic heartbreak that never goes away. I am so grateful 2 have music as my therapy [and] way of processing life [and] it’s many situations.” While Nia’s creations will make you dance, she also possesses the songwriting instincts that will ensure her longevity for decades.
Chappaqua Wrestling
Chappaqua Wrestling is a group that has been on Far Out’s radar for a number of years, and after a long wait, a full-length project is seemingly ready for release in 2023. Towards the end of last year, they shared the hopeful single, ‘Wayfinding’, and if there’s more of that to come, then please sign me up.
In the summer of 2020, the Brighton-bred, London-based band released the mightily impressive singles, ‘The Rift’ and ‘Football’. However, it was radio silence from Chappaqua Wrestling for almost two years until 2022, when they finally came back with new music with ‘Full Round Table’. The good news from Chappaqua didn’t stop there, as they also announced a deal with EMI and supported Blossoms on tour. It’s great to have them back, and if there’s any justice in the world, 2023 will be the year they announce themselves as one of Britain’s best-emerging bands.
Biig Piig
Irish electronic artist Biig Piig (real name Jessica Smyth) is another artist who has steadily released music for several years. 2020 was a break-out period for Smyth thanks to her hit track, ‘Feels Right’, which has over 30 million streams on Spotify alone, and she also released the dancefloor filler, ‘Switch’.
Since then, Smyth moved to Los Angeles, returned to London, and underwent bundles of change in her life. However, one thing which has remained the same is the constant flow of music that Biig Piig has released, and they’ll all make you want to dance until your feet bleed. After steadily sharing singles since 2017, fingers crossed, we don’t have to wait longer than 12 months to finally hear Smyth’s debut.
The Royston Club
Welsh four-piece, The Royston Club, have expanded their sound significantly since first releasing music in 2019. Their most recent EP, Lying Here, Wasting Away, saw the group experiment with sprechgesang but done with tenderness and heart rather than fall into cliches.
Although their last release came a year ago, the wait for new music is almost over, with the new single ‘Blisters’ arriving on January 26th, and has already been previewed on Steve Lamacq’s BBC 6 Music show. With each release, The Royston Club have added a new string to their bow and differentiated themselves from the rest of the scene, which is why their reputation only continues to enhance. While 2023 may not be the year of their debut, their charming brand of indie will only go up in stock.
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