York Theatre Royal

Discover the artists shaping the future of music at the New Music Stage with live performances from 10 breakthrough artists. Start with an industry panel featuring representatives from Universal, Fontana, EMI, Rough Trade and Matador Records, offering insights into today’s music landscape, followed by networking sessions. Listen to Keynote Speaker, Jess Iszatt, from BBC Introducing on Radio 1. Hear from last year’s winner, Dilettante, and see the 2026 winner announced.

This event is part of the Beyond The Frame programme of events for the Aesthetica Film Festival – find out more about the festival here.

Performances & talks

12.00 – 13.00 | Meet the jury

15.45 – 16.45 | Networking
17.00 – 18.00 | Keynote Speech

18.10 – 20.50 | New Music Stage (pt.2)
18.10 – 18.30 | Pavey Ark
18.45 – 19.05 | PH
19.20 – 19.40 | WineMom
19.55 – 20.15 | Other People’s Leisure
20.30 – 20.50 | roe

21.00 – 21.45 | Live Performance + Q&A w/Dilettante
22.00 – 22.15 | Jury announcement and winner performance

Meet the Music Jury

Saturday 7 November, 12:00-13:00 | York Theatre Royal Main House

Welcome to the New Music Stage. We kick off proceedings with a panel featuring Jury members Rob Cannell (Beggars Group), Sally Bryant (Futuresound Group), Nicolas Tyrell (Culture and Music Journalist) and Arusa Qureshi (Writer and former Editor of The List). This session takes a deep dive into the music industry, unpacking the structures that shape how emerging talent is discovered, developed and supported. The Jury will discuss the practical realities of working in music today, including the roles of labels, publishers and curators in building sustainable careers and breaking acts to wider audiences.

Networking: Sync in Focus

Saturday 7 November, 15:45-16:45 | York Theatre Royal Main House

An introduction to sync licensing and the power of collaboration between sound and screen. The session opens with three concise talks from leading figures, including Universal Music, Rough Trade Records and Domino Recording Company. They share insights into how music is placed within film and TV, and the different pathways available for artists, filmmakers and composers. Following the talks, attendees will have the opportunity to connect in an informal networking session. Whether you’re a filmmaker looking to understand music partnerships or a musician interested in breaking into visual media, this is a practical entry point into the world of sync.

Keynote: BBC Introducing: Jess Iszatt

Saturday 7 November, 17:00-18:00 | York Theatre Royal Main House

Every week, thousands of listeners across the UK tune in to BBC Introducing on Radio 1 – a show hosted by Jess Iszatt, dedicated to championing brand new artists that are breaking through across the nation. It gives up-and-coming names broadcast opportunities on radio, TV and online, alongside the chance to perform at major festivals. Ed Sheeran, Florence + the Machine, Lewis Capaldi, Raye, Sam Fender, Aitch, Olivia Dean, Myles Smith, Nia Archives and Tom Grennan all received BBC Introducing support at the start of their careers. In this session, Iszatt – who is not only a dynamic radio presenter, but an accomplished DJ and respected tastemaker in the industry – speaks about her career, and the importance of nurturing new talent.

Meet the acts

Meet the 10 breakthrough acts who make up this year’s New Music Stage. The 2026 lineup spans transcendent vocals, razor-sharp lyrics, old-school hip-hop sounds and art-pop experimentation, highlighting artists that are destined for bigger stages. The artists will be performing throughout the day, giving audiences an exclusive chance to hear the next big thing in the music industry. See these incredible artists here first, before they explode onto the world stage. Supported by TALENTBANQ, Caffè Nero, Innovate UK, Leeds Conservatoire, Imagesound and Beggars Group.

Circe

Brighton-based artist, writer and multi-instrumentalist Circe makes expansive, cinematic dark-pop, building songs where huge synths, distorted guitars, strings and layered vocals collide with sharply drawn storytelling. Taking cues from the world-building of Björk, FKA twigs and Kate Bush, her sound filters visceral electronics through something more romantic, atmospheric, strange and melancholy – with the scale and drama of a film score. Her music has appeared in Netflix’s Crew Girl and Elite; Amazon Prime’s Hanna; and Channel 4’s Made in Chelsea. Circe has toured the UK and Europe with The Midnight and performed alongside Future Islands, as well as headlining Latitude Festival’s BBC Introducing Stage and The Great Escape. Jack Saunders of BBC Radio 1’s Next Wave called Circe: “insanely talented and definitely someone we are backing.”

Chisara

Radical hope mixed with punk, curiosity and philosophy. This is Chisara, an award-winning composer and multidisciplinary artist celebrated for their unique Afro-art-pop sound. Chisara’s voice, lyricism and skillful storytelling has led to achievements across theatre, film and visual arts, including a George Butterworth Award; choreography for Steve McQueen’s Blitz; mentoring from Brian Eno through Netflix’s composer programme; and recognition from BBC Introducing London, The Great Escape, The Roundhouse, Tate Britain and The National Theatre. Chisara has also dueted with Tom Odell on the Roundhouse main stage, and opened for artists such as Anais Mitchel, Blackstreet, Corinne Bailey Rae, Duran Duran and and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Katherine Aly

Katherine Aly is a rising alt-pop artist known for her genre-defying sound and fearless storytelling. Her distinctive orange aesthetic and a commitment to pushing creative boundaries has garnered praise from press including Wonderland, Notion and Earmilk. BBC Introducing described Aly’s songs as “educational”, reflecting her distinctive lyrical approach and incisive perspective on contemporary relationships. Her music operates as a form of “humorous anthropological research”, set against an hyperpop soundscape that fuses alternative pop with an experimental edge. Her work has received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music, and with ongoing support from BBC Introducing Scotland. Aly was named their Future-Ready Artist of 2026.

