Set in the beautiful Oxford countryside, Wilderness is a festival where it’s not just about the music, with amazing theatre, gastronomy and art throughout the weekend. However, unlike other festivals that put the focus on culture, Wilderness hasn’t just pushed the music and still has a killer line-up that includes headliners Bjork and Ben Howard; and if you’re looking for your next favourite artist, Wilderness can also help with that.
Here are five up and coming artists to check out at this year’s festival!
Shamir
With his piercing countertenor voice and vibrant blend of disco and pop, Shamir is a breath of fresh air. The 20-year old is an amalgam of Grace Jones, Lana Del Rey and Prince, and looks ready to take the world by storm. His debut album Ratchet was released in May through XL Records (the launch label for Jungle & FKA Twigs). A totally unique addition to Wilderness’ lineup, you can catch him on the Main Stage on Friday.
Rhodes
Having supported the likes of London Grammar, George Ezra and Sam Smith, folk singer-songwriter Rhodes is now well and truly breaking out on his own merit. His soulful voice and emotive lyrics combined with intelligent song writing have attracted the likes of BBC Radio 1 and lead to his current single ‘Close Your Eyes’ making it onto their B-List and being invited to do a Live Lounge session. September marks the release of Rhodes’ debut record, Wishes, as well as the start of his biggest headline tour to date. You can catch him on the Main Stage on Sunday.
Aurora
Hailing from Bergen, Norway, Aurora is an artist who has been diligently plugging away for the past year. The 18-year old Norwegian has already released a host of stylish pop songs, including the current single ‘Running With The Wolves’. This track features subtle tribal beats and stripped back vocals, which gradually crash into the stirring chorus. The pintsize pop princess is effortlessly sophisticated, with impassioned vocals and fluent production she’s one to check out on The Bandstand on Saturday.
Tenterhook
Archie Faulks, aka Tenterhook, is one to watch. With support from XFM and BBC Introducing, and a Burberry acoustic session to boot, he’s being tipped for big things, and it’s not hard to see why. With gorgeous acoustic tracks full of soaring soulful vocals and an effervescent rhythm section, Tenterhook is a little bit Vance Joy, a little bit old school Mumford and Sons, and a lotta bit one to keep an eye on. Catch him on The Bandstand on Sunday.
Låpsley
18-year-old Holly Lapsley Fletcher, better known as Låpsley, has been a rising talent for the past year. Hyped by everybody and their gran, even before she signed to XL Records in October 2014, Låpsley picked up support from Radio 1, which lead to her playing her second ever gig at Glastonbury on the BBC Introducing stage. However this support isn’t undeserved, with a voice beyond her years that soars across swirling tapestries of production, Låpsley produces truly stunning electronic music. You can catch her on the Main Stage on Friday.
