<\/p>\n
Spotify\u2019s annual <\/span>Best New Artist celebration honors the rising stars whose talent, creativity, and dedication have propelled them to the music industry\u2019s biggest stage. More than a party, the evening spotlights the artistry and hard work of the nominees who are shaping music today and <\/span>underscores our commitment to amplifying artists at a defining moment in their careers.<\/span><\/p>\n After a cancellation due to the <\/span>Los Angeles wildfires<\/span><\/a> last year, the event is back in a big way. On <\/span>Thursday, January 29, The Lot at Formosa will play host to the celebration, sponsored by Hilton. All 8 of the 2026 nominees\u2014<\/span>Addison Rae<\/b><\/a>, Alex Warren<\/b><\/a>, KATSEYE<\/b><\/a>, Leon Thomas<\/b><\/a>, Lola Young<\/b><\/a>, Olivia Dean<\/b><\/a>, sombr<\/b><\/a>, and<\/span> The Mar\u00edas<\/b><\/a>\u2014will be in attendance and perform live on our rotating stage throughout the night.<\/span><\/p>\n Before the winner is announced, get to know the nominees for this year\u2019s Best New Artist, and see how Spotify has helped amplify their music and find new fans around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n We had a feeling Addison Rae was one to watch from the moment her <\/span>debut single \u201c<\/span>Obsessed<\/span><\/a>\u201d landed on <\/span>New Music Friday<\/span><\/a> in 2021. Since then, she\u2019s dropped a string of singles, EPs, and an album, and was featured in the <\/span>behind-the-scenes performance short,<\/span> Spotify Presents: Addison \u2013 The Debut<\/span><\/a>. Last year, her song <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Headphones On<\/span><\/a>\u201d was named one of <\/span>Spotify Editors\u2019 Picks: Best Songs of 2025<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Alex Warren made waves in 2025 with his song <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>Ordinary<\/span><\/a>,\u201d<\/span><\/i> which racked up more than 2.9 million streams on its first day and went on to join <\/span>Spotify\u2019s Billions Club<\/span><\/a>. The hit was the <\/span>third most\u2011streamed song<\/span><\/a> in the U.S. last year, while his album <\/span>You\u2019ll Be Alright, Kid<\/span><\/i><\/a> secured the No. 7 spot among the most\u2011streamed albums globally.<\/span><\/p>\n KATSEYE stands out not just for their high-energy beats, but for the journey that brought them together. More than 120,000 artists applied to be a part of the girl group in a global talent search. Only 20 finalists made the cut and competed in an intensive audition program that streamed worldwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Their first track, aptly named <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Debut<\/span><\/a>,\u201d dropped in 2024 and was an instant hit. A year later, \u201c<\/span>Gnarly<\/span><\/a>\u201d was featured on Spotify\u2019s<\/span> 2025 Songs of Summer list<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Leon Thomas is on our radar, literally. Earlier this year, he was featured in our<\/span> RADAR podcast<\/span><\/a> series <\/span>where he talked about his EP <\/span>PHOLKS<\/span><\/i><\/a>,<\/span> his creative evolution, and more. Previously included on the Rising R&B: Artists to Watch Playlist in 2024, he continued to impress with his song <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>My Muse<\/span><\/a>,\u201d<\/span><\/i> landing on <\/span>Spotify Editors\u2019 Picks: Best Songs of 2025<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Making history as the first cover artist for <\/span>R&B UK<\/span><\/a> in 2020 was just the beginning for Lola Young. This year, she was named <\/span>EQUAL<\/span><\/a> Ambassador for the U.K. and Ireland, while her single <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>Messy<\/span><\/a>\u201d<\/span><\/i> was featured on <\/span>Today\u2019s Top Hits<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>ALT NOW<\/span><\/a> and also became a certified member of <\/span>Spotify\u2019s Billions Club<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n This year marked several big Spotify moments for Olivia Dean. \u201c<\/span>It Isn\u2019t Perfect But It Might Be<\/span><\/a>,\u201d <\/span><\/i>featured in <\/span>Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,<\/span><\/i> was her first song included on <\/span>Hot Hits UK<\/span><\/a>. Over the summer, she appeared on the covers of the <\/span>Chill Pop<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>New Music Friday UK <\/span><\/a>playlists after dropping <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>Man I Need<\/span><\/a>,\u201d <\/span><\/i>a song that was also a part of her <\/span>Spotify Live Room<\/span><\/a> performance. Closing out the year, her track <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>So Easy (To Fall In Love)<\/span><\/a>\u201d made <\/span>Spotify Editors\u2019 Picks: Best Songs of 2025<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n sombr\u2019s 2025 hit <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>back to friends<\/span><\/a>\u201d defined a landmark year for the rising artist.<\/span> The track entered <\/span>Spotify\u2019s Billions Club<\/span><\/a> and was among the <\/span>most\u2011streamed songs <\/span><\/a>both globally (No. 6) and in the U.S. (No. 7). Meanwhile, his song \u201c<\/span>canal street<\/span><\/a>\u201d was included in <\/span>Spotify Editors\u2019 Picks: Best Songs of 2025<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Since releasing their debut album <\/span>CINEMA<\/span><\/i><\/a>, The Mar\u00edas have built impressive momentum, earning two Grammy nominations and a Billboard chart\u2011topper, along with collaborations with Latin music heavyweights like <\/span>Bad Bunny<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Tainy<\/b><\/a>. They were among the top <\/span>RADAR<\/span><\/a> artists last year, while their song <\/span>\u201c<\/span>No One Noticed<\/span><\/a>\u201d was the<\/span> No. 10 most-streamed song<\/span><\/a> on Spotify in the U.S. in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\nAddison Rae<\/b><\/h2>\n
Alex Warren<\/b><\/h2>\n
KATSEYE<\/b><\/h2>\n
Leon Thomas<\/b><\/h2>\n
Lola Young<\/b><\/h2>\n
Olivia Dean<\/b><\/h2>\n
sombr<\/b><\/h2>\n
The Mar\u00edas<\/b><\/h2>\n