6 Bands You Need To Listen To Before They Blow Up
A rundown of six rising bands you should know now, featuring SOPHIA, My First Time, Tooth, Saint Clair, Arkayla, and VENUS GRRRLS.
ALTERNATIVEROCKINDIEMUSIC TALK
AUX TEAM
6/5/20262 min read
Pictured: Saint Clair
Every now and then you stumble across an artist that feels different. Whether they’re only a handful of singles deep or already building momentum behind the scenes, here are six of our favourites that deserve your attention.
SOPHIA
Their single "LATELY" gets stuck in your head after one listen. There's something timeless about the instrumental too, while the vocals have a familiarity to them that brings to mind some of the bigger names in indie-pop. It all comes together in a way that feels natural.
Start with: "LATELY".
My First Time
My First Time have a knack for taking complicated feelings and packaging them into something direct, punchy. “Picture of Health” does exactly that, built around a tight, high-energy instrumental where the guitars and bass lines carry most of the drive, giving the track a constant forward motion that keeps it locked in from start to finish.
Start with: "Picture of Health"
Tooth
London quartet Tooth are quickly becoming one of the most exciting new names in the UK scene. "Restless in Bloom" pairs towering guitars with a very introspective songwriting, capturing that strange period between youth and whatever comes next.
Start with: "Restless in Bloom".
Saint Clair
Debut singles are difficult, but great debut singles are even harder. Saint Clair’s “Too Young To Notice” arrives sounding confident for a first release, with instrumentals that stay steady and build gradually while the vocals carry a strong sense of tension and emotion throughout. The track leans into themes of youth and frustration, with a tone that feels serious without overdoing it.
Start with: "Too Young To Notice".
Arkayla
Arkayla sit in that space between indie-rock and alternative, with a sound that’s focused on energy and big choruses. “Run Kid” starts fast and keeps that pace throughout, built around strong hooks and a steady drive that doesn’t really drop off. It feels like a track made with live shows in mind, especially in how direct the chorus is.
Start with: "Run Kid"
VENUS GRRRLS
Leeds outfit VENUS GRRRLS have been steadily building their reputation for years. New single "Eve" is confident, sharp, loud and confident. That confidence is exactly what makes them impossible to ignore.
Start with: "Eve"
