The Top 25 Artists To Watch In 2025

We’ve paid tribute to our top DJs, breakthrough DJs and top producers of 2024 — and now it’s time to look forwards. In the list below, we tip the emerging artists who’ve caught our attention through their impactful sets, innovative fusions of sound, ice-cold rap flows, and more, showing all the potential to take things to the next level. Here are the top 25 artists to watch in 2025 (in alphabetical order).

Hailing from South Africa, but now based in Manchester, Artist Lebo is a DJ, producer and vocalist merging her home country’s Afro house, Afrotech and amapiano with the vibrant energy of the UK’s underground club scene. Her deep and spiritual sets can be heard everywhere from The White Hotel and Soup to Corsica Studios and Night Tales, on line-ups alongside Hagan, Fiyahdred, and Tash LC. In July this year, she cemented herself in Manchester’s creative community with an appearance at Green Island Festival.

What makes Artist Lebo special is her early adoption of the 3-step sound (a more recent strand of South African dance music characterised by its three beat kick drum). First appearing around 2022, 3-step is slowly catching on around the world, with more radio stations, record labels and promoters beginning to platform the genre. In January, Artist Lebo played a Sondela Records party with South African 3-step pioneers Thakzin and Atmos Blaq, demonstrating her place within the burgeoning scene and her role championing the sound in the UK.

2024 also saw the release of Artist Lebo’s first EP, ‘Growing Pains’, out on independent record label Khaya Lyf Music. Featuring the artist’s own vocals, the record is a highly personal exploration of life’s hardships through the medium of Afro house and Afrotech.

BXKS’ cold attitude and unbreakable confidence has been cutting through the grime and drill scene. Without a flutter of nerves or a slip of the lip, BXKS has landed herself MCing next to the likes of Unknown T, KwolleM, D Double E and more. This year, she dropped her mixtape ‘One Time’. With her smooth-talking lyricism, distinctive beats and even a Radiohead sample, this release was picked up across the radio waves from her performing it live for Victory Lap on Balamii to joining Kenny Allstar on his BBC 1XTRA show to discuss the project. She now ends the year with her latest release, ‘Wagashi’. A freestyle recorded in, well you guessed it, Wagashi, where BXKS lets loose to a vibey beat from El Londo and Kxmel. So, keep your eyes on BXKS as she’s quickly rising to the top.

Since the re-opening of dancefloors post-COVID, the name Chinese Daughter has been bubbling just below the surface among London’s bass-loving circles. Her buzz first came as an affiliate of Swamp 81, then as a resident of London airwave staples Balamii, Rinse FM and Kool FM, and now for her deep crate of records and watertight mixing, as more and more heads are taking notice of her abilities on the 1s and 2s. Her vinyl-only, breaks-first style that can span anything from tear-jerking jungle to rough-edged hardcore is a throwback to the genre’s roots, but is blended with plenty of intrigue to keep non-purists interested. 2025 should see her break beyond the M25 on a regular basis.

Amapiano has been the biggest sound to emerge on dancefloors in recent years and Durban-born, Johannesburg-based D’Athiz is part of a second wave of producers pushing the sound forward. His take on the genre is dark and rowdy, with heavy bass and gqom influence fused into his weighty productions that have made their way onto the USBs of many DJs in Europe as well as South Africa. This year he’s put out first-rate releases such as the aptly-named ‘Summer Banger Vol. 2’ album, rousing ‘Bro Code’ and impactful ‘Mass Exodus’ with collaborators Ke-nny and Locomeister, off-kilter ‘Zinc’ with Amsterdam-based duo XTRAØRDINARY, and more. And all while having to plan his studio time and releases around studying, a job, a dodgy laptop and the perpetual problem of power outages known as load-shedding. If you’re not yet familiar with his output, check his 100% production mix for a thrilling introduction, and then prepare to be hungry for more.

DJ Corey, the son of footwork originator DJ Clent (one of our top DJs who defined 2024), has the weight of legacy on his shoulders as he follows his father's footsteps into the culture of footwork, juke and ghettohouse in Chicago’s South Side. So far, he’s proving more than capable to lead the next generation. He’s a footwork triple threat - DJ, producer and dancer - and has been showcasing the range of his artistry across various performances and releases. He’s shared line-ups with the likes of Traxman, DJ Manny and The Crack Capone Dj Roc, while the monumental ‘4 THE STREETS (Vol. 3)’ compilation he contributed to and curated alongside King Agee was picked out as one of our best albums of the year. The 68-track mixtapes brought together legends and rising talents with the likes of DJ T-Rell, DJ Earl and DJ Chad among the tracklist. The latter is also the son of a footwork legend, DJ Rashad, and both Corey and Chad are working together in the NuLegendz crew. The future of footwork is in safe hands.

