Who’s Hot in 2021

So after much deliberation and a constantly changing list I am now bringing you my bands/musicians to look out for this year.

I’m going to start with a few obvious ones and these should be no surprise to anyone as these names will already be on the tip of your tongue.

I’ll then look at some other bands who I’m predicting big things for in the next twelve months.

So in the very missed words of a live gig, here we, here we, here we, here we ……….…

The Snuts

The West Lothian quartet have been building up a reputation as one of the best new bands in Scotland for a few years now but 2021 will see them hit the heights UK wide.

Last year saw them release the brilliant Mixtape EP and continued to show innovation in their music with the releases of Elephants, That’s All It Is and Always.

The release of their debut album in March will propel them into radio playlists up and down the country and see their star rise.

Be Charlotte

Be Charlotte had a fantastic 2020, it started off with her curating and hosting Scotland’s first ever all-female songwriting camp in her hometown of Dundee where she gathered some of the best talent in the country to bounce ideas off each other and use the space to create.

Musically we have seen Be Charlotte release some brilliant music this year and seen wider recognition on radio and industry playlists.

Hopefully we will see her debut album released this year.

Luke La Volpe

Luke La Volpe’s 2020 started off with a sell out Scottish tour and had a huge headline show at King Tuts to look forward to when the coronavirus pandemic struck.

However, rather than allowing the virus to stifle his ambition he grabbed the unknown by the scruff of the neck and was the driving force behind the Sofathon Singalong in support of The Music Venue Trust.

His year was topped off when he won the Male Breakthrough Award at the Specsavers Scottish Music Awards.

The Lathums

The Lathums are another band who have been building a name for themselves over the last few years and have garnered airplay and support from radio.

Despite the pandemic the Wiganers had a busy 2020, they have recorded their debut album which is due for release later this year and played a livestream concert from the world famous Blackpool Tower.

2021 will see them, pandemic permitting, tour with Blossoms and Paul Weller and will just see them getting bigger and bigger.

So those were the obvious ones that are probably on everyone’s radar, let’s take a look at who else I think is destined to shine brightly in 2021.

Dictator

Dictator exploded onto the scene in late 2019 with their debut single Anthem for a Doomed Youth.

They are another band from West Lothian’s blossoming music scene and 2020 saw them grow a bigger fan base by selling out their own headline set at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh and heading south to support Mark Sharp and the Bicycle Thieves.

They were also the inaugural winners of The Weekender Magazine song of the year for their single Days Gone By.

Gold Baby

North London dreamy grunge outfit Gold Baby are that kind of band who write fuzzy pop songs that give you goosebumps.

Packaging emotional lyricism and delicately fractured guitar parts with dynamic surges of power pop and fuzzy feedback they will grab your attention and hook you in.

2021 will see them extend their reach beyond London and grab a nationwide audience.

kitti

Glaswegian singer/songwriter kitti has certainly become a name to watch after picking up some fantastic awards during 2020.

Her fantastic soulful jazzy vocals saw her first of all pick up the best vocalist award at the Scottish Jazz Awards and this was followed up by winning the Female Breakthrough Award at the Specsavers Scottish Music Awards.

Hopefully 2021 will see kitti release lots of new music and build on the success of 2020.

Reclaim Vienna

Reclaim Vienna are one of my favourite lockdown discoveries and I’m loving the music they create.

They are one of the North West’s most innovative bands and kicked onto the scene with their brilliant debut single Kick The Butterfly and have pushed on ever since.

Their sound is a real sense of 80’s nostalgia if you cross Duran Duran with New Order then you will get an idea of the vibes their music delivers.

Fingers crossed we see a debut EP or album in 2021.

Rachel Jack

Wow what can I say about Rachel Jack, a real shining light in the Scottish music scene in 2020.

In the summer we saw Rachel deliver her debut EP The Calgary Tapes which was a stunning collection of folk inspired acoustic tracks.

And then Rachel gave us a change in tempo with Magazine Girls and For You as she moved into the indie pop space.

For 2021 we await the release of her sophomore EP and hopefully an album later in the year.

Tom Lumley & the Brave Liaison

Another band that I discovered during the first lockdown are Cambridgeshire’s Tom Lumley & The Brave Liaison.

Their debut EP Sign of the Times absolutely blew me away, it was a fantastic blast of indie punk and immediately had me reeled in as a fan.

I love that they are very active on social media and have great interaction with their fans.

I’m looking forward to hearing their journey continue this year.

The Capollos

Aberdeen’s The Capollos have been building up a loyal following in the North East for the last few years.

They are a band that draw influence from the indie rock giants of Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and the like but they crank the rock up a degree or two to give us their own unique sound.

Their two singles this year Electrify and Telephone have saw them gain more national attention and I’m looking forward to see them play in bigger venues and bigger crowds once live concerts resume.

Brownbear

Brownbear have been very quiet musically since the release of the fantastic debut album What Is Home.

That changed with the release of Retro which teased us with a brilliant sound which bodes well for future releases.

Matt the driving force had a busy 2020 contributing to debates about equality in music and the unfairness of streaming revenues as well as keeping us entertained with his popular Sunday Social broadcasts on Instagram.

Back to music, hopefully 2021 will see a follow up album released and some live performances.

Pillow Queens

Pillow Queens had been steadily building up a reputation as a brilliant live band with support slots for Idles, Future Islands and Pussy Riot to name a few.

Not content on being in the supporting role they have burst out of the shadows by delivering one of the best albums of 2020.

That album, In Waiting is full of brilliant and thought provoking tracks and will pave the way for a huge 2021 for the Pillow Queens ably assisted by a recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Get this band on your radar now and don’t miss out !!

Venus Grrrls

Venus Grrrls are an alt punk band from Leeds who bring some serious attitude with their music, promoting and participating in the drive to increase respect for women in music.

They deliver fierce driving tunes but have the ability to slow it all down and turn out a bangin’ rock ballad.

Their Wicked Things EP was one of my favourite releases in 2020 and ever since I heard it I have been waiting on more.

2021 is going to be huge for Venus Grrrls.

Joshua Grant

Joshua Grant when interviewed tells everyone he was inspired to write and perform after seeing The Snuts.

And boy has he wrote some cracking songs, Transparent probably his breakthrough tune in 2019 and then last year he smashed his way to the top of the Scottish Singles Charts with his poignant and heart warming Edinburgh.

Joshua writes songs that connect with his audience and that will bring him a lot of attention in 2021, look out for the name he is only going to get bigger.