The year's just begun but music broadcaster MTV has already made its picks of the acts to watch closely in 2012.
At the launch show one of last year's nominees Wretch 32 was the headline act.
And one man tipped for big things this year is 24-year-old British rapper Angel - he fuses nineties R and B and what he calls the aggressiveness of the UK urban scene and has written songs for the likes of Jason Derulo.
SOUNDBITE, Angel, rapper, saying (English):
"I've been listening to like all the early Nineties stuff, that's where I get all my influences from. Just expect pop fusion of all different elements in my sound and what segregates me is that I'm just not singing people's songs, I'm actually creating them from the start, from scratch, from every last kick to snare (drum), and I'm delivering it so it's more passionate to me."
A year ago 18-year-old Conor Maynard from the seaside town of Brighton south of London, was uploading cover versions of songs by his favourite artists.
Before long Chris Brown and Ne-Yo got in touch on Twitter with Ne-Yo offering to produce the then-unsigned act.
SOUNDBITE, Conor Maynard, musician, saying (English):
"If I released an original song and someone sent me their cover version and it was completely different, and I loved it, I would be like 'Wow!' I would want to shout them out as well."
Clement Marfo and The Frontline have only been a band for two years but their mixture of grime, hip-hop, rock and pop, plus some good timing, is helping them garner cross-over appeal.
SOUNDBITE, Clement Marfo, rapper, saying (English):
"Serendipity. Everything is just falling into place, we've met the right people and it's just like 'Woah!.'"
Other acts tipped for the top include Charlie XCX, who calls her music electro-goth, self-confessed dandy King Charles who cites fashion arbiter Beau Brummel and David Bowie as influences, and 19-year-old singer-songwriter Deliah.
Also hotly rated are Ugandan-born Michael Kiwanuka, and fellow soul singer Lianne La Havas - both of whom are also shortlisted for BBC Sounds of 2012 list.
Rounding off the MTV list is U.S.-born self-described "gangster Nancy Sinatra" Lana Del Rey, whose video for "Video Games" became an internet sensation in 2011.
Edward Baran Reuters
Comments