Myles Smith, Elmiene and Good Neighbours have been announced as the artists in the running for 2025’s Brit Rising Star Award.
The award, in partnership with BBC Radio 1, highlights up and coming talent selected by a panel of industry experts.
The top act will be announced on 5 December, ahead of the Brit Awards on 1 March, and will take the crown from this year’s recipient The Last Dinner Party.
Other previous winners since the prize category was created in 2008 include FLO, Sam Fender and Griff.
To be nominated for the award, artists can’t have achieved a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single by 31 October.
Myles Smith says he was “incredibly honoured” to be nominated.
The 26-year-old from Luton was named as BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year earlier this month and peaked at number four in the Official Charts with his breakout track, Stargazing.
Four years ago during lockdown, Myles started posting covers online and went viral in 2022 with his acoustic version of The Neighbourhood’s Sweater Weather.
Since then, he’s played Glastonbury, a virtual concert in Fortnite and even bagged a spot on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist.
“I started playing pubs and open mic nights when I was just 12 and music quickly became my way of understanding the world and connecting with others,” Myles says.
“This recognition feels like a reflection of that journey – the highs, the challenges and the incredible people who’ve supported me along the way.”
It’s been a big year for Elmiene who, since being named one to watch by BBC Radio 1 in January, has released not one but two EPs.
The soul singer from Oxford, who’s previously collaborated with Stormzy, says he’s “extremely grateful” to now be nominated for the Brit Rising Star award.
“If I could put the feeling of being nominated into words, I would say it’s like being completely satisfied with a meal you bought and then finding out it comes with dessert and a drink,” he says.
“Didn’t know it could get any better.”
Although he was nicknamed “the Michael Jackson kid”, Elmiene hadn’t written a song before his music GCSE and even then didn’t think it was for him.
But after a housemate posted a video of him singing in his back garden in 2021, he’s blown up online with more than a million monthly listeners on Spotify and backing from legends like Missy Elliot and SZA.
Completing the list of nominees is east London indie duo Good Neighbours, formed of Scott Verrill and Oli Fox.
Their viral hit Home has been streamed more than 450 million times around the world – the most streamed debut single globally from a new artist this year, according to the Brit Awards.
Judges describe their music as “bursting with hope and joyous abandon”, inspired by the likes of MGMT, Passion Pit and Bleachers.
With Myles, the duo were also included on BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2025 alongside the likes of Chappell Roan.
“The BRITs have always been a huge dream for both of us growing up,” Scott and Oli say.
“We started Good Neighbours purely for the fun of it, so to be up for an actual Brit award at this stage in our career is the biggest honour.”
The Last Dinner Party were named 2024’s Rising Star and since then have gone on to sell out a tour and release their debut album, A Prelude to Ecstasy.
The Brit Awards will be broadcast live from the O2 in London on Saturday 1 March.
