She has also added an extra date to her tour in Glasgow, Manchester and Dublin. She announced this on Instagram, writing in the caption “can’t believe i’m saying this but presale sold out so quickly we’re adding some extra shows general sale 10am on friday bst / 11am cest !!! wow wow wow”.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olivia Dean (@oliviadeano)

Olivia Dean attended the prestigious BRIT performing arts school, with alumni including Amy Winehouse, Geordie Greep, Adele and Jessie J. In 2019, she released her first EP ‘OK Love You Bye‘, introducing the music scene to her neo-soul melodies and heartfelt, authentic lyrics.

She first gained recognition when she won Amazon Music‘s 2021 Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Since then, she has grown exponentially in popularity, going on to win the BBC Introducing Artist of the Year in 2023. 2023 also saw the release of Dean’s debut album ‘Messy’, which was released to critical acclaim. Listen to ‘Messy’ below:

Dean shot to stardom after the release of her debut album, which was nominated for the 2023 Mercury Prize. In the same year, Dean was also nominated for 3 BRIT Awards, Best New Artist, Mastercard Album of the Year and Artist of the Year.

This year, she has also added to her stardom after she was selected to write the lead single in the soundtrack to the 2025 film Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Olivia Dean wrote the incredible song ‘It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be’ for the film, a song which gained widespread radio play. Watch Dean perform this song on her YouTube channel below:

Olivia Dean has been busy this summer, playing a secret set at Glastonbury Festival, a top act at Forwards Festival in Bristol and even a performance at British Summer Time (BST) 2025 at Hyde Park. Her ‘The Art of Loving Live‘ tour begins in the USA in October 2025.

Before the main tour begins, Dean is playing acoustic sets of the new album at album launch events next month (September 2025), starting in Edinburgh before visiting Liverpool, Leeds, Kingston, Bristol, Manchester and Nottingham, where she will discuss the new album with fans during these intimate sets at small venues. Tickets for these events are currently sold out though she has suggested she will add new dates to her acoustic sets due to high demand.

Dean has currently released three singles from her new album, ‘Nice To Each Other’, ‘Lady Lady’ and ‘Man I Need’. Watch the music video to her latest single ‘Man I Need’ below:

Tickets for Olivia Dean’s 2026 ‘The Art of Loving Live‘ tour can be bought here. General sale begins tomorrow Friday 29 August. Deans new album ‘The Art of Loving‘ is available for pre-order here, which will be released on 26 September 2025.

BBC Introducing revealed the thirty three artists set to take the stage at this year’s festival in an Instagram post earlier today.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BBC Music Introducing (@bbcintroducing)

Artists such as Lambrini Girls, Divorce and Fiona Lee are amongst the names travelling to Worthy Farm in a few weeks time.  Lambrini Girls, a self-professed ‘serious and political band…but also absolutely ridiculous and very silly’ (The Line Of Best Fit), are also performing the Leftfield stage at this year’s Glastonbury festival. Fitting, as the stage’s curator, Billy Bragg, has been one of the most prominent advocates for politics within music in the last century.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lambrini Girls (@lambrinigirlz)

The BBC Introducing initiative, since its formation in 2006, has been an epicentre of new, exciting, independent music, and the Introducing stage at Glastonbury is no different.

The stage has hosted names such as Idles, English Teacher and Paul Heaton in recent years, and has a reputation for being one of the great milestones in any upcoming artist’s career. English Teacher played the Introducing stage in 2022, just 2 years before winning the Mercury Prize, one of the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious music accolades.

The stage will open earlier than usual this year, 12pm on Thursday, as Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac record a live episode of their podcast Sidetracked.

This year will also see the return of the ‘Open Decks’ slot, Thursday, 5.45-7pm, on the BBC Introducing stage – a slot that encourage any aspiring DJs in attendance to get up and perform on the stage in front of a live audience. This slot, alongside the BBC’s readily available submission portals, goes to show the lengths that the Introducing scheme goes to promote upcoming artists, who otherwise may not get such opportunities.

The BBC also teased in a statement on their website, “There will also be TBA guests on the stage throughout the weekend, which will be announced via @bbcintroducing on Instagram and X and on the BBC Introducing chalkboard at the stage.”

Born in Shropshire, Nieve Ella first began to make a name for herself after recording and posting covers and original tunes online during the COVID:19 pandemic. She took to learning guitar and began to dabble in songwriting, effortlessly weaving a tapestry of emotional, angsty ballads from her lockdown bedroom.

At just 19 years old, Nieve eventually burst on to the scene in 2022 with her debut single ‘Girlfriend’, a gutsy, confrontational track calling out an ex-lover. The single delves into a toxic love triangle fractured with lying and cheating, causing her to empathise and team up with the ‘girlfriend’ in question, making it the ultimate ‘girl’s girl’ anthem. The track inevitably got picked up by BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, going on to receive generous radio play nationwide and major Spotify playlist features.

