22 Artists I’m Looking Forward to Hearing From in 2022
New Year, New Bangers
We’re only two weeks into the new year but already it seems like it’s going to be one for the books in terms of music releases. Heavy hitters Gunna and The Weeknd kicked off the year with album drops and it seems like the momentum has no intention of slowing down. Now, all my friends know how much I like to tell them to go listen to artists I love so I thought why not use my blog to share some of the artists I’m looking forward to hearing from in 2022. Some of these are household names while others are relative newcomers, either way their music slaps so I hope you check out both their new releases as well as some of their older stuff.
KOKOROKO
KOKOROKO (meaning ‘be strong’ in Urhobo) are a collective of young musicians brought together by a love for Afrobeat. Born in 2014 in London and taking influence from the greats such as Tony Allen and Ebo Taylor, KOKOROKO are trailblazers in the live music scene . Led by their charismatic trumpet player, Sheila Maurice-Grey, the band’s energy is incredibly infectious. I first came across them when I found the video I’ve attached above, and I was hooked from the get-go. I’m still yet to see them live but they’re definitely on my bucket list. From songs with a strong rhythmic impetus like Uman to the mellow Abusey Junction, KOKOROKO’s music is proof that Afrobeat and live music is well and truly alive.
Knucks
I remember when I first started using Spotify in around 2016 and I stumbled across a tune called Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I was intrigued by the artwork for the song and when I gave it a listen I was an immediate fan. The track produced by the man himself has a signature jazzy instrumental which he effortlessly glides on with catchy one-liners sprinkled throughout. Fast forward a few years I tuned in to his NRG 105 EP, a concept project based on a radio show. The project was confirmation of the fact that Knucks was the real deal, it’s not easy to translate an ability to drop good singles into a cohesive body of work but Knucks did so effortlessly. Since then, Knucks has gone from strength to strength, with the release of his 2020 album, London Class and subsequent hits such as Los Pollos Hermanos. With a sold-out headline show in late 2021 and a Colors show that’s just been released, Knucks’ profile is set to rise even more in 2022, so tap in.
Saba
For some strange reason, I found a lot of amazing music in year 13 and Saba was up there with one of my favourite finds. Coming up in Chicago with the likes of Smino and NoName (we need that Ghetto Sage album expeditiously), the rapper combines an impressive flow with an incredible storytelling ability. His album “Care for Me” captures your full attention as the artist covers heavy topics such as his struggles with his mental health to dealing with the loss of a family member. These topics are explored in such a masterful way that draws you in so you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that Saba has a new album dropping in February. It’s due to be a classic.
Cordae
Since bursting onto the scene in 2018 with a tongue-in-cheek response to J Cole’s didactic song 1985, Cordae hasn’t slowed down. It may be too early on to say he’s fulfilled the potential he displayed in that tune but his debut album, The Lost Boy certainly set the bar high for the North Carolina born rapper. Cordae entered the game with the YBN tag, as part of a collective that included YBN Nahmir and YBN Almighty Jay but he has since dropped the tag, a move that illustrates his long term thinking which is a quality evident in his interviews. The artist stresses his desire for longevity in both his interviews and song lyrics and it’s clear that he’s on the path to achieving this with an evergreen style of music with potent lyricism and captivating instrumentals. I mean, anybody who can get Stevie Wonder on an album in 2022 is worth keeping an eye on. From A Bird’s Eye View comes out on the 14th January and is set to be a big one.
Rema
Although he may be about to enrol as a freshman at university, some may consider Rema a senior in the game. Since Dumebi dropped in 2019, Rema has been on a roll, consistently dropping bangers ranging from the amapiano-hit Woman to 2021 releases Soundgasm, Dimension and Bounce. With a instantly recognizable voice and a knack for producing catchy hooks, there is huge anticipation for Rema’s debut album and judging by his record to date, it’s due to be a big one
Adekunle Gold
With one of the most impressive evolutions from an artist, Adekunle Gold has never disappointed. From releasing Yoruba worship style songs such as There is a God and Ire, to the amapiano-styled hit, High, everything AG touches turns into Gold (sorry). Having entered a new phase of his life with the birth of his child, it will be interesting to see what direction Adekunle Gold’s album, titled Catch Me if You Can, goes in. My friends know just how much I love AG’s music (mark my words, he’ll perform at my wedding) so don’t be surprised if you hear me playing the album on repeat.