dogheadsurigeri is more than just the owner of one of the most head-turning names in dance music. Paulina Trzeciak has risen to become one of the most exciting names in hard and fast trance and techno after building her name in Warsaw. Co-running the MESTIÇO party series, which has hosted the likes of TSVI, aya, LCY and buttechno, and representing Oramics, a platform supporting female, queer and non-binary voices in the electronic music industry, marked her as a leader in her local scene. This reputation was further emboldened when she joined forces with NTS and Diesel to put together a playlist putting listeners on to promising Polish talent. Now residing in London, the DJ has played at some of Europe's most reputable stages for underground dance music including FOLD, Garage Noord and, closer to home, Unsound Festival. 2024 saw Trzeciak release her first two singles, with remixes from Agata, D4N and DJ Fingerblast, and you best believe she will be bringing more heat next year.

Ella Knight's sets are a celebration of everything soulful and funky. Incorporating jazz, R&B, house and garage, the Nottingham native has solidified her stature through her party series Ella Knight's House Party and female-fronted agency Madame Jazz. This year saw Ella Knight slot in at almost every festival under the sun, Boomtown, Cross The Tracks, Glastonbury, Lost Village, We Out Here... you name it, she was there. Milestone B2Bs with legends such as Kerri Chandler and Jeremy Sylvester were also ticked off the bucket list, with further Jeremy collaborations set to follow under their joint-alias Ellvester. Discjockey joy has been matched by her return to the stage as she performed work old and new at Madame Jazz's 2nd birthday celebration at The Jazz Café. 2025 promises to bring the Rinse FM resident further success as she enters the realm of dance music production, having already racked up over a million streams through her work as a singer-songwriter. The world is clearly her oyster and it seems like next year has Ella Knight's name written all over it.

There’s something so hopeful about witnessing the rise of DJs who have worked tirelessly to create community on our dancefloors, and while beloved London queer party Big Dyke Energy said “Goodbye Babes” in December last year — its founders, and former residents, FAFF are being recognised as one of the UK scenes most exciting up-and-coming duos. The duo, AKA Elliot and Orny, are continuing to herald the effervescent combination of riotous breaks, euphoric hardcore and hands-to-your-chest anthems that soundtracked BDE’s dancefloors — though now, they are soaring throughout some of Europe’s most hallowed nightlife institutions, bringing their no-holds-barred energy to London’s fabric, Amsterdam’s Club Raum, Barcelona’s La Terezza, and Sheffield’s Gut Level, while making their mark on the festival circuit, appearing at GALA, Draaimolen, Field Maneuvers and Body Movements. They have also stepped-up the curation of their BDE imprint, upon which they released their uplifting, high-energy two-tracker ‘Overture For Love’ earlier this year — which joined EPs from Submarine FM and an upcoming five-tracker from Julie Desire. FAFF earned the adoration of the London queer scene with their transcendent party, and now, we expect everyone will be falling in love with Elliot and Orny in 2025.

Fresh off the back of his Drumsheds debut and first Asian tour, Fold is armed with dubplates galore as he bids to continue his impressive run of releases on new label FLDIN2 which was kickstarted with 2023's 'Billa'. While the London-based producer's first release was in 2009, starting up this new imprint just over a year ago has invigorated the Well Street Records co-founder. Following on from 'Billa', this year saw Fold release 'Bottomless Brunch' and 'Lotion'. The tracks have received heavy support from the likes of Ben UFO and Joy Orbison and have cemented the West Londoner's spot as one of the most exciting artists in the UK's modern garage soundscape. The next year offers the chance for Fold to double down on releases, with an impressive catalogue of currently unreleased gems ready to run riot, and widen his horizons through further international outings. You better get used to the Cole Palmer impersonations because this man is not going away anytime soon.

Spain-born GAZZI has perfected his sound over the past few years since he first began releasing music, a myriad of glistening breaks, pop and reggaeton edits, and bubbly bass music, often layered with silky Spanish vocals. And while he’s relentlessly releasing new productions – including an iconic combination of Drake, Charli xcx, and MF DOOM bootlegs – GAZZI is equally putting in the work behind the booth. His shows have taken him from stages at Spain’s Sónar Festival and Primavera Sound while holding down a residency at Madrid’s Club Malasaña with his own party La Luz. Having carved out a distinctive style and sound, GAZZI has earned support from the likes of DJ Seinfeld and Bklava in recent years, and has even made appearances across the airwaves with shows on Voices Radio, Rinse FM and NTS. Elsewhere this year, GAZZI contributed to a compilation raising money for Valencia relief following the catastrophic 2024 floods, advocating for political change.