2023 saw the release of her debut EP ‘Young & Naïve’, a patchwork of all-too-relatable tales of youth, heartbreak, and longing, but also destructive, painful relationships, and how that pain so often feels irreversible. There is a clear sense of wanting or needing to be older, and to be treated as such.

Since then, her artistry has risen to dizzying new heights after successfully nabbing support slots for Irish indie-rock band Inhaler on their UK tour and British pop singer Dylan on her European stint, as well as knockout 30-minute sets performed at Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds Festival.

Last year also saw the release of her second and most impressive project to date, ‘Lifetime of Wanting’. The EP navigates the transition from teens into early twenties and explores a number of different interiors and everyday spaces, such as ‘Your Room’, ‘Big House’, ‘His Sofa’, ‘Glasshouses’ and ‘Car Park’, all of which relive specific memories and events rich with sentiment.

Each space comes with its own set of emotional paraphernalia; twisted sheets, hiding spots on staircases and flashbacks of dancing to Phoebe Bridgers across an ex’s bedroom floor; all poignant moments that are sewn into the very fabric of her being. With textured lyrics and honest storytelling, Nieve continues to let her heart bleed out on to her ribbon-clad sleeve.

Ready to dazzle live crowds once again, the singer songwriter will be accompanied by her best friends turned bandmates, Finn Marlow (guitar), Matt Garnett (drums), and Fran Larkin (bass).

Those lucky enough to have swiped a ticket will be able to catch her in February in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham, with support from Stevie Bill and Siobhán Winifred. The singer is also quietly building a small but loyal fanbase across the channel, with shows set to take place in Cologne, Amsterdam and Paris in April.

With a promising year ahead, Nieve Ella is finally stepping into her light, a sign that it’s all beginning to sink in for this rising UK star.

UK shows

08/02/2024 – London – Omeara
09/02 – Manchester – Gorilla
10/02 – Glasgow – King Tut’s
12/02 – Birmingham – O2 Institute3
14/02 – Birmingham – O2 Institute3
16/02 – London – Omeara

EU shows

19/04 – Cologne – Yuca
20/04 – Amsterdam – Paradiso
22/04 – Paris – Les Etoiles Theatre

the sound of 2024 longlist is here ✨

a selection of the artists will be performing at maida vale studios on monday 8th january 2024. if you want to be there, register now: https://t.co/O2HAQ3FGLx pic.twitter.com/tdHSIJiiJI

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) December 4, 2023

 The top ten acts are (in alphabetical order): Ayra Starr, Caity Baser, CMAT, Elmiene, Kenya Grace, The Last Dinner Part, Olivia Dean, Peggy Gou, Sekou and Tyla. From January 1, 2024, a countdown will kick off across Radio 1, counting down the top 5. The number one spot will be revealed live on Radio 1 on Friday, January 5.

It’s very hard to not be grateful ! I’m filled with so much joy and gratitude! Thank you too all my starrs , I see all your messages on me being your top artist , I’m so glad to be doing this life thing with you and that my music brings you peace and joy ! Ayra mob we just… pic.twitter.com/7N3TnyyNk7 — Celestial being (@ayrastarr) December 1, 2023

Head of Radio 1, Chris Price spoke of his excitement about the gender dynamic on the list, mentioning “With so many female artists on the Sound Of list this year, I’m really encouraged about the next generation of festival headliners. The list is as diverse as ever, reflecting the genre-agnostic nature of BBC Radio 1, which has supported every single one of the acts on the longlist. 2024 promises to be a great year for new music!”

The countdown of the Top 5 will kick off across Radio 1 on January 1st, 2204. The winner will be revealed live on Radio 1 during a special broadcast on Friday, January 5th. An event will be hosted at Maida Vale by Radio 1 called ‘BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2024 Live’ on January 8 2024. There is an application for tickets which is now open on the BBC Show And Tour website – see here for details.

The competition dates back two decades, with the first BBC Sound of in 2003! Among the success stories, boasts Ellie Goulding, 50 Cent, Sigrid and last year’s winner, girl group, FLO.

BRIT School alumna, Olivia Dean has also been named ‘BBC Introducing Artist of the Year’ live on-air, after the ‘secret’ award was announced unknowingly to Ladies Room’ singer, Olivia in an interview with presenter Jess Iszatt. The artist humbly accepted the award, thanking the emerging talent organisation BBC Introducing for all their support. She commented “Thank you so much for all the support over the years BBC Introducing! You are such an important and valuable platform for up-and-coming musicians. From my very first gig at the Lexington until now – poof crazy! So excited to be your artist of the year!!”

i won @bbcintroducing artist of the year !!
wow @jjiszatt thank u for being there from the beginning ❤️ https://t.co/5hSRHCy1J3

— Olivia Dean (@oliviadeano) November 28, 2023

Kicking things off was TRAAMS with ‘Intercontinental Radio Waves’, their first release in four years. This was followed by Sports Team’s ‘Going Soft’ from their debut album ‘Deep Down Happy’ and ‘Fell In Love With The City‘ by Another Sky, which has over 700,000 streams.

