23 FOR 2023: VOCAL GIRLS’ ONES TO WATCH

One week into 2023, we’ve rounded up some of Vocal Girls’ key artists that you need on your radar for the remaining 51.

All of our 2023 ones to watch are yet to release a debut album, but watch this space - we’re predicting that they’ll be gracing stages, airwaves, and record store shelves near you very soon. If the difficulty we had in narrowing this list down is anything to go by, then this coming year in new music is shaping up to be a very busy one!

Alien Chicks 

Image credit: Indy Brewer

With only three singles under their belt, Alien Chicks have quickly amassed a cult following thanks to their relentless live roster in 2022. Boasting surreal lyricism, a tongue-in-cheek disposition and an intoxicatingly deranged live performance, Alien Chicks’ clear love for what they do is infectious. With a flurry of singles in the rafters awaiting release, 2023 is the year you should catch an Alien Chicks set. Amber Lashley

Blossom Caldarone

Image credit: Theo Batterham

Describing London-based Blossom Caldarone as merely a ‘singer-songwriter’ feels reductive; classically trained as a cellist, her most recent tracks combine orchestral strings with tender but playfully witty lyricism, inviting an immediate intimacy that you can’t help but embrace. With latest EP ‘Maybe in Love (Maybe Not)’ dropping in a few weeks, get ready to be welcomed into Caldarone’s world. Daisy Carter

Blue Bendy

Image credit: Kalisha Quinlan

South-London six piece Blue Bendy catch your ear, possessing a truly cacophonous sound hailing from wide reaching influences and forays into multiple genres and musical styles. The group are working on their debut album, and if the vivid, rolling sonic hillscape of latest EP ‘Motorbike’ is anything to go by, it’s one worth keeping your ears peeled for. Sally Clegg

English Teacher 

Image credit: Tatiana Pozuelo

Over the past 12 months, English Teacher have cemented themselves as one of the most exciting bands around. Combining cynically witty lyricism, unpredictable musicianship and playful charm by the bucketload, this group compels all who witness them to seek more. So seeking we are – and as they take to SXSW in March, we’re sure many more will be too. SC

flowerovlove 

Singer-songwriter flowerovlove burst onto the scene aged 16, and has since been growing with unblushing confidence, culminating in the 2022 EP ‘A Mosh Pit In The Clouds’. She defines her music as simply ‘flowerovlove-y’, and her sound and visuals feel like a hazy but refreshing daydream. With such zeal met by growing acclaim, the year ahead is set to be an exciting one for the young artist. SC

Fräulein

We were introduced to London-based duo Fräulein through our first VG social in 2021, and were hooked by the innovative pair’s fervent live set that very night. Garnering widespread interest through back-to-back gigs and debut EP ‘A Small Taste’, Fräulein have so far only given a sample of what they’ve got to offer. But with new music in the pipeline, we’re sure that eager appetites will be satisfied further in 2023. SC

Hannah Jadagu

Photo credit: Sterling Smith

Despite the fact she’s only 20, the fast-rising star of the Big Apple’s Hannah Jadagu shows no sign of burning out any time soon. Last year’s single ‘Say It Now’ was our first tease of an upcoming longer project, and hinted at a sound which continues to ride the bedroom-pop wave whilst introducing a grungier edge. Having recently supported the likes of Arlo Parks and Faye Webster, it surely won’t be long until Jadagu graduates to a headline tour of her own. DC

Heartworms

There’s starting out strong, and then there’s releasing your debut single via cult label Speedy Wunderground and receiving plays - and unanimous praise - from BBC Introducing London, BBC Radio 1, and 6 Music. With ‘Consistent Dedication’, Heartworms have done exactly that. Spearheaded by Jojo Orme, the project pairs urgent, sprechgesang vocals with groovy basslines and a penchant for mid-20th century military uniform: not to be missed. DC

King Violet 

Photo Credit: Mai Anderson

From the 90s-flecked ‘Tya’ to their Arctic Monkeys-esque ‘Do Me A Favour’, Mancunian quartet King Violet combine the best elements of indie in recent decades to convincingly fight the corner for modern-day guitar music. Just listen to anthem-in-the-making ‘The Pedant’ - it’s not difficult to imagine crowds shouting the rollicking chorus back at the top of their lungs in the near future. DC

Lime Garden 

Photo credit: Felix Sauerbrey

Arguably one of the breakout bands of 2022, this list wouldn’t have been complete without Lime Garden. Following a slew of earworm singles and festival slots galore, it’s likely we’ll see a highly-anticipated longer project from the Brighton group later this year. What to expect? An irrepressible genre-blend of indie, disco, and surf-rock, all held together by wry lyrics and a knack for not taking themselves too seriously. DC

Maya Law 

Image credit: Leanne Surfleet

Law’s guitar led tunes draw pictures of heartache and healing, narrated by her arresting, RnB informed vocals. The Norwich born singer released her ‘Hitchhiking’ EP in 2021, and finished 2022 with a supporting set for Children of Zeus. With her eyes set firmly on the future, now is the ideal time to settle into her groovy soundscape. Caitlin Chatterton

