12 British R&B/Soul Artists To Watch (2021 Edition)
Written by SOURCE on February 8, 2021
From Twitter to Clubhouse, British R&B has been a popular topic for discussion of late but people aren’t always informed enough when offering their various hot-takes, as many are still unaware of just how deep the talent pool in this scene actually is, which can be partly attributed to the genre not being supported by mainstream outlets in the same way it once was. Regardless, the talent is undeniable, and the music is the healthiest it has been since we launched our annual list of new artists to watch, in 2016.
Even with the unprecedented times we’re living in now due to COVID-19 and artists not being able to tour and record as they usually would, UK R&B has shown no signs of slowing down, with artists from our previous lists continuing to take major strides. Mahalia and Tiana Major9—from our 2018 and 2019 lists, respectively—both received Grammy nominations last year, and the likes of Jorja Smith, Ella Mai, Sinead Harnett, NAO and Cleo Sol have also been representing on a global scale, and there are even more acts on the horizon looking to propel the scene to greater heights.
Here are 12 UK R&B/soul acts to watch in 2021.
