And the Nominees for BBC's Sound of 2018 Are...
Every year, the BBC cultivates a list of emerging artists that serves as a preview for the biggest rising names to know in music. The winner is basically assured to be catapulted to the top, with past victors including Adele, Sam Smith, and more. This year's long list of nominees includes 16 names—and with so many top talents, it's anyone's bet who will take home the prize.
This year's nominees includes its youngest ever: 15-year-old US pop star Billie Eilish, who made waves with her early singles "Ocean Eyes" and "Bellyaches," and her debut album Don't Smile at Me. For her age, unadulterated talent and disaffected disposition, she is, rightfully, being referred to as the American Lorde.
Other BBC Sound nominees include Scandinavian pop acts Sigrid ("Don't Kill My Vibe") and Alma ("Chasing Highs"), both of whom are well-positioned for the top slot. Another favored contender is Khalid, whose critically acclaimed debut album Young Dumb & Broke earned him the title of Best New Artist at the 2017 VMAs.
The panel is made up of 173 music experts (critics, DJs, etc). This year also marks the first year in which the panel included previous winners and nominees like Stormzy, Ellie Goulding, Ollie Alexander (of Years & Years), and 2017 winner Ray BLK.
Check out the full list of nominees below, and stay tuned for the reveal of the winner on January 12.
Alma
Billie Eilish
IAMDDB
Jade Bird
Khalid
Lewis Capaldi
Not3s
Nilufer Yanya
Pale Waves
Rex Orange County
Sigrid
Sam Fender
Superorganism
Tom Walker
Yaeji
Yxng Bane