Just Jane is the sort of DJ that simply commands your attention. Sharp chops and three-deck blends that evoke Oblig and Neffa-T, this Londoner's technical prowess is no joke. You can hear anything from dubstep, garage and grime to bass, techno and electro over the course of a Just Jane show. Her wide range of influences means she's as equally comfortable going B2B with Girls Don't Sync's G33 as she is shelling down a set at NLDC, the headsy Dalston dubstep party series. Performances at Village Underground, La Machine Du Moulin Rouge, HERE at Outernet plus a seismic B3B with Conducta and Tim Reaper at the former's Phonox residency have only whetted the appetite for the rising star, as have her streamed sets with esteemed London tastemakers Balamii and Rinse FM. Buy your stocks now, Just Jane is ready to soar.

Prolific is an understatement when it comes to Rémi Kaval, AKA KAVAL, AKA King of Drums. Since 2018, the Toulouse-born producer has been steadily putting out a string of outstanding releases rooted in the sounds of UK funky, bass, hard drum and dancehall. With releases on Club Djembe and Egregore Collective, KAVAL’s heavily percussive tracks and sets have received praise from the likes of Pearson Sound, Peverelist, Skream, DJ Python, DJ Polo and Marcus Nasty.

The past year the artist has seen the artist gaining more attention worldwide, with shows on Brussel’s Kiosk Radio, London’s Reprezent Radio, and Rinse FM and Ghana’s Okoro Radio.His ‘Lost Drums Show’ on Egregore Collective radio is particularly popular, with KAVAL exploring various different manifestations of the drum in dance music. As a producer, he represents a new generation of UK funky producers, carrying the genre’s flame after it faded in popularity during the late 2010s. By merging it with bass and hard drum, KAVAL is taking the sound in new directions, expanding its definition, and demonstrating its endless potential.

DJing sisters Sana and Sehrish malix first started playing together in 2022, having begun their careers solo. Joining forces, the pair brought a multitude of influences and tastes together, ranging from Afro house and Afrotech to Latin house and baile funk, and the South Asian music they heard growing up. Since then, they have been working the London circuit, playing at events such as Piano People, Daytimers, Dialled In, Phonox, and KOKO, as well as hosting their own events, called faem e li.

This year has seen the duo hone their style and solidify their place in the city’s thriving Afro house scene, playing alongside both local and international stalwarts including Shimza, Emmanuel Jal, DESIREE, Supa D, Sef Kombo, Charisse C, Fiyahdred, and Hagan. Holding a residency on Rinse FM for two years now, Malix also played a number of the station’s summer parties, and turned their attention to producing for the first time, with unreleased tracks on the horizon.

Further cementing themselves as staples of the ever-evolving Afro house scene, malix ended the year with a South Africa tour, with dates running into January. As the duo spread their name and sound further afield, we’re excited to see what’s in store for them next year.

A staunch advocate for Middle Eastern music and its legacy in dance music, Jeddah-botrn Moving Still has spent the past 10 years building his career as a DJ, producer, and selector with an ear fine-tuned to the smooth sounds of house, disco, and Italo with influence from Arabic pop. Now, he’s earning his flowers as a scene player as he begins to break through in his adopted hometown Dublin, playing regularly alongside the likes of Palms Trax, Habibi Funk, and Tjade. On social media, Moving Still has stood as an activist for the people of Palestine, while taking on a number of charity and fundraiser shows in support of humanitarian aid in the SWANA region. Despite taking some time off of gigging in 2024 to welcome a new member to his family, Moving Still continued to put energy into record digging behind the scenes, launching his ‘Ouddy Bangers’ series where he digs for lost or forgotten gems in Arabic dance music, showcasing his findings to fans online. His intricate selections have taken him from Rinse FM to a BBC Asian Network guest mix in the past, as well as regular appearances behind the decks at Dublin’s Yamamori Tengu.

Ironically, Olboy is the new kid on the block. The dubstep and bassline talent that has been working his way into the limelight with his grime edits and naughty wobblers. A selector with a huge repitore of heaters and edits, it comes as no surprise that he’s bagged himself b2b sets with the likes of Silva Bumpa and bullet tooth, as well as sets on Rinse FM, Kindered and Keep Hush. Like a dub-making machine, you’re sure to be spotting his name all over SoundCloud and featured across everyone’s tracklists, as he grows into a well-known name in the UK bass scene.