A number of other artists appeared, including Arlo Parks, who was featured  twice – first on her Glass Animals collaboration ‘Tangerine’ which has been one of the most popular songs from the band’s new album, gaining 21 million streams. Parks’ second feature was on her own song ‘Cola’, for which Radio 1 chose a performance from the BME sessions in March.

Throughout the show, acts such as Black Country, New Road, Porridge Radio, Franky Wah and TSHA were played. BBC Radio 1 took to Twitter to announce some of the artists prior to the show.

All this goodness tonight with @empilbeam on the @bbcintroducing show! Featuring @lau_ra_lau_ra @arloparks @porridgeradio @Conniecountach @orchardslive @modelmanmusic and many more! Get it on now! pic.twitter.com/h37TPHE87b

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) December 27, 2020

BBC Introducing is a Radio platform which gives a voice to unsigned or undiscovered UK artists. It has supported many artists in their career, which often leads to interest from record labels and other connections. In the past, the likes of Jorja Smith, Declan McKenna, and Tom Grennan have worked with Introducing.

Arlo Parks announced the exiting news of her award to her fans on Instagram two days ago, stating that she remembers uploading her ‘DIY Soundcloud Demo’s to BBC Introducing,’ at the age of just 16. She went on to state that she hopes her story ‘acts as a reminder that beautiful, big dreams can and do come true.’ Parks, who is a Singer-Songwriter/Poet from South London, was in good company at this years awards with fellow Londoner ‘Celeste,’ picking up the award for Sound of 2020.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arlo Parks (@arlo.parks) on Oct 27, 2020 at 5:04am PDT

The BBC Introducing awards are an important reminder that, when given the right opportunities, anyone can make it in the music industry if they have enough talent. As Arlo Parks wishes for her audience, many are hopeful that seeing artists like her and Celeste breaking through and becoming successful will inspire more young musicians to follow their dreams and make the most what opportunities they can get their hands on, BBC Introducing being one of these.

Arlo Parks’ latest single ‘Green Eyes,’ came out just a few days before she received the award, the video for it premiering on Youtube on the 20th of October. The song has a laid back Rhythm and Blues vibe and blends smooth melody with lyrics laced with social commentary. The song talks about trusting ‘how you feel inside,’ and is critical of the judgemental nature of society and the difficulty people face when they find themselves existing outside of the ‘norm.’

The single comes in advance of Arlo Parks’ debut LP album which is available to pre-order in physical formats at various independent record stores, fans also have the option to pre-save the album on their preferred streaming platform if a physical copy is not for them. As well as writing her own songs, Parks is also known for her creative covers of songs some might not immediately expect from her. For example, in June this year she released on her Youtube channel a very stripped back, piano and vocal interpretations of Alternative Rock band Radiohead’s classic ‘Creep.’ 

Despite the ongoing coronavirus restrictions across the UK, Arlo Parks does have a tour planned in support of her upcoming album ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams,’ which covers a number of interesting venues across the country and commences in summer 2021. Full UK tour dates for Arlo Parks in 2021 are as follows:

12/05/2021 – Gorilla – Manchester
18/05 – The Mash House – Edinburgh
19/05 – Saint Luke’s – Glasgow
21/05 – Chalk – Brighton
25/05 – Hare & Hounds – Birmingham
26/05 – Belgrave Music Hall – Leeds
28/05 – Exhibition Park – Birmingham
29/05 – The Rescue Rooms – Nottingham
30/05 – Thekla – Bristol

Having just released their debut EP Milkshake earlier this year, the foursome have wasted no time in getting some more material out in the open, with Gold featuring one brand new song as well as some alternative versions of tracks from Milkshake. Both Toucan Surf  and Surround You from the April release have been recorded acoustically on the ever-growing RTTV Session YouTube channel, and both feature on the four track EP. Track listing is below.

1. Gold

2. Toucan Surf (RTTV Session)

3. Surround You (RTTV Session)

4. Toucan Surf (CS Remix)

The young lads have a busy schedule ahead of them, including an appearance at Camp Bestival this coming weekend. They wrap up their August activities with a slot on the BBC Introducing stages at Reading and Leeds festivals, the critically acclaimed stage which has seen the careers of Don Broco, Everything Everything and Dinosaur Pile Up kick off following shows there. They will then embark on a tour of the UK, with gigs around the country including Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool and London. Be sure to check out why there is such a rush around these guys at one of their shows, although with tickets sure to be selling like hotcakes, you’re going to have to move fast.

Listen to their recent track Gold to see what all the fuss is about.