Celia Grace

North East

Celia Grace is a bedroom-pop singer from Hartlepool. She has played at various venues across the North East, festivals such as Twisterella and Stockton Calling, and a live session at BBC Maida Vale Studios. She has also been selected to take part in artist development programmes, including Tees Alliance Mentoring, Help Musicians Business Accelerator and Generator First Notes.

Pronouns: she/her

Carnelian Seville

South East

Carnelian Seville is an artist and herbalist based in Brighton. They have performed at festivals including Queer Spirit and Buddhafield Festival, had artist residencies at Performing Arts Forum, Can Serrat and La Bassa Mar, and collaborated with medicinal musicians and collectives including the Radical Faeries and Penelope Vivaro. Their NextGen Funded project will involve using their Plant Wave synthesizer, which converts the electromagnetic frequencies of plants into music. Carnelian will write and produce a track collaborating with an “orchestra” of mushrooms, documenting their process in a short film which they will screen locally.

Pronouns: they/them

Bennettiscoming

North West

Bennettiscoming is an R&B singer/songwriter from Manchester. He has performed at Manchester International Festival, Manchester Pride, Pride in Trafford, Pride Bolton and Sounds From The Other City. The NextGen Fund is supporting the development and release of his upcoming EP, 'Late Bloomer'.

Pronouns: he/him

Astrid Lucia

South East
 

Astrid Lucia is an alternative R&B artist from Kent. Her music has received support from BBC Introducing, Reprezent Radio and PIRATE.COM, and she has performed in cities across the UK, including London and Bristol. Her NextGen Fund grant is supporting her to finish her second EP, learn music production, and develop a new live set which uses Ableton Live.

Pronouns: she/her

AFRODITETOOLIVELY

East of England
 

AFRODITETOOLIVELY's NextGen Fund grant will support the creation of a five-track UK Garage EP, 'Lively's World', along with a listening event for the launch.
 

Pronouns: she/her

ADJUA

Wales
 

ADJUA is an artist based in Cardiff, who explores genres including indie R&B, Afro, jazz and neo-soul. She has previously been named Huw Stephens' 'Artist of the Week', has headlined Clwb Ifor Bach and performed for the Welsh Music Prize at the Welsh Millenium Centre, and has played shows in Rotterdam and Sweden. She has also supported Mauvey on his UK tour. ADJUA's NextGen Fund grant will support the production and release of the second track from her upcoming EP, 'Everything is Beautiful'.
 

Pronouns: she/her
 

Ramé Kari

Ramé Kari are artists from Stockton-On-Tees. They have received support from BBC Tees and BBC Introducing, with their debut single 'Lil Lighty' being named BBC Tees' 'Track of the Week'. The NextGen Fund is supporting them to release their debut EP, 'Casual Disasters', alongside a music video.

Oscar Jennings

Oscar Jennings is an artist from Derry. He has performed as a singer-songwriter since the age of 14, playing local support and headline gigs. The NextGen Fund supported him to create, release and market his debut EP, 'Wouldn't Be Seen Dead'.

Niques

Niques is a garage and R&B/soul artist from Cardiff. She has performed at BBC 6's Immersed Festival and Push The Boat Out Festival in Scotland, as well as performing alongside D Double E, Foreign Concept and Sam Binga. She has also had support from Reprezent Radio, BBC and Kiss FM.

Nat Oaks

Nat Oaks is an artist from Bristol, now based in London. She has performed at Love Saves The Day, Wireless, Reading, Boomtown and Latitude festivals, among others. She was also selected to participate in the Warner Chappell and YouTube Music Summer of Pride Writing Camp, songwriting with MNEK, Chloe Latimer, Boy Matthews and SAKIMA. She played her first headline show at Café KOKO, as she was invited to open it as it relaunched, and has further supported both Pip Millett and Jelani Blackman on both of their tours. Additionally, Nat has toured with BBC Introducing in the South West, playing 3 locations in 3 days. In 2024, she was shortlisted for 'Rising Star (Artist)' at the Youth Music Awards.