With a dire economy and a news agenda where hatred tended to be the only thing trending, last year was draining for so many Brits. Thankfully, the UK music scene remains capable of providing escapism, so we’ve compiled a list of our favourite rising musicians for 2025 who all have the future in the palms of their hands and might just end up soundtracking the year ahead. From raw raps that elevate single mums to stadium-sized soul ballads about healing broken hearts, each of these promising artists is someone well worth getting familiar with.
The kind of artist who leaves no stone unturned, James Massiah delivers mellow spoken-word monologues that are a guide to making mountains out of molehills and not allowing life’s demons to throw you off course. “I am sensitive, suicidal / but I am meant to live” is one telling refrain from the snappy Charlie, a lo-fi conceptual rap song with a mischievous bassline and snapping hi-hats. Whenever the subject matter becomes too morose, Massiah, 34, plots a route out to brighter pastures or cracks a joke that relieves the tension.
James wears PRADA
The gloomy beats he chooses sound more inspired by ’90s video games like Wipeout and Super Mario than any by his UK rap peers. Of this unique approach, he says, “I suppose my loves and references are dub, dancehall, grime and hip-house. The relationship between the words and the electronic sounds is evident in each and more a point of reference for my style and sound than anything else. I also grew up loving the sounds of the winter levels and snow levels on computer games like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. My favourite MCs and producers would sample these, so I am part of that lineage.”
On 2019’s Natural Born Killers, he ponders whether his soulmate can ever supersede God in his affections. In conversation, just like on wax, Massiah is an open book, explaining how he found faith after a period of getting into serious debt and depression. But transforming a nadir into a peak is something he does effortlessly and he knows this skill can now reach a much bigger audience desperate for new role models. “As a musician, I hope to offer that help and support to other people. I lend money to friends and put as much humour and optimism into my poetry as I can,” he concludes. “I love music and know that at my lowest it was creating, listening and dancing to music that really helped me. I do what I do as an artist because I love it and because I believe in its power to change people and transform their lives for the better.”
Taken from 10 Men Issue 61 – MUSIC, TALENT, CREATIVE – on newsstands now. Order your copy here.
THE NEW NOISE
Creative Editor PAUL TONER
Text THOMAS HOBBS
Portrait CHRISTINA FRAGKOU
Fashion assistant GEORGIA EDWARDS
Production ZAC APOSTOLOU and SONYA MAZURYK