Medicine Cabinet

Medicine Cabinet waited until May of last year to release their first single, despite the fact their live shows had already garnered a keenly awaiting fanbase. ‘The Signs’, when it finally arrived, came complete with a bouncing, summer-soundtrack riff and was quickly followed by the upbeat ‘Factor 50!’. If the rest of their catalogue is this good, the five-piece are lining up to be Glasgow’s latest breakout stars. CC

M(h)aol

Named after Gráinne Mhaol - a legendary female pirate from the sixteenth century - this Irish five-piece make for a bold-faced explosion of political rage. After a string of rowdy singles including ‘Gender Studies’ and ‘Bored of Men’, their most recent offering (‘Asking For It’) is the first glimpse at their debut album ‘Attachment Styles’. If you’re looking for a band to express your pent up feminist frustration, these are your people. CC

Modern Woman 

Photo credit: Sandra Ebert

If the phrase ‘femme fatale’ was a genre, you’d find it in the same grey area in which Modern Woman exists. Beautifully dark, completely twisted, and inherently emotional, Modern Woman is built off the back of a love for poetry and spoken word - a love that is reflected in an endearingly theatrical way. Following a run of live shows in 2022 - and the release of their latest single ‘Ford’ - 2023 should be the year you become better acquainted with Modern Woman. AL

O. 

Photo credit: Holly Whitaker

O. have been on our radar since they hopped on tour with Rough Trade’s Black Midi back in late 2021, but it was their addictively unique debut single ‘OGO’ - released last year via Speedy Wunderground - that cemented them as ones to watch in 2023. The sax and drum duo hold a sound so refreshingly experimental that you instantly want to tell all your friends you discovered them first, and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got up their sleeves for this year. Dani Murden

October and the Eyes

New Zealand-born, East London-based October has us under a spell with her mesmerising, kaleidoscopic collection of tracks so far. With undertones of the likes of Siouxsie Sioux and Bowie filtered through a modern lens, the woozy sound of October and the Eyes is the perfect mode of transport to places of haunting ambience and nostalgia-soaked settings. DM 

Picture Parlour

Photo credit: Pete Ray

Picture Parlour have been sneaking around for a while, teasing us with demos and home-recorded covers on their socials. And it’s these little peeks which have lured us on, impatiently waiting for their debut single to be released this year. After our first listen, we can promise the perfect dose of dizzying guitar, truthfully observant lyrics, and instantly compelling vocals. You’ll be in a trance from the moment this lot drop their imminent single, so be prepared for a refreshing obsession like no other. DM

pyncher

Northern powerhouses pyncher have mastered Manchester’s underground scene with their moody and demanding anthems. There’s something unavoidably inviting about this Radio 6-recognised outfit, with their playful lyricism and notably theatrical vocal lines. As the post-punk scene continues to grow exponentially, this band shouts and demands our attention above it all, securing them as a sound you simply can’t ignore. DM

Tapir!

Image credit: Becky Rogers

Sharing a name with the monochrome, pig-like herbivores (which makes googling a challenge), Tapir! first caught our ears with their understated set at last summer’s Green Man Festival. Refreshingly independent from the post-punk boom, their debut EP ‘Act 1 (The Pilgrim)’ spotlights yearning vocal delivery and tight instrumentation through a sound that’s simultaneously modern and timeless. DC

Teeth Machine

Photo credit: Lara Laeverenz

Teeth Machine first came into our sight with their introductory single ‘Drive By DK’, and we’ve been listening ever since. As an amalgamation of creatives from a range of mediums, Teeth Machine have storytelling at their centre and have maintained a lingering allure. After releasing two singles in the last months of 2022, we’re hoping that 2023 will bring further insight into their creative world. AL

The Dinner Party

Following in Medicine Cabinet’s footsteps, The Dinner Party have made a name for themselves as ‘that band who haven’t actually released anything yet’. They’ve been steadily storming the live indie scene – twirling their way around the festival circuit and landing opening slots for The Murder Capital and The Rolling Stones (yes, you read that right). With 2023 promising more of the same success, the window of opportunity for ‘since the beginning’ fan status is closing fast! CC

Ugly

Photo credit: Dave Monis

2022 marked Ugly’s first releases since 2019 and saw them play their biggest London headline yet. Their resurgence was brought in via the 8-minute saga of ‘I’m Happy You’re Here’ and the warm folk of ‘Sha’. Meditative and sincere, this next chapter of Ugly has been a pleasure so far, and if we’re lucky, there’ll be more to come soon. AL

Yazmin Lacey

A stalwart of the Nottingham music scene, Yazmin Lacey has been steadily amassing a devoted following since 2017. Having released 3 EPs and a handful of singles in this time, her soulful latest tracks ‘Bad Company’ and ‘Pieces’ point to a longer project imbued with slinky keys, meandering brass lines, and honeyed vocals befitting a 60s jazz lounge. DC