There’s been countless new artists pursuing the deep, soulful sound of gqom, amapiano and kwaito in the lineage of South Africa-born genres, but in the rat race, only a select few have made it to the astronomical highs of the scene’s top players. Omagoqa, though fairly new to the game, are a trio destined for that stardom. With their new take on gqom which they call ‘uThayela’, translating to ‘corrugated iron’ based on its rougher, more textured sound, Omagoqa are pioneering a brand new sonic world. They quickly gathered a following in 2024 after a sensational run of shows across South Africa and Europe, including stops at Berlin’s Tresor and Brussels’ Botanique, sharing stages with the likes of Masters At Work, Major League Djz, DJ Lag, and DESIREE. Before they shoot off into the stratosphere in 2025, Omagoqa rounded off a successful year of releases with their latest EP ‘Umqhumo Wethu’, a “long-awaited” seven-tracker featuring Una Rams, DBN Gogo, and more, developing on their new trailblazing new sound.

With a trio of viral hit singles in 2024, ‘Kitchen Stove’, ‘Malicious Intentions’ and ‘I’M TRYNA’, 21-year-old Croydon rapper Pozer found a winning formula by blending the wintry rawness of UK drill with more bouncy rhythms found in the New York variant and Jersey club. Combined with evocative lyrical storytelling and a flow bristling with urgency, he’s positioned himself at the tip of the next generation of UK rap breakout stars in his debut year releasing tracks, having first gained attention with TikTok freestyles in 2018. He even bagged a recent co-sign from AJ Tracey to wrap up an astronomic 12 months. “Been in the scene for less than a year and I’ve gone clear / Them man are some puppies / I want 30 bags for a feature, standard procedure,” he raps on September single ‘Puppies’. A rapid rise, and with fans waiting for a foray into a longform project, there is no ceiling in sight.

ryota has become a widely respected name in the Japanese scene and now looks set to skyrocket globally. Despite being born and raised in Osaka, ryota has developed a taste for the UK music scene as his sets jump between bassline, breakbeats and garage. In a typical ryota set, you’ll be sure to music from Interplanetary Criminal to a Dizzee Rascal edit. In 2019, ryota co-founded the event series and collective, FULLHOUSE. Uniting like-minded, bass-thirsty locals, the events quickly took off and before they knew it they had international artists, such as SHERELLE, DJ EZ, salute, Sammy Virji, Skin on Skin, I. JORDAN and many more lining up to play. Now, ryota has not only established his party but is becoming a star of Osaka’s dance music scene in his own right.

Commenting on the release of his EP ‘Arabia Felix’ this year, Palestinian multi-disciplinary artist Sarv shared that while studying at university he had intended to explore Middle Eastern music, but found himself enrolled on a course on Western music — a journey only deepened his understanding of the connections between the two cultures. This understanding has informed his unique style, which blends EBM, dark Italo, hypnotic chug, searing body music and decadent synths. Based in Haifa, Sarv is one of the founders of the Deviousco collective and was a regular face at Jaffa party Arabs Do it Better — though as Israel’s genocide against his people has intensified, he has chosen to use his artistry as a means to champion Palestinian liberation; both through his visual art and releases on fundraising compilations such as Feed The Void’s ‘They Wil Be Free’. Now undertaking many of his shows in France, Sarv has acted as support for fellow Palestinian DJ Sama' Abdulhadi, helped to bring Deviousco to Lyon and created a live A/V show that blends synths with recordings from his birthplace, Deir Hanna.

Amongst a sea of intrepid new names coming out of Australia’s genre-spanning dance music underground, DJ and producer Scalymoth is doing up bass music delight right at home in Meanjin (Brisbane). As a founding member of Kerfew Radio, a station and collective giving a platform to South Asian artists and music from the SWANA region, Scalymoth is spreading the joy of bass and experimental club music across the airwaves. This year saw her release her debut EP, ‘Lush / Humble Rumble’, on Turin’s Early Reflex, which incorporated field recordings taken from a trip to India and garnered support for its innovative production after “years in the making”. On stage, she’s supported the likes of Overmono, DJ Swisha, UNIIQU3, and Nikki Nair, to name a few, and even showcased her eclectic sound at Brisbane’s recent Boiler Room alongside Juicy Romance, Dr Dubplate, and more. With plenty of shows still yet to come – including an appearance at Melbourne’s Sonder Festival in early 2025 – Scalymoth is gearing up to bring her new live set on stage.

