Cardinals’ upcoming debut album ‘Masquerade’ isn’t short on songs that are emotive and incisive. Euan Manning’s granular storytelling and stark imagery stand out on nuanced, adventurous indie-rock songs that steer clear of easy answers. Cardinals are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ca...

Mon Rovîa makes ‘Afro Appalachian’ folk music rooted in resilience and love. Born in Liberia amid civil war and adopted into an American upbringing, the musician is synthesising his identity and journey into purposeful storytelling. Mon Rovîa is on The Cover: www.nme.com/the-cover/mo...

Sassy 009’s debut album ‘Dreamer+’ has been a product of Sunniva Lindgård’s internal dialogue for a long time. She views it as a score to a fictional tale of a protagonist who loses her soulmate in a dream state. Read the full #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/sa...

At the beginning of 2025, Rose Gray only had three shows booked in her diary. But, after the release of her debut album, ‘Louder, Please’, things picked up speed, and fast. Rose Gray is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/ro...

Nell Mescal has always believed in the power of manifesting, but recently, it’s as though she has tapped into the universe’s direct line. Read the full #NMETheCover story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/ne...

Sekou’s stunning baritone voice can stop you in your tracks. With his debut mixtape out in the world, the 21-year-old is realising the full scope of his ambitions: “I want to be an artist who has quality and passion in my music and my image.” Sekou is on The Cover: www.nme.com/the-cover/se...

Rising pop singer Jae Stephens has never been one to wait around for permission to make her mark. Coming off several well-recieved EPs, she is now aiming for the stars: “I want to be, hashtag, main pop girl.” Jae Stephens is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ja...

Alemeda’s story might only just be beginning, but in other ways, it already spans generations. Her space in pop-punk and alt-rock – genres rarely associated with Black artists – is informed by where she comes from and her family’s struggles. Read the full #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/al...

There’s no other word for it: the Belair Lip Bombs are just fucking cool. Their music is the type of tasty rock that’s rarely done well these days, and it’s made them one of the most promising bands in recent years. Read the full #NMETheCover story: www.nme.com/the-cover/th...

Ever since BOYNEXTDOOR stepped into the K-pop scene in May 2023, they've stood out for their sincerity. The first group to debut from Zico’s HYBE sublabel KOZ Entertainment, they set out to express universal emotions in the most honest way possible. Read #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/bo...

Channelling the guerrilla spirit of the UK's most iconic girl groups, Say Now are "super-ready for a major girl band renaissance", setting the stage for what's to come as they ready themselves for the big leagues. Say Now are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/sa...

To keep some mystery around her, goth-glam alt-pop star Luvcat has adopted a “two truths, one lie” approach to sharing her story. “I'm drawn to artists that I don't know everything about; there's more intrigue there,” she explains. Luvcat is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/lu...

Breaking out from Vancouver’s DIY scene, genre-bending musician Sophia Stel beckons you to live in the moment and “treat everything as a big deal” amid the fleeting chaos of life. Sophia Stel is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/so...

Ena Mori made a loud, colourful entrance with her debut album, 2022's ‘Don’t Blame The Wild One!’. Now, she’s finding new ways to pursue her artistic mission: “show up, be vulnerable and be bold”. Ena Mori is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story: www.nme.com/the-cover/en...

Drawing on their shared love of ’90s pop, rock, and alternative music, Crushed are making postmodern, emotive alt-pop – and “just going for it”. Crushed are on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/cr...

Last year, ‘Sailor Song’ took Gigi Perez to a new heights – an experience that’s shown her what “the community around [the song] can be for others”. “I’m a fan of music before I’m a songwriter, so I know what those songs feel like in my life.” Read #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ni...

Night Tapes’ refined dream-pop is engineered for midnight drives and wandering neon-lit streets and their debut album ‘Portals // Polarities’ continues their knack for gliding melodies and synths that practically glow. Night Tapes are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ni...

Die Spitz are here to break apart the stultifying air of your day-to-day, and they’ll do it their way. That’s a feeling reinforced by their imminent debut album ‘Something To Consume’, which finds them “doing whatever the fuck we want”. Die Spitz are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/di...

South London saxophonist and producer Venna doesn’t want to be “boxed in”. “I just want people to see me as a prolific musician and someone who will stand the test of time,” he tells NME, and so far, he’s on the right path. Venna is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ve...

Debbii Dawson is letting the light shine on her eccentric musical world. Her fantastical sound is rooted in the eclectic soundtrack of her nomadic upbringing, giving her music a voice that stands apart in the pop landscape. Debbi Dawson is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/de...

Balu Brigada might have been working on music for a decade but it wasn’t until last year that they really scored a breakthrough with ‘So Cold’. Since, they’ve been on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and toured the world with Twenty One Pilots. Balu Brigada are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ba...

Anxiety and dread have long been bubbling in Maruja’s music, including in their debut album ‘Pain To Power’, but Harry Wilkinson tells us: “It’s often with the intent of us trying to reach for the betterment of culture.” Maruja are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ma...

Most of the world met Hanumankind last summer with the release of ‘Big Dawgs’. The high-octane rap track broke barriers on the Billboard charts and struck viral gold on many platforms. Now, his focus is on “trying to be a better storyteller every day”. Read #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ha...

To call the last year of Alessi Rose’s life a whirlwind is an understatement. She’s supported Noah Kahan and Dua Lipa, played Glastonbury and sold out her own tour. Along the way, she’s inspired utter devotion in legions of fans. Read the full #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/al...

Don’t let the small town charm fool you, 18-year-old country crooner Waylon Wyatt makes music that cuts deep. From Hackett to Hyde Park, he's proving heartbreak sounds the same everywhere you go. Waylon Wyatt is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/wa...

Nourished By Time has always been confident in his talents, but thought recognition wouldn’t find him in his lifetime. His debut album changed all that, and his upcoming second, ‘The Passionate Ones’, affirms his place as a world-beating cult star. Read #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/no...

Coming on like Leigh Bowery organising a children’s birthday party, the world of Gelli Haha is riotously fun. I interviewed her about her debut album ‘Switcheroo’ for @nme.com www.nme.com/features/mus...

TWS didn't expect their coming-of-age anthem 'Plot Twist' to catch on like wildfire – but their wistful “boyhood pop” sound struck a chord in the crowded K-pop scene, launching the six young idols into stardom. TWS are on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/tw...

Jazzy might have the most Spotify monthly listeners of any Irish female solo artist, but it can’t distract her from keeping her focus on music: “I play anything down. No matter how big it is, I tell myself it's not a big deal.” Jazzy is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ja...

Folk Bitch Trio’s ‘Now Would Be A Good Time’ approaches early twenty-something life with humour, heart and goosebump-worthy harmonies as the trio transform their experiences into art. Folk Bitch Trio are on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/fo...

Sailorr's breakup anthem ‘Pookie’s Requiem’ put the Florida singer in the spotlight. Fame isn’t changing her approach to music, though: “That's the beauty of making music. You don't do it for anybody else.” Sailorr is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/sa...

Turnstile went stratospheric with their last album ‘Glow On’. To make their new record ‘Never Enough’, the hardcore band shut out the noise and dove deep into their own “infinite well” – read the NME interview www.nme.com/features/mus...

The road to Annahstasia’s debut album ‘Tether’ hasn’t always been smooth, but the folk star has always followed her own instincts, even if that meant foregoing instant success. “I went on my own path to figure it out,” she says. Annahstasia is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/an...

Kwn is following up her viral hit ‘Worst Behaviour’ with a new EP – and supreme confidence. “If you didn’t take me in then, you're going to take me in now – in the least and most big-headed way possible,” she says. Kwn is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/kw...

With their knack for translating the amorphous reality of coming of age into song, boundary-pushing K-pop act tripleS are emerging as this era's pop culture auteur of girlhood. tripleS are on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/tr...

Spill Tab is ready to take control. After exiting an old deal, she was sure she could take her experimental, bilingual alt-pop to new heights. “I was like, ‘Fuck it. I’m gonna make an album the way I want to’.” Spill Tab is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/sp...

[email protected] are here to mess with the pop idol formula – on their own chaotic terms. Read NME’s interview with the Japanese girl group about their frenetic, Bloodpop-produced debut album ‘Sequence 01’: www.nme.com/features/mus...

Falling in love with Amelia Moore’s music isn’t hard to do. Her vulnerable songwriting and breathy, agile vocals capture romantic daydreams and formative heartbreak with an earnest twist. Amelia Moore is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/am...

Whether she’s perfecting her punchy, emotional hybrid of jungle and footwork, or trying to make club nights accessible, London DJ and producer Sherelle is always chasing growth. Sherelle is on The Cover: www.nme.com/the-cover/sh...

“My hope is that every song feels like getting punched in the stomach,” says YHWH Nailgun's Sam Pickard. That rings true on debut album ‘45 Pounds’, which showcases a punishing but transcendent take on noise music. YHWH Nailgun are on The Cover. Read the full story: www.nme.com/the-cover/yh...

Glam-country star Tanner Adell is ready to tell her own story with her upcoming debut album, which promises to be her most personal music yet. Tanner Adell is on The Cover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/ta...

In the creepy universe of Ratbag, horror reigns – the ghastliness of the real world encapsulated in and eclipsed by the fantastical creatures that accompany her spooky yet endlessly vibrant alternative pop. Ratbag is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/ra...

Mei Semones doesn’t have much time for much other than music. After all, the jazz-loving indie star is busy chasing her deep desire to be a true original: “I’m just trying to make music that’s one of a kind.” Mei Semones is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/me...

Underscores is the hyperpop satirist refusing to regress. After conquering the desert at Coachella next month, April Harper Grey will move onto a new musical chapter markedly different from her breakthrough album 'Wallsocket'. Underscores is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/un...

Oklou’s 2020 mixtape ‘Galore’ put the French electronic artist in the realms of pop innovators – a position her debut album ‘Choke Enough’ cements. It also finds her shifting her approach: “I felt the need to look more to the outside.” Oklou is on #NMETheCover: www.nme.com/the-cover/ok...

Hailing from Nottingham, Divorce came up in a strong local scene that doesn’t often get the attention it deserves. The alt-country band hope their rising star will shine more light on their town. Divorce are on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/di...

On her new album ‘Luminescent Creatures’, Ichiko Aoba finds beauty in bioluminescence and the light of universal connection. The Japanese folk artist speaks to NME about diving with whales, her time on Hateruma Island in Okinawa, and her “eternal” stock of dreams www.nme.com/features/mus...

Saya Gray’s debut album came to life through a monthslong road trip, during which she documented a “spectrum of emotion”. The alt-pop innovator says: ""I was really in touch with the grief cycle."" Saya Gray is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/sa...

South Korean pop sweetheart Gyubin might have won hearts with her endearing viral hit 'Really Like You', but she's not letting early success get to her head. Gyubin is on #NMETheCover. Read the full story here: www.nme.com/the-cover/gy...

Can you ever tell where a shooting star will land? That’s the question we ponder every year we compile the NME 100, a hundred new artists who are meteoric-in-the-making. Presenting this year's #NME100, our list of essential emerging artists for 2025: www.nme.com/lists/nme-10...