The BBC has announced the music acts that it believes will be ones to watch over the coming 12 months with its Sound of 2012.It named soul singer Michael Kiwanuka as the top of the five acts for fans to discover.
Compiled by the views of 184 UK-based music critics, broadcasters and bloggers, the list includes an array of musical styles and genres.
Kiwanuka has already attracted attention from a legion of fans after he supported Adele on tour last year. The London-based rising star has also worked as a session musician for Labrinth and has since signed to label Communion, by Mumford and Sons’ Ben Lovett.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I never expected to be recognised in this way.
“It’s a great surprise and it means a lot that people are accepting the music they’ve heard so far, and it will bring the music to many more people, which for any musician is a great privilege.”
The 24-year-old cites Otis Redding, Bob Dylan and Miles Davis as inspiration for his music.
Other hotly-tipped stars of this year are Frank Ocean, a US R&B singer who has worked with the likes of Kanye West and Jay-Z.
Rapper Azealia Banks, who was recently named as the coolest person in music by NME, also makes the list. She is scheduled to appear at the 2012 NME Awards Tour this year.
Skrillex and Niki & The Dove complete the top five, although the BBC has also compiled a larger list of the top 15 rising stars in music.
Its predictions are often very accurate. Last year it named Jessie J as the Sound of 2011, and Ellie Goulding the year before.
Little Boots, Adele, Mika and Corinne Bailey Rae have also been named over the years and have since gone on to sell millions of records.