Drummer-turned-DJ and producer Small Crab has an affinity for all things percussion. Taking her own spin on UK techno and 140, the Dublin-based newcomer is quietly putting out heaters on some of the UK’s best record labels. Her bass-weighted productions aren’t for the faint of heart, they’re packed with rocket-powered breaks and brooding basslines. In just a few years, she’s asserted a huge presence in Dublin’s dance music underground, buddying up with the likes of Shampain and Or:la, and bringing her tasteful selections across radio stations and mix series including Kindred, Daisychain, Rinse FM, and untitled 909. Her September-released EP ‘Batomu’ – which Mixmag tipped as one of the best records of 2024 – delivered layered percussion and warbling bass to Scuffed Recs, while her earlier productions have landed everywhere from Manchester-based Left, Right & Centre, to Marie Montexier’s Paryìa imprint. Outside of her persistent production output, Small Crab is a founding member of Skin & Blister, a dance music platform and database dedicated to female, trans and non-binary artists centred in Dublin, helping to promote community-building through music.

Zimbabwe-born, Amsterdam-based State OFFF has been sending dancefloors into overdrive this year with his impactful sets and releases which rep a spread of global club sounds. The standout moment was his ‘Simulcra’ EP, a six-track fusion of gqom, 3-step, baile funk and other rowdy stylings which is dynamite in the dance. Opener ‘Soundbwoy Killa’ sets the tone, building with ominous bass, while highlight ‘Durban Funk’ was among the very best tracks we heard this year, with urgent vocals among its earth-shattering low-end, volatile synths and escalating sirens. Released via Seoul label Carousel, the in-house imprint of Cakeshop, it made waves across the world, drawing acclaim from South Africa to Brazil and beyond.

Other highlights include his similarly searing two-track EP on Descendants Records, a raucous 100% production mix for Future Intel, and a third drop in his outrageously fun ‘EDITSSS’ series blending pop, R&B and hip hop from the likes of Ciara, Tinashe and Kendrick Lamar with his club sensiblity. That ability to rip up a dancefloor has earned him bookings across the Netherlands as well as at London’s Ormside Projects, Brussels’ C12, Berlin’s Les Amis and Swim good link-up and Edinburgh’s The Liquid Room for Jyoty’s We’ve Been Here Before party series. Expect his irresistible sounds and sets to travel even further in 2025.

A shining star within Kyoto’s UK bass scene, Stones Taro has been dishing out the good stuff to rowdy throngs across Japan for a minute. A regular face at Kyoto’s West Harlem, Tokyo’s WOMB and Circus Osaka, this garage, UK funky and breaks specialist is also no stranger to UK audiences, having left his gun finger-slinging mark upon Bristol’s The Love Inn, London’s Venue MOT, the now-shuttered Leeds’ Wire Club and Tilburg’s Draaimolen festival. 2024 saw Stones Taro lay the groundwork for a truly epic 2025. He joined the ranks at Rinse as one of its new monthly residents back in August, and while his raucous productions are already being rinsed by some of your favourite UK selectors including SHERELLE and Ben UFO, he has been expanding his record label NC4K with a slew of new releases, including his debut album ‘Dwellers Of The Seabed’ in June. Oh, and he had his first ever Greggs. With any luck, you’ll be able to catch this 4x4 wonderkid just a stone’s throw away in the next 12 months.

WOST is the pseuodnym taken by bubbling Latin bass sensation Kelvin Becerra. His breakout hit, the hard drum edit of 'CALENTURA VAGINAL', won the title as one of Mixmag's biggest dancefloor bangers of 2023. This year the Venezuelan's discography has been bulked up by releases on TraTraTrax, N.A.A.F.I and self-releases on Bandcamp. Salutes from two of the most highly-rated South American club exporters have earmarked the young producer as one to keep an eye on. WOST's bouncy low-end-loaded bangers have enchanted dancefloors worldwide and as a result he embarked on his first European tour, totalling 12 dates across cities such as Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam. Rest assured, Kelvin Becerra has even bigger things in store for next year. Prepare your eardrums.

Having moved between Detroit, Europe, California and now settling in New York City, Mexican-American x3butterfly is a product of many places. It’s reflected in their sound, blending Stateside house grooves with weightier bass, dubstep, UKG and breaks more commonly found in the UK. It has led them to become a staple of NYC’s underground scene in recent times, including tearing up Mixmag’s The Lab NYC in August. Having played a handful of shows in Europe, Mexico and Australia in 2024, the next 12 months will surely see x3butterfly take on a global schedule that reflects their world-trotting style and upbringing.