LFay

LFay is a lyricist and vocalist from rural Norfolk, crafting a vibrant and genre-blurring sound that fuses old-school hip-hop, urban jazz and neo-soul with elements of jungle, drum & bass and breaks. LFay delivers playful yet insightful observations on the impact of isolation and youth experience, drawing inspiration from her free party and rave culture roots whilst incorporating textures and imagery influenced by the pirate radio scene of the 1990s. Her music has been featured on platforms including BBC Radio 1, BBC 1Xtra, Capital XTRA, and BBC Introducing, where she has also been named a One to Watch 2026 for Suffolk and Norfolk. LFay is an artist firmly on the rise – bringing originality, energy, and authenticity to every stage and sound she touches.

Other People’s Leisure

Other People’s Leisure (OPL) are making waves on their own terms. The Scottish electronic duo craft immersive live performances using analogue hardware, digital production and multi-projection visuals. Craig A and Craig P create melody-driven music that translates seamlessly to their expansive sets, with lyrics adding emotional depth and drawing from a background in songwriting. Taking influence from Bicep, Caribou, Four Tet and Junior Boys, OPL make melodic, indie-infused electronic music that “sits equally at home on the dance floor and the journey home.” Their debut release earned immediate support from BBC Introducing and a placement on Apple Music’s New in Dance playlist. They have continued to build momentum, with eight of their first ten singles receiving BBC Radio airplay.

Pavey Ark

Pavey Ark is a cinematic indie-folk band from Hull, UK, making music in which atmospheric vocals, strings and horns glide over finger-picked guitar, melodic bass and complex percussion. The result is a sound that evades immediate comparison. Pavey Ark is known for sublime live shows, having played SXSW Texas, the Glastonbury Acoustic Stage and Cambridge Folk Festival. Their second album, More Time, More Speed (2025), was mixed by producer Paul Butler and selected for Record Store Day 2026, with a live in-store performance at Rough Trade. Pavey Ark’s debut album, Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing was lauded by UNCUT and Record Collector, receiving airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music.

PH

Manufactured in Northwest London, lyrical rapper PH brings a modern alternative sound to the UK, blending old-school hip-hop with influences from cultures around the world. He has collaborated with Soulja Boy, The Game, Onyx and Swayvee, as well as producers including Oliver Bassil, who has worked with NBA YoungBoy and That Mexican OT. PH’s 2024 collaboration with rising artist SOLOCELO, YOU GIRL, has become a summer anthem, amassing more than one million streams. The pair followed up with HELL N’ BACK. PH has also travelled to Lagos and Rio de Janeiro to create music and visual content, including a Hollywood-style video aired on Nigerian television. He continues to produce fun, creative content in his hometown of London.

Roe

Derry-based songwriter roe describes herself as “an emotional car crash with free will and an impulse to write.” roe’s influences span from Irish singer-songwriters like Orla Gartland, to American artists such as Medium Build and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Through live performances at Reeperbahn, SXSW and a UK arena run supporting Snow Patrol, she has connected with audiences all over the world. Her 2022 debut album That’s When The Panic Sets In was called “an exceptionally sophisticated succession of confessional songs” by The Irish Times. Everything since has been made without a label or publisher, on her own terms and with a small, dedicated team around her. Her latest album, LOST DOG!, arrives on the back of a run of independently released singles that began in September 2025.

Lepani

Lepani is a Fijian-born, New Zealand-raised independent artist, songwriter and producer now based in Manchester. Blending alternative pop, R&B and soul, his music – which has gained 14 million streams across digital platforms – draws on a diverse range of influences, creating a smooth sound that is eclectic and distinctive. Since making Manchester home, he has immersed himself in the city’s grassroots scene, performing regularly in venues across the city and building relationships with fellow artists. Lepani has also performed internationally, including at Pacific Roots Festival in Amsterdam. His upcoming project explores vulnerability, mental health and his challenging relationship with his music career. With a run of new releases ahead, Lepani continues to grow while staying connected to the local creative community.

WineMom

WineMom is a Dublin-based four piece stepping their way firmly to the forefront of the Irish music scene. Led by powerhouse frontwoman Rosanna, their sound draws parallels to Fleetwood Mac and Blondie. WineMom are fresh off a wave of successes in their first year, during which they took to some of the biggest stages across Ireland and the UK – supporting iconic artists such as Kingfishr, Jane’s Addiction and Deacon Blue, as well as a surprise performance at Electric Picnic. WineMom’s debut EP Grand Affair came out in April 2026, and they are excited to bring their self-styled brand of “Nostalgia Rock” to the world.

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