YouTube Music has launched it’s first ever ‘Ones to Watch’ artist spotlight for ten UK artists that they feel are breaking the mold and on the brink of making it big.

In order to find the 10 artists that YouTube Music felt have the most potential to break out next year they used their own platform. Looking at their own analytics, engagement from music fans and how many people are listening YouTube were able to see who is algorithmically the best tipped for an amazing year in 2019.

English singer-songwriter and R&B aficionado Mahalia tops the list and it’s accompanying playlist and joins other underground but rising names like Hip-Hop artist Kojey Radical. The UK ‘Ones to Watch’ line-up for 2019 also gets a spotlight in the YouTube Music app with bonus playlist and video content for the artists.

Speaking on her selection, Mahalia said: “What an honour. To be at the top of YouTube Music’s One to Watch list for 2019 is such a special moment for me. There are so many wonderful, talented artists on this list – many who I keep super close to my heart. As a late 90s baby, I grew up watching YouTube – constantly finding videos of artists who inspired me.

“I basically learnt how to play so much of what I know on the guitar from watching people on YouTube. The platform has helped me grow and build a real, personal fan base in the UK and around the world while never compromising my creativity. This recognition means so much to me, my close ones and my team. I can’t wait to share my debut album in 2019.”

Here is the full list of UK artists poised to be big players in 2019:

  • Mahalia
  • Octavian
  • Grace Carter
  • Kojey Radical
  • Sam Fender
  • Slowthai
  • L Devine
  • Dermot Kennedy
  • Samm Henshaw
  • Jade Bird

YouTube UK’s head of music partnerships, Azi Eftekhari said: “This is a year of UK artists doing their own thing. With the freedom musicians now have to express themselves not just sonically, but visually, it’s perhaps unsurprising that this list only features solo artists, many of whom are genuinely pushing artistic and visual boundaries.

“For example, Kojey, Octavian and Slowthai are arguably redefining UK rap as a genre, and acts like Mahalia, L Devine and Grace Carter – while they undeniably have huge commercial appeal – don’t conform to the conventional expectations of a pop act. One thing is certain – YouTube continues to be an unmatched launch pad for emerging artists, and 2019 is set to be a huge year for homegrown UK talent.”