Features
Ticketmaster Tips Acts To Watch In 2018
Ticketmaster’s UK artist services team came up with a list of seven artists it believes will “dominate the live scene in 2018.”
–
The team in charge of curating the “New For 2018” list has directly worked on more than 600 tour campaigns in the past 12 months.
Much of the list is made up of artists who have been “packing out grassroots venues over the last year,” and who “are in a perfect position to take it to the next level, and pull the crowds in 2018.”
The seven acts that made the list are
Pollstar reached out to the artists’ agents to find out more. Alma is a singer/songwriter and musician from Finland, blending pop and house with a punk edge.
“Alma, to us, is the true future of pop music. Her personality is infectious and her attitude to music, life, the business and generally everything, is so refreshing and I can’t wait for her platform to grow bigger so she can have a real impact on the world,” said Coda’s Jason Edwards.
Tom Walker is about to play the last show of his European tour supporting Hurts on Dec. 9 at the O2 Apollo in his hometown of Manchester. The gritty singer-songwriter is embarking on a headline tour through the UK and Europe.
Jorn Baars – Alma
at the Grand Theater
Coda’s Olly Hodgson said “Tom is a real pro. He works hard, listens to advice and gets better and better with every show he plays. He wholeheartedly deserves the success he is having and there’s plenty more to come from him.”
His manager, Simon King of Covert talent management, added: “Tom Walker is a genuine artist who is in it for all the right reasons. He has built up a fervent fan base through his touring of the UK, Europe and beyond and his ability to write catchy yet emotive songs that touch people. His live shows are powerful and electric and give the audience a different experience from the records. His debut album is out in 2018 and it is just the beginning.”
California rapper Lil Xan has already made a name for himself in the States, where he is on tour, and is now attempting to break the UK market. APA’s AJ Paul, who represents Lil Xan internationally, said: “Lil Xan is the newest breed of the so-called ‘rockstar’ – nothing that you see about him is a gimmick. He is 100 percent real 100 percent of the time and that’s why people love him. He brings an energy to the live space like I haven’t seen before.”
Lil Xan’s U.S. agent, APA’s Joshua Rittenhouse, added: “I discovered Xan when a manager who I trust – Ryan Rodriguez who I work with at Fakework Management – sent me his video for ‘Slingshot.’ It probably had 150k views at the time and he had 37K followers on Instagram.”
IAMDDB from Manchester uniquely merges soul, rap and trap. Her live shows, during which she switches “from all-out party to an intimate café vibe,” as Ticketmaster puts it, led to her inclusion in the “New For 2018” list.
Yxng Bane made headlines this year, when WizKid brought him out on stage at Wireless Festival to perform his hit single “Fine Wine.”
His remix of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” gave him a further boost. Yxng Bane will embark on his first UK tour in March.
“I’m excited,” he told Ticketmaster. “I want to make every single night a night to remember and every night the best it can be! Plus the fact it sold out in minutes is always a good place to start.”
Sigrid was one of the most hotly tipped artists at this year’s Great Escape Festival, which led to a busy festival season for the Norwegian singer, who said her June 29 show at Roskilde Festival in Denmark was 2017’s highlight.
Sigrid will be playing a couple of shows in the Nordics before her UK tour kicks off in March. “Sigrid is a unique talent. She has a gift, which shone through from the moment I first saw her, singing backing vocals for her brother, Tellef, in Trondheim, Norway, in February 2016.
Not only is she a brilliant live performer; her attitude is exceptional. She takes everything in her stride and is one of the most determined people I know. 2017 saw her debut festival performances and she stole the show at Glastonbury, Roskilde and Latitude, to name a few. 2018 will be a very special year for her,” said United Talent’s Oliver Ward. Pale Waves from Manchester plays a simultaneously happy yet sad mix of indie rock and electro pop.
The band was mentored by The 1975, who also produced their debut single “There’s A Honey.” They have been heavily touring the UK, Europe and the U.S. this year, and their schedule is not looking to get any less busy.
After Pale Waves’ last U.S. show, Dec. 9 at Gasa Gasa in New Orleans, there’s a short break before the band embarks on another Europe and UK tour starting at The Grand Social in Dublin, Ireland, Jan. 31, through to March 8 at the Thekla in Bristol, England.
Commenting on the list, Ticketmaster UK managing director Andrew Parsons said: “We love being part of an artist’s live career from the very beginning. The acts playing upstairs in pubs today could be those headlining O2 Academy Brixton or even the O2 tomorrow, and it’s vital that Ticketmaster lends support and guidance to these emerging artists.”
All of the acts that made Ticketmaster’s “New For 2018,” with the sole exception of Lil Xan, can be seen live at next year’s Eurosonic Noorderslag, which takes place in Groningen, Netherlands, Jan. 17-20.
What is more, Sigrid and Alma are among the winners of the 2018 European Border Breaker Awards.