Discovering new music has changed massively in the past decade. We’re now largely at the whims of Spotify and Apple Music playlists, whereby we get recommendations based off unique algorithms that have decided what we will or won’t like. Or we watch just watch back to back TikTok vids and get hooked on a particular ear worm. Which is fun if you’re not bothered about the “discovery” side of music discovery. But not so fun if you miss the days of going down a rabbit hole on Soundcloud / Bandcamp and finding a surprising new obsession.
But what about good old fashioned music recommendations from actual people? And who better to know about new music than… musicians themselves!
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With that in mind, we asked some of our favourite artists about the one artist we should be listening to in 2023. Here’s what they came up with:
MUNA say we should listen to… Lou Roy
“Lou Roy! A great friend of ours… her album Pure Chaos is a masterpiece that blends a playfulness (so indicative of her truly hilarious and wonderful personality) with smart, rich storytelling and a very vulnerable severity. We absolutely adore her. Also, we love Alex G. A phenomenal songwriter and producer. His record from this year, God Save The Animals, is an extremely rich meditation on faith and hope…. definitely one of the best of the year. We’re sure those who’ve heard it will agree.”
Pale Waves say we should listen to… Morgan Saint
Heather Baron-Gracie: “I’ve loved Morgan [Saint]’s music since 2017 – she’s such a pop star. She’s due to release her new album next year and I’m so excited for it from the snippets I’ve heard and I’m sure it’s gonna be her best work yet.”
Dorian Electra says we should listen to… Demi Yo’ko
“Demi Yo’ko from one of my favourite bands, Death Tour, is putting out some amazing solo music and sick visuals and is definitely an artist to listen to in 2023.”
Dream Wife say we should listen to… Straight Girl
“First things first, they are not straight and they are not a girl! Leeds-based electro artist Straight Girl is a powerhouse performer; their stage persona oozes vibrance, with big beats and sexy synths, they do it their way and make you wanna dance while they’re at it. So much more to see from them next year!”
Nova Twins say we should listen to… Gully Boys
“We love the energy and vibrant chaos that Gully Boys bring to their shows. We took them on tour with us in North America; they are so lovely, all smiles and such a pleasure to hang with but as soon as they get on that stage, the energy flips into a gutsy raw brawl. They are a force to be reckoned with and kinda reminds us of Foo Fighters meets Alanis Morissette!”
BISHI says we should listen to… Portrait XO and Nwando Ebizie
“Portrait XO is an artist who traverses the depths of the metaverse, AI, and Web 3, with her music and visual art with a deeply emotional touch that juxtaposes their mind-blowing technical fluency. I think their emotional and deeply humanistic approach to AI in music is unparalleled.
“And also Nwando Ebizie… I love artists who create their own realities and can interpolate between their cultural heritage, composition techniques, and songs that could rock a dancefloor. She’s an immersive experience.”
Bob Vylan says we should listen to… Problem Patterns
“In 2023 you need to be listening to Problem Patterns! They’re a Belfast based queer punk quartet making some of the loudest and most necessary music out right now. They have an amazing talent for putting you in their shoes with their songwriting and touching on important subjects while also making you want to dance. The cherry on top is they’re great craic too! They’re currently finishing off their next project which I believe will be out in 2023 and I can’t wait to hear it. You’d be a fool not to give them a go!”
Sigrid says we should listen to… Wunderhorse
“Wunderhorse… It’s not that often someone makes an album you can listen to over and over again. I can’t wait to hear more from them in 2023! My favourite tracks are ‘Morphine’, ‘Purple’ and ‘Leader Of The Pack’.”
Cassyette says we should listen to… Kordhell
“I recently came across Kordhell. He’s such a sick producer. I love his song ‘MISA MISA!’ with CORPSE and Scarlxrd. His songs live in the most interesting place on the internet. If you like dark emo shit that slaps you should go there.”
Zand says we should listen too… Mel 4Eva
“I first discovered Mel 4Ever on my friend’s Spotify playlist and from there became completely obsessed. Her sound is boundary obliterating, smashing genres together like a glittery metallic sandwich. A fantastic lyricist and the way she crafts hooks is insane. I love how she touches on ‘taboo’ subject matter and effortlessly makes it funny, like in ‘Jennifer’s Bodice’ (about eating her abuser), there’s a line that goes ‘Begging for your life / Oooh that’s fucking cringe!’ She’s just so c*nt. I hope she blows up soon or I’m gonna lose my mind. ”
DYLAN says we should listen to… Rachel Chinouriri
“Not only is Rachel [Chinouriri] one of the funniest girls I’ve met but her pop melodies are unmatched. It’s impossible to not feel everything at once while listening to her music and velvet voice. The song I would recommend is ’I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Trying)’ – I listen to it most mornings to get me in the mood for a good day. She’s going to be the biggest thing to come out of 2023, mark my words.”
