Spotlight: Five artists to check out in April 2025

Every month in our Spotlight series, we profile five emerging artists from across the globe. Up this month is Berlin's Merve, Tokyo's Oyubi, Miami's v1fro, Edinburgh's Wallace, and New York's YATTA.

A true musical vagabond, Australia-hailing, Berlin-based Merve has traversed every inch of the music industry to land where she is today, from her work as a programmer to a stint as an agent. Now a dependable DJ and curator, Merve is gifted at pleasing a crowd: “I’m inspired by a really good dancefloor – one with great music, sound, lights, smoke, and dancers, slightly chaotic and very sweaty,” she says. As a resident of Manchester’s queer club night High Hoops, Merve spins a blissful blend of house, disco, bass, and avant-pop, tailored by the energy of the dancers in front of her. “Music excites me, I’m always curious to hear something new. It also helps me make sense of, or process whatever’s happening around me,” she says.

Since making her breakout, Merve has performed alongside the likes of Young Marco, CCL, LUXE, and plenty more, and has hosted club favourites from I. JORDAN to Sepehr on her Full Circle radio show via Triple R, speaking about shared experiences in the music industry. Next up, she’s making her production debut on High Hoops’ new compilation album, ‘Ten Years of Love On The Dancefloor’, before she gets stuck into a busy summer ahead. “I’m playing a festival in the Netherlands this summer and Iggy Pop is on the line-up – my teen self is screaming,” she says.

Recommended work: MARICAS No.72: Merve

“I’m going to go with my mix for MARICAS. Recorded at the end of summer last year, it captures the vibe I’m enjoying at the moment and my love of zipping through genres to take you on a journey, or piece together a story. With my mixes and sets, I don’t like to focus on the genre. I like following the energy and feeling we (the crowd and I) are on, and this mix is a good example of that.”

From its Chicago origins all the way to the Japanese capital, Oyubi is spreading his love of footwork across Tokyo, bringing the breakneck sound to crowds in the city. A self-professed ‘brostep kid’ growing up, Oyubi’s musical palette evolved from the chest-rattling basslines of Skrillex to the quickfire breaks of Traxman: “I really got into footwork from Chicago because it felt completely different to any other dance music genre,” he explains. His adoration of the genre doesn’t just stop at his productions and DJ sets – Oyubi also doubles up as a footwork dancer performing at competitions across Japan, including the country’s biggest, Battle Train Tokyo.

With a sound that blends footwork, juke, and UK bass, Oyubi has earned support from veterans of the scene, from Kush Jones to Ben UFO, JIALING to Yushh, on some of his recent releases – which include several outings on Tokyo-based label TREKKIE TRAX. This year, he aims to continue that streak with the release of a full-length album on the imprint, inspired by some of his formative heroes like DJ Rashad, RP Boo, Hessle Audio, and kode9.

Recommended work: Oyubi 'Earnin It'

"This album I released on TREKKIE TRAX marked a point where I feel like something changed. I was just making this without any thoughts, just vibes. It caught on in other countries, and I noticed there was some different about the sound."

As the world’s attention turns to Miami’s dance music scene and its burgeoning new school of DJs and producers, you’ll probably have heard v1fro’s name bubbling up from the underground. Inspired by the Floridian city itself, the Venezuela-born DJ, sound engineer, and producer finds fascination in the migration of sounds from Latin America into Miami – influencing his blend of raptor house, dembow, and reggaeton. “The vibrant energy of Miami is my greatest source of inspiration,” he explains. “Every day brings a new surprise, and this city truly has it all – the music, the people.”

Now a new addition to the roster of UK-based purveyor of Latin club styles Club Romantico with his latest EP ‘Amnesia’, v1fro is making moves internationally. Featuring reworks from Coffintexts, Bok Bok, and his mentor, Dj Babtr, the record pays homage to v1fro’s movement from place to place over the years, from Argentina to Puerto Rico and now Miami, and the fruitful sounds he’s pulled inspiration from cross-borders. With plans to release on Nervous Freaks and complete a full-length album by the end of the year, v1fro is certainly one to keep your eye on in 2025.

Recommended work: Suero Miami: v1fro

"I'd love to share this mix, recorded at Club Floyd during my opening for Loris and Lechuga Zafiro at the infamous Nick Leon C777 SUERO residency. It’s very special, crafted on Valentine’s Day."

Named after the Scottish tartan pattern, Shrewsbury-based DJ, producer, and promoter Wallace has stuck close to his Scottish heritage since moving from Edinburgh, where he once threw regular club nights booking the likes of Daniel Avery and Erol Alkan. Now an established producer in his own right after a decade of making, but not releasing his own music, Wallace is gaining traction with a headsy supply of electro, minimal, and house – all of which he now puts out into the world. “Nature has always been a perpetual source of inspiration to me,” he says. “Those quiet moments outdoors are often when the best ideas seem to float into my head. Inspiration is everywhere, often in the most unlikely of places.”

Since his breakout, Wallace has become a recurring radio host on NTS and Balamii, and released with beloved labels like Rhythm Section, Phantasy, and his Tartan Records imprint, home to his own productions. “Next, I’ve got some debut shows in Australia, Vietnam, Romania, and Switzerland on the horizon, as well as the next edition of this free party I’ve been running with some pals in a pub in my hometown,” he says. “On the music side, I’ve got a track coming out via a label which has released some of my all time favourite records.”

Recommended work: Wallace 'Willow'

"From my own catalogue, I'd maybe say 'Willow' a tribute to a late, great friend of mine who left us too soon."

“I’m inspired by WhatsApp, vocal stacks, emotional alchemy, truth-telling, night time alone when the internet tastes best, and God,” says Sierra Leonean-American artist YATTA, the alias of Ricky Sallay Zoker. Now based in New York, YATTA works across a myriad of genres and styles as a vocalist, producer, and sound artist, pulling snippets from everyday life into their hybrid sound. Their recent release landed in the form of an acclaimed 14-track album, ‘PALM WINE’, musing on solitude and love through moments of spoken word and poetic lyricism, an experimental blend that sums up YATTA best.

Over the years, YATTA’s work has debuted at New York’s Museum of Modern Art PS1, while their sound has travelled across international festivals from Amsterdam’s Sonic Acts to New Forms Festival in Vancouver. This autumn, YATTA is breaking into fashion with a new line of hats and merchandise. “I have two gallery shows coming up in the fall. I’m launching the site for future kitsch, a line of hats and exclusive merch stocked at Retail Pharmacy,” they explain. “I'm releasing a music video, playing with my new band, and looking to book more shows in spring and summer.”

Recommended work: YATTA 'Palm Wine'

"I’d say all of 'PALM WINE'. I put everything into it. The range is immense – there are jokes, low lows, high highs, and all the precise little sounds that excite me."

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter