Youth Music Awards 2026: Meet the Rising Star nominees

For six years, the Youth Music Awards have been one of the biggest nights in the UK’s grassroots music calendar, making it their mission to shine a light on the best emerging talent and grassroots music the UK has to offer.

For their seventh year, the Youth Music Awards will head to Liverpool, a city rich in the UK’s musical history, marking a new chapter for the event that celebrates the artists, organisations and projects that continue to shape the future of British music at a time where supporting grassroots music is more vital than ever.

At Liverpool’s St George’s Hall on the 28th October, over 40 artists, organisations and industry nominees will come together to be recognised across 11 categories, spanning from the Lyricist Award, to Original Track, to Outstanding Project and beyond.

From these musicians making waves, to community projects and industry figures creating access and opportunities for young people in music – each nomination tells their own story of the impact of the UK’s grassroots music scene.

And if you’re looking to get ahead of the curve and find your next favourite artist who will be making waves in years to come, the Rising Star Artist Award is the best place to start, with previous winners going on to make serious moves in the industry. Take English Teacher who took home the Rising Star gong in 2022, before going on to release their debut album and winning the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2024. Or take JayaHadADream, who won the award last year and went on to headline an extensive UK tour this year. Such names sit alongside artists whose beginnings also started through Youth Music funded projects, including Sam Fender (Generator) and Ezra Collective (Tomorrow’s Warriors).

The Rising Star Artist award (sponsored by Empire) is a reminder of just how much emerging talent is coming up through the UK’s grassroots music scene, and the five nominees who make up this year’s category are no exception.

Ahead of this year’s ceremony in Liverpool, we’re getting to know the nominees (who are all Youth Music NextGen funded artists), the music they’re making and how early support from Youth Music has helped them find their feet in the music industry. Consider this an introduction to the artists you’re going to want on your radar!

HULTON

NextGen Fund – South East

22 year old HULTON is a bilingual rapper making impressive strides across the UK rap scene. His work ethic, high-energy performances and honest storytelling have made him one of the UK’s most exciting emerging artists. Operating entirely independently, HULTON has built a discography with over 3 million streams to date through sheer work ethic and self-belief. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Central Cee and Skepta, he has earned support from BBC Radio 1Xtra, KISS, and Rinse FM, while his live portfolio already includes appearances at Glastonbury, The Great Escape, and Boardmasters. With a completely independent approach, HULTON is proving that consistency, resilience and self-belief can turn ambition into momentum.

Livvy K

NextGen Fund – North West

Representing her home town at the Awards, Liverpool-born pop artist Livvy K blends R&B, dance, and experimental production with raw, unfiltered songwriting. Her debut EP, ‘Finally Free, Finally Me’, backed by Youth Music’s NextGen fund, marked her arrival alongside early radio support from BBC Introducing. In under a year, she has sold out her debut headline show, opened for MORGAN on tour, and shared festival lineups with Gloria Gaynor and Sigala, while landing commercial syncs with PrettyLittleThing and Boohoo. Now mentored by industry veterans Kwame Kwaten and Kenny Barber, Livvy K is quickly building a reputation as one of the North West’s most exciting emerging talents, bringing confidence, authenticity and ambition to everything she creates. Livvy K will be performing at the Youth Music Awards ceremony next week.

Marz Fay

NextGen Fund – London

Marz Fay crafts atmospheric trap built on smooth, introspective songwriting and ambient production. The London-based self-taught guitarist, vocalist, and engineer has built a 54-track independent catalogue from her bedroom studio, amassing over 1 million streams in the past year. Her cinematic compositions have earned sync placements across five Netflix productions, Love Island, and ITV, alongside radio backing from Kiss FM and Capital XTRA. With sold-out headline shows, viral moments and a growing international audience, Marz Fay is emerging as one of the UK’s most exciting rising artists.

NextGen Fund – London

London-based artist, producer, and creative facilitator Righteous Reck brings a grounded, community first ethos to UK rap. A self taught producer since his teens, he has built an independent career with social media reach, multi-million video views, and co-signs from established UK rap figures. Alongside his own releases, he leads youth music workshops across London schools and community spaces, using production and songwriting to teach confidence and self-expression. By creating opportunities both on and off stage, Righteous Reck is helping shape a more inclusive and connected future for UK rap and grassroots music. The crowd can expect high-energy when he takes to the stage to perform live at the Awards on the 28th.

Roukaya B

NextGen Fund – North West

Hailing from Salford, Roukaya B is a songwriter, and audio production student channeling soul, jazz, and rap, into what she describes as an analogue sound in a digital world. After making her television debut on Little Mix: The Search at 18, the 24-year-old artist has gone onto become a compelling live performer, appearing at venues including the AO Arena, Aviva Studios and Soho House, while also fronting major campaigns for Manchester United, Adidas and The Stone Roses. Another nominee from the list performing live at the Youth Music Awards ceremony, Roukaya B is quickly establishing herself as one of the North West’s most exciting emerging artists, combining authenticity, ambition and a powerful artistic voice.

If you want to dive deeper into the Youth Music Awards 2026 categories and nominees, head to the website HERE.