Loyle Carner
I first heard about Loyle Carner when he came to perform in Edinburgh while I was still in school. A good few of the guys went to see him and came back raving about how good the show was so I had to check him out, and I wasn’t disappointed. With his signature laidback delivery and impressive storytelling ability — Loyle Carner’s music is not only sonically pleasing but thought provoking. I was lucky enough to watch Loyle perform at a poetry event in Coventry (yes, Coventry)where he performed some of the lyrics from his upcoming album and if that was anything to go by, we’re in for a treat.
J Hus
Without a doubt, Juju J is one of the biggest names in the UK music scene. I remember my boy showing me the infectious Lean and Bop in Year 9 summer and instantly becoming a fan. Subsequent album releases haven’t failed to disappoint with timeless hits such as Dem Boy Paigon & Did You See displaying the artist’s versatility. His 2019 album Big Conspiracy reached number one in the charts with minimal promotion and judging by the anticipation for new Hus, his upcoming release is due to do the same.
Kamal
Kamal is the youngest artist to feature on this list but he arguabley has the most potential. Having featured on Santan Dave’s Mercury last year and releasing his War Outside EP, 2021 was a big year for the North London singer. With a pen that matches his vocals, the artist has what it takes to go straight to the top. I went to his first headline show in November and was touched to see a group of his school friends showing love to the singer; for me, the combination of his humble demeanour and his incredible talent mean he’s destined for the top.
Proffet
Hailing from Havering (aka HTown), East London, the 21-year-old rapper who goes by Proffet has demonstrated his ability to utilise his diverse background to bring a refreshing and varied sound to the UK music scene. His debut single ‘Busy Woman’ set pace for the artist, with clear influence from genres such as Afro-swing, G-funk, and UK HipHop. In ‘Can You See’ we heard a more polished style with a memorable flow and cheeky punchlines. The beat was produced by upcoming Irish producer, E-Law, who is a childhood friend of Proffet; the connection between the producer and the rapper was evident through the cohesiveness of the track. The rapper credits his inspiration to producers like DJMustard and Jae5, rather than artists within the scene. He started the year off with a jumpy instagram freestyle, which he captioned ‘focus and compose’, speaking to his mindset for 2022. He plans to put his town on the map and with hints of an upcoming project to drop in 2022 on his instagram story, we are excited to hear what Proffet has in store for the rest of the year.
YT
It’s not often you hear somebody reference Julius Caesar and Call of Duty in the same song, but this duality is the hallmark of an artist who doesn’t allow himself to be pigeonholed. Whilst genre-hopping from supertrap to plugg’n’b to indie rock and bedroom pop, his witty punchlines and esoteric references are sure to make you laugh, but he is far from a joke. I’ve intended to include YT in this list when the idea first came to mind in late December and since the start of the year, it seems like the stars have aligned for the North East London-based rapper. His hit song, Arc’teryx - an ode to the outdoor clothing brand - has blown up on TikTok (with almost 800000 Spotify streams at the time of writing). It was also recently played on BBC Radio 1. YT has caught the attention of big names in the music industry, including PinkPantheress and prolific producer, Kenny Beats, who vibed to Arc’teryx on one of his recent livestreams. YT is far from a one-hit-wonder though, with an extensive discography indicative of someone with incredibly diverse musical influences. YT is a testament to the fact that authenticity pays off, as he’s carved a unique lane for himself in a scene with no shortage of new entrants. If the start of 2022 is anything to go by, YT stocks are set to soar, so don’t sleep.
AV
Admittedly, I had never heard of AV until last year, but the little I’ve heard of him has me wanting more. After coming across the catchy tune, Big Thug Boys, I though that the artist may be a one hit wonder but I was proven wrong. Confession has been in my rotation ever since I first heard it and I’m looking forward to his first project — if he continues to deliver with his hooks and upbeat instrumentals it should be an exciting one.
Amaarae
With her signature sultry vocals, Amaarae only makes bangers. Her verse on Blaqbonez’s smash-hit Bling was one of my favourite in 2021. The fact that this wasn’t even the highlight of her year speaks volumes, as the remix to her song Sad Girlz Luv Money, featuring Kali Uchis went viral on tiktok. Her 2020 album The Angel You Don’t Know had numerous highlights from Jumping Ship to Leave Me Alone and after suggesting that her sound is going in a new direction, I’m excited to see where the Ghanaian artist goes next.
