April 4, 2025 |
In 2025, the UK’s music scene is a sublime, bubbling broth made up of many ingredients. It’s rich with the flavour of countless genres, each thriving in their own right. Pop, rap, rave, R&B, jazz, jungle, neo-soul, indie, electronic, you name it – in every corner we have world-class pioneers leading the way and, simultaneously, ripping up the rule book. Featured inside 10 Magazine Issue 74, a portfolio of musicians all vary in age, genre, background, sexuality and stages of career. What they share, however, is self-assuredness, determination and confidence.
As someone who has interviewed many musicians over the years, it’s obvious when an artist doesn’t yet have faith in their own work. After speaking to each of the following rising stars, I found it refreshing to have come across a group of 10 artists, all dramatically different. who so clearly know themselves and what they want. They’re even going as far as to set boundaries and take the necessary time to pause between projects. Whether it’s JGrrey moving to the coast, Nabihah Iqbal heading to the Catskills for a two-month artist retreat or Cari taking a moment of reflection by revisiting the shop she once worked in, these artists are making the music that they want to make, when they want to make it. Oh, and they all happen to be women. Best get to know them now before you have to scramble for arena tickets – if anyone can do it, it’s this bunch.
Chy wears jacket by STONE ISLAND
At the time of our interview, Chy Cartier, 20, is teasing new music on her Instagram Stories. One untitled track, which fans are begging for her to release in the comments, namechecks Pharrell and Rick Owens, proving her love of fashion as well as music. “Fashion goes hand in hand with music, it’s a way to express yourself before anyone speaks to you,” she tells me in her cheeky North London twang. She’s the kind of person who gets straight to the point and doesn’t expand on her answers. She knows herself, keeping it short and (mostly) sweet.
Cartier’s style icon is Naomi Campbell, but she has a particular respect for Pharrell due to his transition from music to becoming men’s creative director of Louis Vuitton. Like him, she wants to bridge both industries. “I wanna merge fashion and music, more modelling and walking in catwalk shows.” Note the use of ‘more’ – Chy (short for Chyna), walked for Mowalola during her London Fashion Week show last September, which she describes as her highlight of the year.
Cartier is one of the buzziest young rappers in the UK right now and already has several magazine covers under her belt despite having only released a handful of singles, most recently YO and Shush. Today, she released her debut mixtape No Bring Ins featuring her hot new single Not the One. But how is Not the One different to her previous tracks? “It’s very alternative. There’s some drill influence, rap influence, but all the beats are very tailored to me as an artist. When you hear them you know it’s a Chy Cartier type beat. It’s my introduction,” she says, and we can’t wait to get acquainted.
Taken from 10 Magazine Issue 74 – MUSIC, TALENT, CREATIVE – on newsstands now. Order your copy here.
Photographer HENRY GOODFELLOW
Text ISOBEL VAN DYKE
Fashion assistant GEORGIA EDWARDS
Production ZAC APOSTOLOU and SONYA MAZURYK
