Eight artists have been nominated for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards, a category often considered among the most significant in determining the trajectory of an artist’s career. The nominees are Addison Rae, Alex Warren, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, The Marías, sombr, Olivia Dean and Lola Young — artists whose musical styles range from synth-pop to R&B to an English and Spanish indie blend. These stars all had massive hits in 2025, raking in billions of Spotify streams and performing across the globe, and are all set to perform at the awards show Sunday.
Addison Rae: From TikTok sensation to pop star
Addison Rae’s music career took off after her 2025 album “Addison,” which has two major hit songs in “Diet Pepsi” and “Fame is a Gun.” Rae amassed millions of followers on TikTok in 2019 when she was only 18 years old but has since transitioned her career as a TikTok influencer to a massive pop star. Her music is catchy synth-pop with strong beats that she pairs with a dreamy, airy voice, combining a Charli xcx-style dance-pop beat with a soft-girl aesthetic reminiscent of Lana Del Rey. Rae’s album examines her experience growing up surrounded by Hollywood culture and money and navigating the dynamics of youth and celebrity.
Alex Warren: A master of channeling emotion
Alex Warren is best known for his hit song “Ordinary” that spent 10 weeks as the top song on the Billboard Hot 100. Warren is a pop singer-songwriter whose music is characterized by his emotional lyrics and voice. His voice has a resounding, impactful weight behind it, one which he channels on tracks that balance personal narratives with bombastic instrumentation. Warren was truly on repeat in 2025 — his music is all over TikTok and “Ordinary” alone has over a billion streams. He recently released an album, “You’ll be Alright, Kid,” in 2025 that features “Carry You Home” and “Before You Leave Me,” songs that straddle the line between pop accessibility and introspective depth.
KATSEYE: A global girl group for the internet age
Geffen Records and HYBE — the labels that signed Olivia Rodrigo and BTS, respectively — chose six women from around the globe to be a part of a K-Pop-inspired girl group called KATSEYE. Their biggest hit is “Gabriela,” which has over 600 million streams. With members hailing from Switzerland, South Korea, the Philippines and the United States, KATSEYE is well-known for its impressive performing and dancing abilities showcased onstage and in music videos on popular songs like “Gabriela” and “Internet Girl.” The group’s music and emphasis on dance is heavily influenced by the K-pop genre. Their first EP, “SIS (Soft Is Strong),” came out in 2024 and their second, “BEAUTIFUL CHAOS,” came out in 2025, building out their repertoire of catchy, creative tracks.
Leon Thomas: Past Grammy Award-winner and child star
Leon Thomas is a contemporary R&B singer from Brooklyn whose newest album, “MUTT,” blends psychedelic soul and rock with smooth vocals and a mellow aesthetic. The deluxe version of his 2024 album “MUTT Deluxe: HEEL,” features tracks with collaborations with artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Masego and Big Sean, showcasing Thomas’ ability to transcend genre and artistic style. The title track, “MUTT,” is Thomas’ most popular song, with over 300 million streams. Thomas already won Best R&B Song at the Grammy Awards in 2024 for his songwriting and production work on SZA’s track “Snooze,” a song that has over 1.8 billion streams on Spotify alone.
The Marías: A new voice in alternative music
The Marías is an American four-member band that blends sad-girl indie with a Spanish influence and a zany aesthetic to create a unique sound developed on tracks such as “No One Noticed,” which went viral on TikTok. The group’s music is melancholy, almost dreamlike, creating a unique sonic environment on songs like “Back To Me.” The Marías is well known for its songs “Heavy” and “Sienna” that feature its lead singer, María Zardoya’s light, silky voice. The band spent much of 2025 on their “Submarine” tour, which is also the name of its newest album.
sombr: One-man act of heartbreak
sombr released his debut studio album, “I Barely Know Her,” in 2025, catapulting him to music stardom. The album features hit songs like “back to friends” — which was released early and became his biggest hit single, with over 239,000 videos using it as a sound on TikTok -– as well as songs like “12 to 12” and “undressed.” All of his biggest songs explore themes of heartache and heartbreak, with playful contemplations on romance in young adulthood. His genre of music blends alternative-pop and indie-rock, which feature his smooth vocals as well as synthesizers, guitars, keyboards, drums and more.
Olivia Dean: A jazzy, R&B blend
“The Art of Loving,” the second album from Olivia Dean, is an R&B album with soul and jazz influences. The album explores her experiences and frustrations with love, with songs including “Man I Need,” “Nice To Each Other” and “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” that develop the album’s themes and atmosphere. Dean’s music heavily features keys, is laid back and makes for easy listening. Her originality in songwriting, production and versatility has made her a huge star, and her music ranges from slow heartbreak jams like “I’ve Seen It” to the fast-paced beats on “Man I Need.”
Lola Young: Beloved for her relatable lyricism
Lola Young’s nomination comes on the heels of her incredibly popular indie-pop hit titled “Messy.” It became beloved by listeners, especially on TikTok, for its lyrics about never being able to meet someone’s expectations. Young’s masterful depiction of emotion and vulnerability in her voice is evident in the recording of “Messy,” which, paired with catchy lyrics, gave her a massive hit. The song raked in over one billion streams and attracted an increasing number of listeners to her 2024 album, “This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway.” In 2025, Young released an album titled “I’m Only F—king Myself,” further developing her burgeoning catalogue of pop music.
All eight nominees for Best New Artist have made enormous strides in streams, production and virality over the past year, breaking into the industry in a wide array of genres and through vastly different channels. Purely by their nominations, these artists are indicators of the future of the music landscape and mark a significant achievement in the careers of these young artists. The Grammy Awards take place Sunday and will be televised on CBS.
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