Lojay
Monalisa was one of the hits of the past year, one of numerous amapiano inspired Nigerian bangers. His EP with producer Sarz showed an impressive ability to come up with memorable hooks and the artist looks like he has no intention of stopping, with his feature on DJ Neptune’s Album being one of the standouts on the tape. If Lojay carries this momentum into the new year he’ll establish himself as one of the mainstays in the Nigerian music scene.
Kojey Radical
Kojey Radical is an artist in the truest sense of the word. He can sing, dance, rap and is heavily involved in the creative direction of his music videos which show an incredible amount of attention to detail. The first I heard of Kojey was Water, shown above, and I was blown away not only by the song but also by the visuals. Ever since, I’ve been a huge fan of the Hoxton rapper who is another artist with an impressive range. Songs such as Cashmere Tears and 97 will make you want to get up and dance, while introspective tunes such as Eleven and Last Night may move you to tears. He released Can’t Go Back at such an important time for me, as the anthem which celebrates overcoming mental difficulties really encouraged me at a point in my life where I needed it. His upcoming album is set to be released in March and based on the singles he’s dropped already, I have high hopes.
Ama Lou
The North London based singer is another artist who pays a lot of attention to her visuals which are a perfect match for her smooth vocals. With a distinct sound that I can’t really compare to anyone else, I enjoyed the EP she dropped and if she continues on this trajectory it should slap.
BenjiFlow
BenjiFlow is an artist who makes evergreen music. When Deep End first dropped I was left wanting more and he didn’t disappoint with subsequent tunes such as Can’t Lose and My Bella which is part of his upcoming EP. The talented musician makes music that you just know will go off in a live setting as you can see above and he’s another artist I’d love to see in 2022.
Burna Boy
Burna Boy’s discography is by far one of my favourite of any artist. He is another artist who shows incredible diversity as he slides on any instrumental he is presented with, be it dancehall or Ghanain drill. While I was disappointed with his most recent album, relistening to African Giant has me hopeful that the artist will be back to his best.
Santi
Santi is another artist I found in year 13 who had me instantly hooked. One of the pioneers of the Alté scene, his distinct sound can’t really be found elsewhere. The 2019 album, Mandy and The Jungle set a high bar for the artist and the fact that his album, set to be released in 2021, was delayed has heightened anticipation for its release. Santi has the ability to create worlds with both his visuals and his sonics and I’m excited to see where he takes us.
Smino
I’ll never forget being introduced to Smino in a GCSE computer science class, I was drawn to his erratic flow which blended effortlessly with the warm instrumentals on his debut album BLKSWN. A contemporary of the aforementioned Saba, Smino is yet another artist from Chicagio with a distinct sound and a way with words. Expectations for this upcoming album are high as he’s set the bar high.
Sampha
It’s been a while since we’ve heard new music from the South London born singer songwriter who’s collaborations incclude Drake and Kanye West. Despite this he’s left us with quality music to listen back to (talk about projects). His Tiny Desk Concert, linked above is one of my favourite with the performance emphasising the strength of his vocals. Combined with moving lyricism I’m not ashamed to admit Samphas songs have led me to shed a singular tear at times and I’m hoping that in this year he brings more.
Kendrick
There’s not much I can say about Kendrick that hasn’t already been said. In a year where Drake, Kanye, and J Cole dropped, one names was missing from the mount rushmore of rap greats of the 2010s. Seeing as he is quite a private individual, it will be exciting to hear what has happened in his life in the past 5 years since the release of DAMN. I have no idea what to expect but his recent features on Baby Keem’s album show that Kung Fu Kenny hasn’t lost his touch. I’m looking forward to top-tier storytelling, both sonic and visual, from the Pulitzer Prize winner for what he’s said is his final album.
Honourable mentions: Buju, Millionz, Joy Crookes, Kadiata, Joey Badass, Ezra Collective, Sule
I made a playlist featuring songs from all these artists, feel free to give it a listen:
Who are you looking forward to hearing from? I’d love to hear it — drop a comment or hit me up on my socials @ezraola
